Prologue

My fourth year in this life had been a frantic one. I’d raised my spirit beasts, met the Royal Spirits, gotten involved in a whole dispute over the destruction of a Spirit Queen’s forest because of a power struggle among the central region’s nobles... Compared to that, my fifth year had been relatively peaceful, with the majority of it spent in Belisario doing work tied to FairyCo. That had only been possible because father had made it clear that I wasn’t allowed to attend any tea parties at the imperial palace or other noble residences until I turned six.

However, time passed, and before long, I had reached my sixth birthday. In modern-day Japan, I’d have been a fresh sprightly first-year in elementary school. My days of remaining cooped up within our march were over.

My birthday party was being held at the lake within the castle grounds for the third year in a row. Given our differences in standing, it was naturally smaller scale than my brothers’ parties, but this time, while the invited guests were primarily nobles of our domain, we had also invited Margraves Kolkett and Noland and their families. The margraves had managed to manifest their spirits as beasts, so they’d wanted to plan a time to visit their respective Royal Spirits.

When we’d learned that the Royal Spirits had taken up residence in the imperial capital and the marches, we’d suggested that the imperial family and the relevant margraves serve as a bridge between the humans and the spirits living in their domains.

You haven’t been in contact for a long time, right? Then I really think you should learn to understand each other and explore ways of interacting that suit your regions.

Plus, the other nobles definitely wouldn’t be happy if we Belisarios were the only family on good terms with our resident Royal Spirit. In any case, the fairy princess guarded by the Royal Spirits lived here in Belisario. We needed the backing of the other margraves, so I wanted them to get as friendly as possible with the spirits.

When we’d first met Ruri, there had been a lot of nobles who didn’t have any spirits, so he had been overjoyed to know that there were those of us who hadn’t forgotten the lake. Now, though, it was normal for our people to have several spirits each. You’d even sometimes see babies sleeping on top of their parents’ spirit beasts.

It turned out that there was a limit to each person’s potential mana capacity. Most nobles could only raise up to three spirit beasts. But three was still a lot—if everyone raised three spirit beasts, we’d end up with more beasts than humans. I was positive that in my local area, we’d reach that point within the next year.

(We’re happy to do it at any time. Hisui lives on a mountain peak, so summer might be best,) Suoh suggested.

(That’s true. If only I’d chosen to live on flat land as well,) Hisui sighed. (I’m so jealous. You and your spirits are all getting along so well with the humans.)

The four Royal Spirits had gathered to celebrate my birthday and were currently seated in the area reserved for them atop the lake. The only humans invited all the way out here were my family members. The margraves could only stand at the edge of the lake, but Suoh and Hisui both knew the residents of their territories, so when the margraves knelt in reverence, they gave friendly waves back.

The margraves were incredibly moved upon meeting their domain’s Royal Spirits for the first time—I could see them excitedly chatting between themselves from here.

(I’ve noticed that the people of Noland are often well-built,) Suoh remarked. (Many more adventurers have also begun raising their own spirits in earnest, viewing them as partners who will heal and protect them.)

(I’ve seen an increase in the number of children playing with the spirits on Kolkett’s farms myself.) Not wanting to be shown up, Hisui jumped in to add her own observation.

Why were they suddenly bragging about their territories?

In contrast to Ruri’s calm demeanor, Kohaku was frowning as she listened to the exchange.

I wonder if Kohaku still feels conflicted.

The tree plantation between the academy and Arlon Falls had been completed. The trees were still thin and spindly, but they were apparently growing at a much faster rate than usual. Ever since the locals had learned that basic magic training or even simply releasing mana to work on increasing one’s mana capacity could help grow the forest, someone was always dropping by to do just that. When school was in session, the students would commonly head out to the forest to help out by expending their mana.

“Um, Kohaku? How developed does the plantation need to be for the forests to be considered connected?” I asked. “It’ll be three years next year.”

(I never said it would take three years.)

Right, it was me who thought it would take a minimum of three years. Usually, it would take more than a decade of hard work for a plantation forest like that to fully mature. The forest they had destroyed had likely been hundreds or even thousands of years old. We really shouldn’t get ahead of ourselves just because we planted a few trees...

(Come to Arlon in autumn,) Kohaku suddenly said.

“What? Three years was overshooting?!”

(You’re so clueless,) Ruri said with a grin.

(She’s clearly jealous of us and can’t wait any longer,) Suoh chuckled.

(Th-That’s not it,) Kohaku protested. (It’s just that as things are, my region alone will fall behind. If there’s too much of a discrepancy between spirit populations, it’ll affect the mana flow, and that could even disrupt the weather.)

(Well, you’ve got a point there.)

Despite Kohaku’s fervent explanation, the other Royal Spirits were grinning away as if they weren’t really listening.

Stop it, you lot. Her face is getting redder by the second.

(Consider this an exception! If the same thing happens again, I’ll leave this country entirely!)

Noooooo! That means the desertification is inevitable!

“At least we have some good news to take to the tea party,” father said.

“Indeed,” mother agreed. “I’m glad Her Sacred Majesty is such a kind soul.”

Now, even the imperial family could be at ease. In that case, could they let me be at ease? That’s probably a no, huh?

◆

There were a lot of things I could do now that I was six. First, I could actually go outside the castle grounds so long as I had bodyguards with me. I would finally have my first taste of freedom in six years.

I was also allowed to attend tea parties—or host them if I wanted to invite my own friends. I had permission to invite other children to the castle if they were visiting here on holiday during the summer, and I was even allowed to accept invitations to other domains.

The first tea party I needed to attend, though, was the empress’s. No one else was of greater priority than Her Imperial Majesty.

The enthusiasm the maids displayed so bright and early in the morning was incredible. My whole body was cleaned so thoroughly that my hair and skin were all glossy. I didn’t think it was necessary to go so far for a child as young as me, but it seemed they wouldn’t budge on that one.

I asked for a dress with as few extra frills as possible, especially around the cuffs. I preferred not to wear something that would cause me to knock things off the table.

“What...? Am I really wearing this color?”

“Rose pink suits your lively cuteness. Let’s make the ribbons purple to match your eye color, and then we can go for an amethyst barrette for your hair.”

As I looked at myself in the mirror, I couldn’t help but imagine a princess from some illustration in a book of fairy tales.

Why do I feel so tickly all over? It’s like I feel embarrassed or restless or something. I want to run around. I had butterflies in my stomach as well, but considering that this was my first time going to the imperial palace, that wasn’t particularly strange.

The castle in Belisario had to function as a fortress, so it was plain and boring with no unnecessary decorations. It was also always crawling with soldiers. The imperial palace would be different, wouldn’t it? It should be gorgeous and marvelous and special.

“And we’re off.”

My parents had also put a lot of effort into their attire. Mother was wearing a simple but intricately embroidered sky blue dress trimmed with lace. Her accessories used gray zoisite, the same color as father’s eyes. Apparently, it was a pretty valuable gemstone.

Meanwhile, father was wearing a jacket with dark green accents to match my mother’s eye color. His hair was carefully styled, and his expression had turned serious and professional.

Lined up together, they created the perfect image of a captivating and mature couple.

My brothers were dressed up fancy today too. Chris had his hair combed back, making him look even more grown-up than usual. He didn’t seem to like the lace on his cuffs, but apparently, the maids had absolutely insisted on it.

Alan was wearing a waist-length jacket with matching pants and boots. There were no accessories in sight. I could almost hear him thinking, Accessories? What are those? Can you eat them?

Honestly, that was just like him.

Our family gathered in the middle of the teleportation array, and we were immediately transported to a room which was five times bigger than the one we had just been in. The white walls were decorated with golden lines which formed a brightly glimmering imperial family crest. The magic circle drawn on the floor was safeguarded by translucent colored glass.

We were then led through to a waiting room that was even more amazing! I saw tables and chairs with golden cabriole legs illuminated by magic lights made of crystal, a magic clock studded with gemstones standing proudly by the wall, and a magnificent woven carpet...

Oh right, this is basically the front entrance, considering how many guests visit from all over the country. Foreign visitors would teleport here from the marches too. It had to be lavish in order to maintain the country’s dignity. This was how they could show off our financial strength and the skills of our craftsmen. If the guests liked what they saw, that could lead to opportunities for trade. We might have to reevaluate our own waiting rooms.

“Whoaaaaa!”

“Deir, don’t gape like that.”

But it was the imperial palace! I’d seen a royal palace that had been turned into an art museum on TV in my past life. It had also been luxurious, and the ceilings of its corridors and its massive halls had been about three stories high.

Seeing something like that in person was a whole different beast. It wasn’t some centuries-old relic of a building either—it was fresh and clean. The double doors were gigantic. They were about four Deirs high.

One of the doors opened, and a middle-aged man nervously ran up and murmured something to my father. Wondering what was going on, I peeked out from behind one of the knights here guarding us, trying to see outside the room.

“My lady...”

“Take a step forward, please,” I asked him.

He stepped forward as requested, a nervous smile on his face, and then I heard him gasp. The moment I managed to see what had caught his attention, I immediately turned around and ran back to my brothers.

“It’s crazy outside,” I reported. “There’s so many people. What’s about to happen?”

My brothers turned to look at the guard I had just been peeking around.

“Well...this is...” The guard looked pale. He must have suddenly been overcome by nerves.

“I must apologize,” the man who’d spoken to father said. “We never imagined that so many people would come to greet you. It has far exceeded our expectations.”

All of the imperial palace staff bowed repeatedly in unison.

So this isn’t normal, after all.

Now it was the rest of my family’s turn to peek around the poor guard.

“Oh, that really is a lot of people.”

“Whew.”

“What shall we do, dear?”

“We’ll just have to go out there and ignore them.”

Maybe you should all stop now. The guard’s starting to get uncomfortable. It’s all the other guard can manage just to keep you all hidden from view.

“You’ll be the ones to go out first. Just do as you always do,” father ordered the guards.

“Sir!”

Our two guards still looked nervous, but they managed to step out into the hallway. The moment they did, we could hear the murmuring of the crowd. Father gave my brothers and me a reassuring nod and then walked out with mother.

“Chris, what do you think they’re expecting us to do?” I asked nervously.

“Huh?”

“Will we have to sing and dance?”

“Why would you think that?!”

It was like a concert venue, wasn’t it? There was even third-floor seating. Security guards were holding back the crowds with their arms outstretched. Isn’t the first-floor seating arena style?

“Just behave. And don’t talk. Okay?”

“Okay.”

If that’s all I have to do, then that’s good enough for me!

“I’ll go first, so you look after Deir, brother,” Alan volunteered.

“All right. Just be careful.”

This was the imperial palace, right? We were here because we’d been invited to a tea party, right? Why was Alan acting as if he were going off to war? Chris had had my hand in a death grip for a while now too.

It was still noisy outside. Just as I was starting to think we should go out there, Alan came back.

“What happened?” Chris asked in surprise.

And no wonder he was surprised. Alan’s sword spirits usually weren’t visible, but they had now surrounded his body with light, as if ready for battle. His fire spirit had even transformed into a sword, as if screaming, “Use me! I’ll protect you!”

“Mother’s and father’s spirits are acting normal, but the guards’ spirits are reacting like mine,” he explained.

“Maybe it’s because they’re not used to the environment...” Chris muttered.

“It’s drawing a lot of attention.”

“Are there that many people?” I asked.

“Not just people. There were a lot of spirit beasts standing by the walls too.”

“Inside?”

“Mm-hmm. In their big forms too.”

Was that just how they did things in the palace? Was it necessary for them to keep their spirit beasts visible?

“I wonder if it would be okay for Levvy and Ifri to stay that size all the time.”

“Definitely not.”

“It wouldn’t be good for mine to stay that size either.”

Chris’s spirits had turned into a white tiger, a black panther, a cheetah, and a puma, and they were all about the size of cows. There was no way they could stay full size all the time.

To begin with, I hadn’t even realized there were pumas in this world. Did they exist? Maybe they did on some other continent somewhere? But Chris had originally just wanted to make his spirits all cats—and they had been regular cats at first. It was after he’d raised them further that they had become big cats.

“That’s why father said to manifest them in advance but make sure they’re small,” Alan told us. “Since they’re all on edge, he’s worried that the smallest sound could be enough to startle them and make them pop out in their regular size.”

“Got it.” Chris nodded. “I’ll make them as small as possible.”

After that, Chris’s spirit beasts all appeared by his feet as little kittens. Jin, my wind spirit, had ended up becoming a black panther with wings. When I’d asked him to become the size of a kitten and given him a good pat, Chris had gotten jealous and copied me. It turned out he was a serial cat petter. The sight of him melting into joy over being surrounded by his four spirit kitties was priceless.

Incidentally, Alan’s fire spirit took the form of fire, and his water spirit the form of water. That made it easy to tell which was which. To be more precise, his fire spirit was like the flame found in a certain famous anime studio’s mobile castle. The water spirit looked like the water droplet mascot of a certain air conditioning company back in Japan. It’s even got the same big round eyes, cat mouth, and little arms and legs! His wind spirit was a small tornado, while his earth spirit was a lump of rock.

“If you’ve both finished minimizing your spirit beasts, come out already,” Alan urged us.

“Sure thing.”

“Okaaay.”

“Deir, you don’t have to do a thing, okay?” Chris reminded me.

“I understand.”

It’s fine. I can’t sing or dance, anyway.

I felt a little more relaxed having our spirit beasts visible at our sides. Chris’s grip on my hand was reassuring as well. I had my whole family with me, so no matter what happened, I’d be okay.

I took a deep breath in and then out before determinedly striding out into the hall. It was much bigger and more extravagant than I had been expecting. It seemed to practically sparkle in the light of the illumination magic tools. The sight was so impressive that it felt numbingly unreal.

I think I saw something on TV in my previous life that said that if you focus on a point far away in the distance, you won’t get nervous because your eyes won’t ever meet with the audience’s. If I did end up locking eyes with anyone, it would probably be bad to just ignore them, but it would be terrible if I smiled at them and made them think I wanted a chat. Let’s just gaze far into the distance. And high up so that I don’t end up locking gazes with anyone looking down from the second floor.

Don’t be nervous. Become empty. Form is emptiness.

“Chancellor, allow me to lead the way.”

Hey, I’ve heard that voice before. Ugh, I didn’t think the crown prince would come all the way here to meet us. We aren’t even foreign guests!

“Hey there, Margrave Belisario,” the prince called out cheerily. “Glad you could make it. Lady Nadia, Her Majesty has been looking forward to seeing you again.”

“It has been a while, Your Highness,” father replied, greeting him with a short bow.

Mother smiled. “It’s an honor to hear that, Your Highness.”

Ohh, I get it. You’re trying to show everyone how close we are, right? I’ve got it. Leave it to me.

Prince Andrew turned to my brothers next. “I almost didn’t recognize you, Chris.”

“I look so much more like a noble now, don’t I?”

“Alan, I see you’ve raised your spirits so well that they can protect your whole body now. You’ve done fantastically.”

“Thank you very much,” Alan replied.

And finally, he turned to me. “Hello, Deirdre. Happy birthday. You’ve finally turned six.”

“Good day, Andrew,” I said, making sure to address him the same way I did my brothers. “I did turn six. I can now attend tea parties.”

Hmm? Why is everyone so noisy? It sounded like the whispers were spreading.

“This is your first time at the imperial palace, isn’t it? Were you surprised to see so many spirits?”

“Yes. It’s wonderful seeing everyone take such good care of them.”

Please, let’s get going already. Don’t talk to me in front of so many people. I feel like I’m gonna throw up.

“Your Highness, we’ve brought some wonderful news today,” father announced then.

“Oh?”

“I wish to tell you right away.”

“Shall we get going then? We shouldn’t keep Her Majesty waiting.”

Thank god, we can finally get out of here. Do all the palace staff have this much free time? What happened to your work? Go do your jobs.

“Let’s go, Deirdre,” came the prince’s voice again.

What’s going on now? The crown prince was holding his hand out to me... Oh no, I hope my hands aren’t sweaty from nerves. I’d rather be able to wipe my hands on my dress before holding his hand. I won’t, though. I know that would be terrible manners.

“Thank...you?”

“You should smile a little more,” he suggested.

“Okay...”

“Don’t worry. I just want to talk with you for a bit.”

We set off side by side, smiles plastered on our faces the whole time. Everyone around us also smiled as we passed...and then immediately started whispering among themselves the second we moved on.

“As a matter of national policy, we have concluded that it would be best to guard you but otherwise leave you to your own devices.”

My, how wonderful.

“Personally, I intend to treat you as a friend whom I view as a little sister.”

“Thank you very much.”

“Chris has informed me about a variety of things, but you should keep a low profile while here in the palace.”

Was he trying to tell me that I shouldn’t show what I was really like at this tea party? Of course I wouldn’t. Father would have fainted from the stress.

“The general and Her Majesty wish to see us married,” he told me.

“Tell them that will never happen,” I shot right back.

“That is exactly why I would like them to hear from us both that we do not intend to develop our relationship in that direction. Work with me here.”

“I understand. Leave it to me. I just need to make them realize that I would make a terrible wife for you, yes?”

“No, uh...” he backtracked. “You don’t have to go too far with it.”

“You’re a brave one, Andy,” Chris said then.

“Try reckless,” Alan countered.

Whatever were my brothers implying? We women are wonderful actors, you know.

We were led to a sunroom filled with displays of seasonal flowers. There weren’t many craftsmen who could make thin transparent glass without imperfections, so all of the palace’s glass was jointly made by craftsmen and mages, who infused it with defensive magic. Even though the sunroom’s walls and ceiling were all made of glass, the temperature inside was perfectly regulated. That’s the imperial palace for you.

Our castle’s sunroom had been removed after Alan and I had repeatedly broken the windows. It hadn’t been deliberate! I just fell over. And maybe knocked over a potted plant or two. How much must it have cost to make even one of these panes? I wondered as I marveled at the room. I’m really regretting my actions right about now...

“I’m glad you could make it.” The empress smiled as she greeted us. She was wearing a sky blue dress in a light fabric with a dark blue shawl draped over it. Above her shoulder, her spirit looked large and well-fed, flying about enthusiastically and sometimes approaching the spirit beast standing next to the general to play around with it.

The general was dressed in a simple military uniform while Jean—who was now a duke—and the two young princes were wearing formal jackets with silk bowties around their collars.

Both the general and Jean had their spirit beasts fully materialized; that must have now become the norm in the imperial palace.

“You’ve grown so tall, Deirdre. And you’re still as adorable as always,” the empress kindly complimented me.

“Your Imperial Majesties, thank you for inviting me today.”

“What do you think about my spirit? Hasn’t it grown well?”

After I’d curtsied, the empress anxiously asked for an opinion on her progress.

“It has,” I confirmed. “It’s very big now.”

Her Majesty’s face grew brighter at my response—perhaps my smile had eased her worries.

“Yes. I haven’t forgotten to feed my spirit even once since then,” she assured me.

“Has it not become a spirit beast?”

“Well... No, not yet,” she answered nervously.

“I think it’s at a size where it could evolve. I’m sure it’ll happen soon!”

“Really?”

Compared to two years ago, the empress appeared to be eating and sleeping properly now. You absolutely cannot push yourself. Just because you were okay this time doesn’t mean you’ll be okay the next.

“We’ve brought some new desserts today,” mother said then. “We plan to sell them at FairyCo stores as well.”

When I’d consulted her about desserts and tailoring, she’d introduced us to companies she had established relationships with, and over the course of facilitating our meetings, she’d ended up motivated to help us long-term. Now, she was the head of the company’s clothing department. She was even the one who had come up with the strategy of expanding the business by first promoting our desserts at tea parties and turning them into a hot topic that we could capitalize on. She was also the representative for the desserts store.

I was just an ideas person, so if someone else was willing to be the face of the company and let me remain anonymous, then I would leave it all to them. I’d already ended up becoming famous for spirit-related matters—the last thing I wanted was to become famous for even more things. That said, I’d made sure to create my own personal bank account to receive my cut of the profits.

Today, we’d brought three different varieties of gelato: lemon, assorted berries, and vanilla. We’d transported it here in a chilled container and then had it arranged inside glass vessels to look like rose petals. Naturally, the goods had been inspected ahead of time. The container was still freezing cold, and the gelato unmelted. The refrigerated containers, the floating stalls they were installed in, and the scoops used to serve the gelato were all FairyCo brand products too. We hoped to have stalls set up on street corners all across Belisario to sell gelato this summer. We were even going to open our own directly owned gelato shop where you could sit and eat with even more toppings available.

“It’s so cold.”

“This is delicious.”

Everyone seemed to like it. It was all thanks to me getting shouted at for freezing all the ingredients in the kitchen until the gelato was ready. It was easy enough to freeze things any which way, but it turned out getting it just right was difficult.

The tea that was served here was one of the luxury Belisario brands. Was this the empress trying to show that she often indulged in goods from our domain? The cakes were deliciously moist, the taste of almond spreading throughout my mouth when I bit into one. Of course the pâtissiers here would be on another level.

I ate the delicious treats and sipped away at the tea while taking in the heartwarming sight of everyone’s spirit beasts relaxing at their masters’ feet in the comfortable warmth of the sunshine.

This is so relaxing. I don’t want to go back out to where all those people will be watching us again. But we’ll have to walk past there to go home.

“Margrave Belisario, what was the good news you were referring to earlier?” Prince Andrew asked.

“Oh, of course.” Father quickly wiped his mouth with a napkin and flashed a cheerful smile at the imperial family. “I ought to have informed you right away.”

“What is this all about?” the empress inquired.

“The Royal Spirits all gathered for Deirdre’s birthday party the other day, and it was there that we received a message from Queen Kohaku.”

Father was deliberately taking his time as he spoke, adding extra pauses for dramatic effect. How mean of him. He seemed so happy at the prospect of pleasing the imperial family. Since they knew it was good news, they were looking at him with hopeful excitement. Chris’s wind spirit cat gave a loud meow as if telling father to hurry up.

“This autumn, Your Majesties, Your Highnesses, and the Belisarios have all been invited to visit Arlon Falls.”

“This autumn? What happened to it taking three years?” the general asked, leaning over the table in a clear show of excitement.

“Apparently, if there are imbalances between spirit populations, it can potentially have a bad effect on the weather due to the differing concentrations of mana. Her Sacred Majesty also had great words of praise for those who constantly dropped by the forest and expended mana to help grow the trees.”

“Does that mean the spirits will return to the capital’s forest this autumn?”

“If you can gain Queen Kohaku’s approval during your visit to Arlon Falls, she will return the spirits.”

“That’s wonderful news.”

Her Majesty was trembling with emotion, holding both hands over her mouth. The general gently pulled her into a hug. I’d never seen the general interact with the empress as a husband, so it was a refreshing sight. “I’m so glad,” she whispered. “Now the princes can acquire their own spirits.”

“Indeed. It’s because of all your hard work.”

“Not at all. I...”

Her voice has gone all soft and girlish?! The moment the two noticed my shocked stare, they were startled out of their own world, faces immediately turning red. The empress pushed the general away and adjusted her posture.

“I-I see. Then we must fix our schedules immediately. You need to visit Kolkett and Noland as well, yes?”

“Yes. However, we can adjust our plans as necessary, so please do what best suits you, Your Majesty.”

“We will immediately begin adjusting our plans. We must inform the surrounding domains as well.” Even though the empress had sat up straighter and lowered her voice again, having witnessed her and the general acting as a couple, it was hard not to see the attempt as cute.

“This is great news. Now I can acquire more spirits myself,” Lord Jean remarked. “But, Deirdre, I was hoping for a reply to my letter.”

“Which letter do you mean, Duke Stanfield?” I asked.

“I told you that you could just call me Jean, didn’t I?” Lord Jean, now eighteen years old, was smiling wide as he looked at me. He’d grown taller and appeared far more mature than before.

“About the letter you sent to Deirdre...” Chris hesitantly spoke up.

“Oh, I know that you’ve read it. Don’t worry.”

The adults and the two princes had fallen silent as soon as Chris and Lord Jean had begun talking. Her Majesty must not have known that Jean frequently sent letters my way. She looked utterly shocked.

“We have brought the letter in order to demonstrate why a response could not be sent. This is a letter sent when she was four. If you read it, you’ll see that it is difficult to respond to for someone who isn’t an adult.”

“Uncle, may I read it?” Prince Andrew asked. “What could possibly be in there that a child couldn’t respond to?”

“Of course I don’t mind,” said the duke.

The prince’s brow furrowed more and more the farther down the page he read. Prince Eldred peeked at the letter from the side and then looked between the paper and his uncle in shock.

“May I see?” the general asked.

“Yes, father. But this is...”

“Jean, what did you write?” the empress demanded.

The letter was slowly passed around the family.

“‘Concerning the manifestation of spirit beasts, does the type of magic used affect the manifestation? Are there any individuals who have manifested humanoid spirit beasts? If so, what element has produced the most? I would like to collate the statistics and discuss the trends...’ You wrote this to a four-year-old?”

I was a grown woman on the inside, so the issue wasn’t that I couldn’t understand the contents, at least. But how was I meant to respond to it and still make myself sound like a child? Why was he so desperate for a humanoid spirit beast in the first place? What, did he want to get all lovey-dovey with a spirit beast that looked like a pretty girl or something?

“Is there something odd about it?”

“Plenty!” the empress retorted in exasperation, unable to resist shouting. “How is a child meant to understand any of what you wrote?!”

Jean didn’t seem to care at all, though. “Oh, is that why there was no response?”

The empress groaned as she put a hand to her head.

“I wrote a letter back stating that the contents were too difficult and that we hadn’t even been gathering such data to begin with,” father responded, taking pity on the empress.

“Then gather them!” cried Jean. “I want to become friends with a pretty spirit beast.”

Oh no, this guy is bad news. Not only was he not listening, he was even making a barefaced statement like that in front of all these ladies.

“I heard that the chief mage was conducting all sorts of research,” father said.

“Yeah, so I asked him, but he said I was tainted and wouldn’t talk to me.”

“Tainted...”

“Uncle,” Prince Andrew sighed.

“What you said isn’t something that should be said in front of everyone, especially women,” his younger nephew admonished him.

“Really?!”

Hey, back up. I don’t think we should ignore what Prince Eldred just said. Do you mean it’s okay if he says things like that privately? And um, since when were you this kind of character? You’re only seven, aren’t you? And why are you so surprised, uncle?

“Um, when you say you want to see a female spirit beast, do you mean one that looks like a fairy?” mother asked.

“Exactly,” Jean replied. “A fairy would be perfect. I’d prefer if they were our size, but one that would fit in the palm of my hand is also fine.”

“Then what about my spirit bea—”

“Does yours turn into a fairy?!” he cried, jumping from his seat and dashing over to my mother. “Could you show me?!”

“First, could you let go of my wife’s hands?” Father’s tone was ice cold.

“Jeeeaaaan!”

Jean, in the heat of the moment, had grabbed mother’s hands as he pleaded with her. Mother had backed away in surprise and father had stood up and stared the duke down with a frigid gaze. Her Majesty and the general had also stood up to try and stop him.

“I do not mind showing you, but I must ask that you step away first,” mother told him firmly.

“I will.”

“And don’t touch my spirit beasts either.”

He hesitated a moment, before saying, “I won’t.”

Why do you look so disappointed?!

My mother could manifest wind and earth spirit beasts. The wind spirit was a cute little fairy with green hair and wings, while the earth spirit was something like a dryad. Green leaves and branches sprouted from its hair, and its lower body would swap between being a human’s legs and tree roots. That one was also a pretty lady, but both of them were small enough to fit in one’s palm even at their largest size.

“This is...incredible,” the duke murmured. “I feel like I’m dreaming.”

Someone stop him. He’s already on the verge of tears.

Even Lord Jean’s spirit beasts looked disgusted.

“Deirdre, when you next visit the Royal Spirits, can you tell them to refrain from creating humanoid spirit beasts that are the same size as us?” the empress asked.

Jean leaped up with a “Huh?!”

Mother nodded sagely. “I agree. If we wait until someone makes a mistake, it’ll be too late.”

“Nooo...” Jean whined as he slumped forward.

I’d informed the Royal Spirits about the tea party ahead of time, so they were probably already observing everything that was going on. It was true that being unable to tell the difference between humans and spirits seemed likely to cause issues in the future.

(I will keep that in mind.) Kohaku’s voice suddenly spoke from somewhere. She was probably just as shocked as the rest of us.

“I will make sure to tell Her Sacred Majesty,” I announced. It would be far too awkward to tell them that she had already heard.

I looked away from Lord Jean where he sat on the floor in despair and ended up locking eyes with Prince Andrew.

“Can you meet with the Royal Spirits at any time, Deirdre?” he asked.

“No. We have a spirit that serves as a messenger,” I explained. “We ask our spirit beasts to inform the spirit of our message, and then they deliver the message to the appropriate Royal Spirit. In addition to me, my brothers have met with the Royal Spirits before as well.”

“A messenger spirit? Are there examples of this overseas?”

“From what I’ve learned, it appears not. There are a fair number of people who have received blessings from the Royal Spirits, but there has only been one other person in the last two hundred years who also received their backing as guardians—one of the previous kings of Luftanen. The records go back no further, so I cannot say for certain whether or not there are any others.”

That was because I was a reincarnator, as had been the king of Luftanen. There apparently weren’t any other reincarnators right now, so I’d ended up being the only one getting special treatment at this current point in time.

“Deirdre, are there any young ladies that you’re good friends with?” Prince Andrew suddenly asked.

“Huh?”

“It wouldn’t be good if the princess consort was on bad terms with you. I’d very much like to get your opinion when choosing my partner. In fact, I would appreciate it if you were to give me a list of candidates.”

“Andrew, what are you saying?” demanded his mother.

“Your Majesty, Deirdre absolutely could not live in the palace,” he declared. “Rather than let rumors spread that I view her as a potential love interest, she will be able to experience a much more peaceful school life were people to understand that I view her as a younger sister and only wish to marry someone who is good friends with her.”

Right. Because I might get bullied. Someone out there would be horrified at the prospect of me becoming the prince’s partner. It’s okay. Even if I say I think it’s impossible too, no one will believe me.

But I felt bad that he was going this far for me.

I’d heard that for a princess, five years of etiquette lessons was enough. The crown prince was allowed to get married even as late as twenty-two, so if he began searching for a partner early enough, it would be possible for him to make a love match. Our country was quite liberal in that regard. Even the current reigning couple had married for love.

“Rumors like that would certainly help,” Chris agreed.

“I’d worry for any young lady who tried to bully Deir,” Alan added.

Excuse me, you two. I think we need to have a good chat later.

“But surely His Highness has his own tastes,” I said.

“Such as?”

“The color of their hair and eyes, or their build, or their boo—”

“Boo?”

Holy crap, what was about to come out of my mouth there?! How could I possibly say that to the crown prince of all people?!

“Book preferences... It is quite difficult.”

There was no way I, as a young noble lady, could get away with asking the crown prince what size of boobs he liked!

Chapter 1: Hawaiians

Today was the day I’d long been waiting for: I could finally leave the castle! It wasn’t as if I had been under complete house arrest, so I had gone outside the castle on trips to other domains and different parts of our domain to give lectures on spirits. Even so, I’d never stopped to see the town in which I lived—not once in the six years since I’d been born.

“Don’t ever leave Brad and Gemma’s side, okay? When you leave the carriage, make sure your spirit beasts are miniaturized and out at all times. Do you understand?”

“I understand, father,” I assured him.

“Leave paying for your shopping to them as well. Don’t go off with any strangers.”

I had a bad feeling that father would change his mind and ban me from going out if I complained, so I simply nodded along. Apparently, young ladies didn’t pay for things themselves. Oh, and I wasn’t allowed to snack either. So unfair.

The carriage I would be riding in today was small, without any extra decoration, so the huge Belisario crest stood out all the more. “Your family is popular with the citizens, and it is well-known that all of you have spirits of every element, so this will be much safer for you than trying to hide that fact,” Brad explained.

Was it just me or was our family starting to feel like some yakuza family that no one wanted to get near? Maybe it hadn’t been a good idea for us to dash through the town in the spirit carriage so often.

“Are there only two guards with you today?”

High-ranking nobles, invited guests, and emergency carriages used a different gate from all other traffic. When the gatekeeper caught sight of me, he became incredibly worried.

While only two guards had been assigned to accompany me, I apparently had many additional guards stationed in hidden locations nearby. Gemma—my new maid and bodyguard—had also originally been an army mage and owned three spirits. Her fire and earth spirits had already become spirit beasts too. Brad was also a very reliable ex-adventurer turned valet. Add in my own spirit beasts, and we had quite the valiant force.

“Do be careful,” the gatekeeper said. “Try not to trip and fall.”

“I am already a proper lady. I won’t trip.”

“Oh, do excuse me, my lady. Have a fine day.”

“I will!” I gave a little wave and then turned back to the other occupants of the carriage.

Gemma was sitting beside me and Brad across from me, both of them smiling at the exchange.

“Why does everyone always warn me to be careful not to trip?” I asked. “Have I been falling over that much?”

“I’m not sure,” Gemma replied. “I personally don’t remember ever seeing you fall over.”

“Ahh, when I first became a valet here, I often saw the young lady tumbling into the shrubbery,” Brad told her.

That was when I was still only four! Now my brothers and my parents kept telling me every day not to trip and fall. How often did they think I was falling over?

“You’re the youngest, after all. They can’t help but see you as the small child you once were.”

But I’d already gotten quite a bit taller. I was beginning to dread the possibility that I would be known as the child who always fell over for the rest of my life...

The carriage exited through the gate and began making its way down the hill. At first, the road was empty, with only luxurious carriages passing by on occasion. Around the time I began to feel the comforting sea breeze on my face, though, I looked outside and saw our path joining with the road to the front gate that the regular carriages used.

I’d heard it could get really congested here in the mornings and evenings, and even now, I could see many carriages filled with cargo going up and down the road. Everything suddenly felt so much more alive now that I could hear the voices of the people, the neighing of horses, and the clattering of wheels against the ground.

“It’s so lively! It really feels like the town is prospering,” I commented.

“Because it is prospering,” Brad said. “Our economy has been very stable recently.”

As we descended the hill, the town grew closer and closer. Thanks to strict enforcement of littering rules by the military police the past few years, the streets were completely clean. After all, who would want to visit a tourist spot if it was all dirty?

Oddly, with the streets cleaner, the townspeople had started to care more about their own appearance. Add to that the economic boom of the past two years, and far more people were wearing nice clothes and accessories like bracelets and hair ornaments.

We girls tended to feel happier when we wore our favorite accessories. Even just getting our bangs to sit right could give us more motivation for the day. That was why I thought it would be nice if more shops selling inexpensive accessories began popping up. In fact, I wanted to buy some myself.

When I’d told father once that I wanted some hair clips, he’d immediately summoned a jeweler. Back then, I’d had no idea what the correct thing to do was. I had felt compelled to buy something since they’d come all that way, but I was still only six years old, so it had felt wrong to be buying something that extravagant. I’d ended up really nervous and had been too afraid of leaving behind fingerprints, so I hadn’t dared to touch their wares. A situation like that was impossible for an ordinary person like me. I’d even bought earrings at a hundred-yen shop in my previous life.

“Oh, someone with black hair,” I muttered without thinking as I caught sight of a new person outside the carriage.

“Have you never seen someone with black hair before?” Gemma asked curiously. “There are quite a number of migrants and merchants from Luftanen, so it isn’t that rare of a sight.”

“What?! This is my first time meeting someone with black hair! There are none in the castle, right?”

“Really?” Gemma put a hand to her cheek with a slight tilt of her head, the gesture making her look kind and graceful—very unlike how I would imagine someone known for blasting men away with magic. She had been renowned as an army mage, and everyone had been shocked when they’d heard she was going to become my maid. Apparently, they’d been even more surprised to learn that she was the daughter of a viscount and many of them had ended up crying upon learning that this beautiful woman was completely out of their league.

“Now that I think about it, many in the army are of mixed race, but I don’t remember any of them having black hair,” Gemma mused.

“The people of Luftanen have large mana capacities, so it’s not often that a mixed child’s hair is black, no?” Brad pointed out.

“Huh? Does a child’s hair color take after whichever parent has the least mana?” I asked.

I was pretty sure that in my previous world, dark colors had been more dominant, but here it seemed that the parent with less mana was more likely to pass on their traits. I’d never have guessed that even genetics would be different between worlds.

“There are other factors beyond mana capacity. For example, it appears that children born to those from the central region will always have red hair, no matter whom they marry.”

A light bulb went off in my head. “And that’s why the empress has red hair.”

“Yes. Their ethnic group tends to have red or orange hair.”

The Azelian Empire was a multiethnic country. The ethnic group which the imperial family belonged to—those living in the central region—was only one of many. To them, those of us living in Belisario were of a different ethnic group, with our platinum and silver hair. The tall and big-boned Noland people and those from Kolkett also belonged to different ethnic groups. That was why the imperial family kept such a close eye on the marches at all times; there was always the risk that we would try to go independent if they weren’t careful.

“I’ve heard that there was a time when nobles would take Luftanen women as their second wives specifically for their mana capacities,” Gemma told me.

“Why only as a second wife?”

“They probably looked down on them since our empire is bigger. Moreover, they were afraid that people would begin bad-mouthing their bloodline if it got out that they’d married someone just to increase their child’s mana capacity.”

This was why nobles were so frustrating. I’d heard that all it took was a few strange rumors circulating for the power dynamics to instantly shift. It was terrifying to think about, honestly. My mouth could become the source of catastrophe any day now. Almost makes me want to stop talking entirely.

“But since Luftanen’s spirit population is famous enough that it is even referred to as a land of spirits, they were shocked when they learned about how little effort we’d been putting into raising our spirits. That’s why there have been no reported marriages between our countries for the past ten years or so.”

Gemma was so knowledgeable. If nothing else, it proved that I should never doubt father and Chris’s choice of personnel. I probably should’ve just looked up this kind of stuff myself using Little Wiki, but I’d been so busy with everything to do with FairyCo and with my own circumstances now that I had turned six. I’d had no time to concern myself with foreign countries.

But still, they had black hair! It was so nostalgic to see—nostalgic enough that it made me tear up a little. Unfortunately, they didn’t look like East Asian people from back home—their features were more pronounced.

“It’s easy to tell at a glance when someone is Luftanese, so they very rarely cause trouble. Luftanen seems to produce a lot of hot-blooded sailors, but they know that trade with our country is important. I’d be much more cautious around immigrants from Stark and Pendelus.”

“Pendelus is the place where there’re no spirits, right?”

“Right. They are followers of a religion that says humans are a race chosen by God and that we are the rulers of this world. Stark has some believers of its own, which is why you should be careful around both groups.”

“Okay.”

Pendelus was the country that had enraged their Royal Spirits to such an extent that they’d completely abandoned the country, yet they doggedly clung to the idea of their superiority. Well, I suppose that’s one of the only ways they can still unite their people. They were across the ocean, so I doubted we had much reason to worry, but there was nothing wrong with remaining alert.

“Let’s stop here,” Brad suggested. “This park has a good view of the harbor, and there are plenty of stalls set up here too. You wanted to observe them for research, right?”

“Yes.”

“Just make sure not to buy anything from the stalls yourself. Brad will do it for you,” Gemma reminded me as she and Brad stepped down from the carriage ahead of me. Brad held open the door with his back, and then Gemma descended and held out her hand to me. I accepted the hand and stepped out myself—only to immediately come face-to-face with a whole crowd of people.

“It is the margrave’s daughter.”

“Wow, look. She really does have spirit beasts of every element.”

“Whoa, she’s cute!”

“What a wonderful little lady. It’s thanks to her that our land has become so vibrant.”

What’s going on? Did they all come just to see me?

“Lady Deirdre, please take my hand,” Gemma urged me. “We’ll take a look at the stalls while we walk to the park.”

“Okay.”

“It’s Lady Deirdre!”

“That little girl is Lady Deirdre?”

At least it seemed like everyone thought positively of me, so when they started calling my name over and over, I couldn’t help but smile and wave, which then caused a huge wave of cheers in response.

“What? What’s going on?” I asked, bewildered.

“It’s thanks to you that the number of spirits in our land has increased,” Gemma explained. “Fishing and agriculture have stabilized, the town has grown prosperous, and the lives of the citizens have become bountiful. To many, you are a savior.”

“Oh no...”

“Everyone knows that you and your brothers traveled all around Belisario to give lectures on spirits, but they’ve never seen you before. That’s why getting even a small glimpse of you is enough to make them so excited.”

I was being treated like a rare monster. A whole line had formed behind me as I walked around looking at the stalls. Since my spirit beasts were surrounding us, none of the onlookers dared approach—they were commoners, after all, and they were very aware of the difference in our standing. They were just watching from afar.

The only incident occurred when three young men tried to approach and were then immediately pinned down by some bodyguards that appeared out of nowhere.

“Hey, is it just me or are all the spirit beasts lying down?” I asked after a while. Commoners didn’t have huge mana capacities, so those who had managed to manifest a spirit beast were few and far between, but there were nobles and knights visiting the town as well. Every time I caught sight of a spirit beast, they were always lying down, not moving even when their master did.

(They will refrain from doing anything that could potentially offend someone with the blessing of the Royal Spirits, in order to protect their masters,) Ifri explained. (They don’t want their masters to carelessly get close and anger us either, so they likely will not move from their spots even if ordered to.)

(If their masters try to approach anyway, they’ll threaten to go back to the Spirit King,) Jin added.

So they’ll hit ’em with the old “I’m moving back in with my parents!” Wait...is that why the spirit beasts at the palace were acting the way they were?! I was so nervous I wasn’t paying that much attention, but was that why everything ended without incident?

(Exactly.)

Oh man, they’re definitely gossiping about that in the palace right now, aren’t they? Her Majesty’s probably already heard about it too.

(The spirit beasts at the tea party weren’t moving either.)

(Did you not notice?)

Correct. I did not notice. I completely assumed they were just relaxing by everyone’s feet.

(Your brothers’ spirit beasts are a little different, though.)

(Those cats were so rude, stealing Ifri’s back like that. That’s my nap spot.) Jin’s wings were flapping sharply as he complained. It was very cute. Gaia—who had manifested as a qilin—and Levvy were very cute too, of course. If a bit too quiet.

The more distinct their personalities became, the more attached I got to them. I could no longer imagine a world without them around.

“Shall we head to the park now?” Gemma suggested.

The oceanside park was a common date spot that overlooked the busy port and the lighthouse in the distance. Compared to back on the street, the stalls here were trendier, including one of our new gelato stands stationed in front of the fountain.

I crossed to the other side of the park, where I leaned over the railing that overlooked the sea and gazed out at the horizon. I want to travel across the sea one day. I hadn’t gone abroad many times in my previous life, so I wanted to change that this time around. It probably wouldn’t be easy, though.

“Huh? No way?!”

When I looked to the side a little, I saw some workers loading cargo onto a ship. I could make out fishlike scales and sparkly patches decorating the ship—it had probably been made using monster materials. But what had really caught my eye was the clothes I saw one of the workers wearing.

“That’s...an aloha shirt, right?”

As I’d idly watched the people at work, I’d suddenly noticed a man wearing a Hawaiian shirt. And it wasn’t just him. There were several black-haired men wearing them.

“Th-That’s insane.” Since this world didn’t possess the same dyeing techniques as my previous one, the colors weren’t as vivid as I was used to, but even with that slightly faded, vintage feel, I could tell those were definitely aloha shirts. “You’ve got some nerve, fellow reincarnator.” I knew exactly who the culprit was. It absolutely had to have been the reincarnator that had appeared in Luftanen two hundred years ago.

To be fair, those shirts really suited the men. Their faces reminded me of portraits of Hawaiian royalty I’d seen. But this was a fantasy world—could they not have picked something else to spread?! Had the reincarnator been Hawaiian themselves? Or had they just looked at the Luftanen people and thought they seemed Hawaiian?

“They look easy to move around in and very tropical, so I guess it’s fine.” I was starting to feel a connection with them somehow. Had that reincarnator originally been Japanese, perhaps?

I had invented bustiers, and this Hawaiian had made Hawaiian shirts. For some reason, I felt greatly inferior.

Brad and Gemma seemed to think that I was staring so intently at the ships because I was interested in them. I was considering whether I might be able to float one of those boats and turn it into some sort of hovercraft, disregarding whether or not that would serve any useful purpose.

After telling me to call them over if I needed anything, Gemma took up a position a short distance away while Brad went off to the stalls to buy what I wanted.

I noticed that there weren’t many people in the park right now. Had they put restrictions on entry while I was here? Maybe I shouldn’t stay here too long. I’m probably being a bit of a nuisance.

As I zoned out while staring at the sea, Ifri suddenly spoke up. (That human over there has spirits of all elements.)

(They’re from a different country,) Jin added.

“Who?” I asked.

Jin stretched his front legs forward. (The one over there looking out at the sea alone.)

There was a black-haired child leaning over the railing just like me. Just as Ifri and Jin had said, spirits of all four elements were floating above her head. As expected of someone from Luftanen. Considering how big her spirits were, they could probably manifest as spirit beasts.

(She’s crying,) the usually reticent Gaia said.

“Seriously?”

Why was a child like her alone? Wasn’t she in a foreign country?

She was wearing a striped shirt that covered her to the knees and, beneath that, black pants. Her clasped hands were resting on the railing, but she was too small to hide her face behind them, so she was having to stretch up onto her tiptoes. She might not want people to know that she was upset, but I was worried.

Should I tell Gemma? But she might get scared if an adult were to suddenly speak to her. My spirit beasts probably wouldn’t bother her, though. They gave off an air of concern, and the girl likely had at least one of her own.

I quickly walked over and called out from a short distance away. “What’s wrong? Do you not feel well?”

“Huh?”

The girl turned round to look at me, and what an adorable face she had! You shouldn’t be here by yourself. You’ll get kidnapped by a bad person.

Her eyes, a dark brown that even looked black depending on the light, opened wide. She looked like she was of mixed descent. Her features weren’t pronounced enough to be Hawaiian but too sharp to be East Asian. Judging by the color of her eyes, she must have had a mix of various different races in her blood. She had distinctive double eyelids and long eyelashes. Her skin was tanned, so maybe she was quite an active child.

“Do you hurt somewhere?”

Several strands of her slightly wavy, shoulder-length hair clung to her wet cheeks. Hiding her tears, she frowned and shook her head, roughly rubbing at her eyes. I held out a handkerchief. “You’ll hurt your eyes like that. Here, wipe them with this.”

I couldn’t just leave a girl crying all by herself.

“Thank you.”

(Who are you?)

Just as the girl reached out to take the handkerchief from me, her spirits flew between us, circling around and around as one of them questioned me.

Is this some kind of formation? They’re trying to intimidate me, I think. But all I was seeing from my end were little balls of light swirling around, so my only thought was that they were pretty. If there had been music playing, I’d have even thought they were dancing.

(This land is Our Sacred Majesty’s land,) Ifri shot back. (I cannot overlook such insolence toward a child who has received his blessing.)

(My master has also received the blessing of the Royal Spirits,) replied the other spirit. (Do not dare approach so carelessly.)

Huh? Wait. Why are our spirits fighting now?!

“I thought your master was unwell, so I was worried and came over to check. I’m sorry if I got in the way. But it’ll cause the Royal Spirits trouble if you fight here, so please calm down.”

(But they—)

“It’s fine, Ifri. Thank you. None of you need to get mad.” When I gently ran my hand along Ifri’s neck, they seemed to calm down because they turned and immediately rubbed up against me.

(Despite their arrogance, they can’t manifest right now,) Ifri told me. (They know they must refrain from angering the Royal Spirits of a foreign country.)

“Ifri, stop antagonizing them.”

“You all need to calm down too,” the girl scolded her own spirits. After that, they stopped with the weird formation, but they still seemed on guard.

(What if that object you were given is dangerous?) one of them said to her.

(Wait,) said another. (They’re a child as well.)

(You’re right,) responded a third. (Their spirits shouldn’t be able to do anything that would bring shame to their Spirit King.)

(That water spirit looks a lot like us,) observed the fourth.

Her spirits appeared to be chatty little things. As I was admiring how lively they were, they suddenly all turned to Levvy and came right up to them.

(They look like us.)

(They’re a dragon.)

(Friend.)

It seemed inevitable that some spirit beasts would look similar. Even if you asked people to be original, most would choose an animal or a fairy. I’d heard that the number of cat spirit beasts had been increasing ever since Chris’s had manifested.

“C’mon, you guys, get back here. You’re going to annoy them.” Even after wiping away her tears with the handkerchief, the girl’s eyes were still red, but at least it didn’t seem like she was unwell. “Sorry about that. I don’t know if it’s because I’m still just a boy, but they have a mind of their own sometimes.”

Wait... What did she just say?

“A boy?”

“Yeah?”

“Holy crap! You’re a boy?!” I yelled and pointed my finger at him without thinking, causing his spirits to snap back into their formation. Gemma dashed over while my own spirit beasts seemed to be pretending to have nothing to do with this.

“My lady? What happened?!”

“Gemma! That’s a boy!”

“Y-Yes, I imagine he is.”

“Huh?”

“I personally thought he was a boy the whole time.” Gemma was looking at me like I was crazy.

That’s odd. Has my sense for this kind of thing gotten worse?

“I am a boy...” he muttered, puffing out his cheeks unhappily as his ears turned bright red. He was quite cute when he was pouting.

No, but really, was this child really a boy? Did he really have a you-know-what? There was no way, right?!

Worlds full of beautiful people are scary. There were cute children lurking everywhere, no matter their gender. Then they’ll become all handsome when they grow up and make a whole bunch of girls cry.

“Oops. You were so cute I thought you were a girl.”

(This brat is strange.)

(Why would the Spirit King grant her a blessing?)

“Who’re you calling a brat?” I glared at the spirit—though my complaint about their rude way of addressing me was a little belated—and they all cowered behind the boy.

What happened to protecting your master? Why are you making him protect you?

“I truly am sorry,” the boy apologized with a bow.

“No, it’s okay. I really don’t mind, so please lift your head. I was the one who was rude first.”

“She really was,” came Gemma’s voice from beside me. “I must apologize on behalf of the young lady.”

Oh god, and now Gemma was bowing too. I was so embarrassed I wanted to leave right away.

“Umm, oh yeah. Why were you cry— Why were you here alone? Are you lost?”

“No, I’m just waiting for someone to come and pick me up.”

“To pick you up? Ah, Gemma, is the park on restricted entry right now?”

“Yes, but those with errands or children to pick up should be allowed in.”

We turned to look at the entrance. There was no one around where we were standing, but I could see a few people by the fountain or at the stalls.

“I hope they come to pick you up soon.”

“I mean, it’s not a big deal... I’ve got my spirits with me, so I’ll be fine.”

“That’s good. Are you from Luftanen? I envy your hair.”

“Do you like black hair?”

“Yeah.” I’d dyed my hair back when I was Japanese, but now that I’d reincarnated, I kinda missed it. But it wasn’t like I wanted to have black hair myself. There was just something kind of reassuring about going to town and seeing people with black hair. I wonder why. Am I still hung up on my past?

“I think platinum hair is prettier,” he said then.

“Hmm?”

“N-Never mind...”

Oh, did I look upset? Is he trying to cheer me up?

“Thank you.”

“Oh, you heard me...” he murmured.

“Heh heh.”

“Is that your guardian over there?” Gemma asked.

We turned around and saw Brad walking over with a Hawaiian man. Honestly, even without an aloha shirt, I can see the similarities. The man looked to be in his forties and was tall and handsome with black eyes and black hair. He was a little hairy and had a thick beard. Probably has chest hair as well.

“Oh, thank goodness. There you are, Kamil. I’m sorry for keeping you waiting,” the man apologized as he dashed up. He looked relieved that Kamil was okay.

“It’s okay.”

“It’s dangerous to leave a child here alone,” I warned them. “You can see this place from the port, you know.”

If we could see them from up here, that meant they could see us from down there too. We were in full view of the people loading up the cargo and the ones wandering around the ships. What if some creepy old man who had a predilection for young girls saw a child as cute as Kamil and swiped him away? There were bound to be people who mistook him for a girl like I had. There were even bound to be those who wouldn’t mind a boy so long as he was cute.

“Do forgive my negligence. I will be more careful in the future.”

“My lady, this is Mr. Köning from Kohlrane Imports, one of the trading partners of FairyCo,” Brad said, introducing the newcomer.

What a coincidence. The world is a small place.

“Just as this young man has kindly explained, I am Ernst Köning of Kohlrane Imports.”

“My name is Deirdre Abel von Belisario.”

“Belisario? The margrave’s daughter?!” Kamil exclaimed in shock, staggering back.

Yeah, that reaction was predictable. I was the daughter of the most powerful person in the region.

“This is indeed the young lady of the margravial house.”

Brad and Gemma had moved to stand on either side of me, while after being introduced, Mr. Köning had given a slight bow of his head and wrapped an arm around Kamil’s shoulders.

“This is Kamil,” he said. “He is the grandson of our company’s president, and he has accompanied me to Azelia to gain some insight into our business.”

“Kohlrane is a supplier of almonds and other nuts, right?” I asked.

“Yes. You appear well-informed.” Mr. Köning nodded in appreciation.

We’d imported various nuts as topping options at our gelato stores. I vaguely remembered seeing their company’s name written on the bags. I’d met many seamstresses and chefs, but this was the first time I’d met any of the merchants who supplied us. If I had, I might have bumped into people with black hair sooner.

“My lady, we have an appointment, so we must be on our way,” Brad urged.

“Of course. Then if you’ll excuse me.”

“O-Oh, um, I may have gotten this all wet...” Kamil hesitantly said, unsure of whether to return the handkerchief.

“It’s okay. I don’t mind. If I stick it on the side of the carriage, it’ll dry in no time,” I told him, taking it with a smile.

“The...wall of the carriage?”

“Bye-bye.” I gave him a wave as we walked away. Mr. Köning bowed his head with a hand to his chest while Kamil gave a reserved wave back.

That was my first encounter after being allowed freely out of the castle. It had been fun, like I’d formed my first memory on a trip.

“I have come to clearly understand exactly what Lord Chris and Lord Alan meant,” Gemma suddenly said with a serious expression as the carriage carried us back to the castle.

Gemma and Brad had stopped me right on the verge of sticking the wet handkerchief to the wall above my seat, and I was now reluctantly folding it up instead.

“They always said that their sister was smart and cute, yet terribly unfortunate.”

“What? What part of me is unfortunate?”

Excuse me, Brad. No looking out the window like you have nothing to do with this... He totally glanced at me just now!

“The usual action to take in that scenario is to let them keep the handkerchief,” Gemma informed me.

“I took it from him because he looked worried.”

“You didn’t just take it from him. You practically ripped it from his hands. Usually, you leave something like that with the person to encourage them to find you again.”

“From Luftanen? All the way to the castle? Why are you telling me to make a child do something so strenuous?”

“You’re taking this too literally.” She nearly sighed. “It can also be a way to leave them a memento of you if you know you won’t meet again.”

“I’d rather not have him remember that I walked up and mistook his gender.”

“Oh, come on!” she cried. “You really are just too unfortunate!”

Why is that making you so frustrated?

“It had the makings of such a wonderful encounter between a cute boy and a sweet girl too!”

You seem much more unfortunate than me... I couldn’t help but feel.

Chapter 2: The March of Noland

The March of Noland lay in the east of the Azelian Empire, the complete opposite end from where Belisario was. Endless grasslands and rocky hills stretched out as far as the eye could see. The environment was so harsh for humans that you could even see whole hordes of monsters roaming about. It was the ultimate wild world of survival.

The walled city in which Margrave Noland’s castle was situated was encased in three walls of varying heights in order to protect its people from the beasts lurking outside. According to Little Wiki, they were similar to the Theodosian walls of Constantinople in my previous world, but sturdier.

When we teleported to the castle, I was immediately struck by the way it was more fortress than castle. There were even facilities in place to evacuate the townspeople should large monsters attack. After all, no matter how sturdy the walls were, they did little to protect from aerial attacks. That was why they had such high hopes for spirit beasts; their defenses would become stronger, and the number of people who could use healing magic would increase. For the people of Noland, this was a matter of life and death.

Nevertheless, the interior of the castle’s guest area was luxurious in a...distinctive way. Hanging on the wall was the skin of a massive moon bear—with its head still attached. Talk about gory!

Because I had my memories of my previous world, where animal welfare had been more important than ever, I momentarily questioned the ethics of this display, but then I remembered that these people were fighting monsters every day. This was what it meant to live in a fantasy world. Unlike merely reading about it in a novel, actually surviving under those circumstances must be difficult.

When we exited the waiting room attached to the teleportation chamber, we came face-to-face with a huge red manastone displayed in a glass case at the center of the anteroom.

“Trust Noland to have a display like this,” I muttered.

“They’re considered one of the top three richest domains for a reason,” Alan agreed.

We hadn’t been included in that calculation, by the way. We were obviously rich, owning a trade port and all. In Noland’s case, they had a lot of wealthy citizens because they could obtain rare materials that sold for high prices.

Think about it: Adventurers would flock here in search of a fortune, right? And then they would need accommodation. Next, they’d want weapons and gear. As their adventurer rank rose, their rewards would get better and they’d want even-more-expensive gear. As a result of that, skilled craftsmen could stay here to improve their skills. That was how their city kept growing bigger and more prosperous.

The imperial court’s recent large order of tree saplings had further boosted the economy, leaving the castle staff and security guards looking joyful. And to top it all off, their long-awaited meeting with the Fire King was now approaching, so naturally, our welcome party was going to be very extravagant.

That meant that I had once more been forced into a fancy dress and had my hair styled so tightly it felt like my scalp was about to tear free. I was definitely going to struggle with baldness in the future if they kept putting me in hairstyles like this, so I really wished they’d stop.

Father had said that he needed to discuss the schedule for the coming days and also receive a congratulatory gift from Her Majesty before the welcome party started. Now that he had become the minister overseeing the department that handled all matters pertaining to spirits across the whole empire, it was becoming difficult for him to fit it all in.

“Don’t worry. I’ll wait here in this room and behave,” I announced. “I’ll leave the rest to you, Gemma.”

“Nick, let’s go check the carriages,” Alan said to his valet.

“Understood.”

Alan headed off then to check on the spirit carriages we’d had delivered as well as our own spirit carriage, all of which should’ve arrived in advance. Nick had accompanied us as the person representing FairyCo while we were here. We would’ve preferred to bring along someone older, like Glen or Hugh, but they were still studying noble etiquette. Nick was a noble and had also served as Chris’s valet for a time, so we knew we could leave this event to him.

Chris hadn’t been able to join us for this trip because he was busy with work back in Belisario. “I’ll definitely make it to Kolkett!” he’d yelled as we were leaving.

“Is it really all right that I’m the only one with nothing to do?” I asked. “Is there anything I can help with?”

“Staying in this room and behaving is your most important task.”

You don’t all have to stand in front of the door. I’m not going to run out.

Why was everyone starting to treat me like some problem child? I was already a middle-aged lady inside, so I wasn’t about to disappear the moment they took their eyes off me. I could sit and behave perfectly fine.

With nothing else to do, I settled myself on a chair by the window and looked outside as I drank my tea. Unlike the castle in Belisario, which had been built atop a hill, the castle here stood on flat ground, so looking outside, I could see nothing but walls. I was so used to being able to see the sea and the town below that this sense of confinement was suffocating for me.

“My lady, the Lady Karla Johannes has arrived to give her greetings.”

“Lady Karla?!”

The family of Marquess Johannes had long been our rival as the landowners of another popular summer retreat. But our place had become more of a resort for the spirits, and both of our lands were under Ruri’s domain, situated as they were along the coast, so in a way, we were sort of like comrades. I guess that’s the word for it? That was why we’d immediately dashed off in the spirit carriage in the middle of winter to give a lecture on spirits the moment they’d requested it.

The real reason we’d gone to visit them so quickly was simply because it had been perfect timing for us, but they’d ended up incredibly grateful. We had similar troubles as fellow summer retreats, so we were now firm family friends.

Marquess Johannes was young, having just taken over for his father. If I remembered correctly, he was still only twenty-four. His eldest daughter, Lady Karla, was the same age as me, so we’d become friends when we’d visited.

“Shall we let her in?”

“Of course.”

Lady Karla had a younger brother, so she gave the impression of a very reliable older sister. Her hair was almost black but with a hint of green, and when the light hit it, that green turned brighter and created a beautiful halo. She was a striking beauty with dark gray eyes who showed promise of even greater beauty in the future.

“Lady Karla, I didn’t think I would see you here,” I greeted her.

“My mother is related to Margrave Noland, you see. When I heard you would be visiting, I selfishly asked to visit as well.”

“Oh my. Well, I’m happy to see you. Please join me.”

The only reason we were speaking so properly was because our maids and valets were around. I’d stayed at Marquess Johannes’s mansion for three whole nights during my visit, and through the sleepovers in Lady Karla’s room, we’d formed the closest of friendships.

“There are many visitors from domains under the jurisdiction of the Fire Spirit King today, even those who usually reside in the central region.”

“I’m really bad at remembering names...especially the men.”

“That’s why you should get yourself a retainer. They can secretly tell you all of the names.”

I’d seen something like that in the movies. The person would be slipped a note and then greet the visitor while listening to what their assistant told them. Gemma was too tall for that, though. We’d instantly be caught. Maybe I should ask Miss Iris next time...

“So you’ll be staying here tonight, yes?” Lady Karla confirmed.

“Yes. We will be setting out tomorrow morning.”

“Lady Monica has invited me to her room tonight. Would you care to join us?”

Ooooh, a girls’ night, huh?

“I would be overjoyed to join you. But...who is Lady Monica?”

“Margrave Noland’s granddaughter.”

“Wait...his granddaughter?!”

“Yes. She will be seven this year, I believe. He also has a grandson one year Lady Monica’s senior, Lord Jude.”

Seriously? I’d judged the margrave to be in his fifties, so I’d never imagined he would have two grandchildren already. Then again, people married young in this world. If you had a child at eighteen, and then your child also had a child at eighteen... Wait. Maybe even twenty worked? Hang on. Even if you had a child at twenty-two, you could still be in your fifties and have a grandson that was eight, right?

Never mind. Apparently that was possible even back in Japan. Probably the only reason it had given me such a shock was because in my previous life, even as someone approaching her thirties, I hadn’t once considered marriage. It surprised me to imagine someone having a grandchild at such a young age.

“Lady Deirdre? Is something the matter?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

I was planning to actually get married and show my parents their grandchildren in this life, so I should take note of this, honestly. I didn’t have a single experience with romance, so it would be a massive hurdle for me.

In this world, even waiting until after twenty was too late for a girl... Ugh, talk about hard mode.

◆

“I will take responsibility for protecting everyone tomorrow.”

“Are you going all the way to Mt. Kamui too, Margrave Noland?”

“But of course. I have no choice if I want to meet the Spirit King.”

The lavish welcome party was held in a large hall with a terrace opening off of it. Alan and I would only be joining them for the afternoon; soirees were adults only.

All the people of Noland were huge, with plenty of the men stretching taller than two meters. Even most of the women were over 180 centimeters tall. I could easily pass between everyone’s legs.

Even though I was perceiving him as a grandfather now, Margrave Noland still looked youthful—I was sure he remained popular with women. I’d heard that when he was a young man, he would immediately go out on his own, trusty sword in hand, to strike down monsters threatening to attack the city.

“My son has already manifested a spirit beast, but unfortunately, my mana is so weak that I am yet to manage it,” the margrave was saying. “It is my fault for not training my mana capacity because I thought it was useless for someone using a sword. I’ve been considering retiring as margrave soon and becoming an adventurer.”

Would that even count as a retirement? That clearly wasn’t the norm.

“I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”

Several nobles from outside of Noland would also be journeying to Mt. Kamui. All of them had brought adventurers or bodyguards with them, yet Margrave Noland was adamant about guarding them himself. Alan and I didn’t really need guards, though, given the presence of our spirit beasts.

“This will be your first time riding in the spirit carriage, yes? It doesn’t even wobble,” I boasted.

“Is it really all right for me to borrow your spirit beasts?”

“Yes, of course,” we assured him. “We will be there with you, so it’s not a problem.”

Less than ten percent of the people here now would be joining us tomorrow. Some were excited and looking forward to it, while others were anxious. I was among those who were anxious. I was sure my spirits would protect me, but I would much rather have stayed away from anywhere dangerous. I wanted to live a long life this time around, so I was perfectly happy just taking a peek at monsters from afar. Don’t you dare come near me.

After I finally finished being dragged around by father to say hello to all the adults I’d never met before, I retreated to the corner where Alan and the rest of the children were gathered.

“You already stand out as it is, so behave, okay?” Alan cautioned me before going off to join the boys gathered on the terrace.

No matter what world I was in, it seemed the boys and the girls always gathered in separate groups, and the boys liked being outside.

I approached the tables where the girls were gathered. They’d divided into several groups as they sat chatting and eating some delicious-looking sweets.

Umm, so who’s the lady of highest rank here? I’d mostly memorized everyone living in the regions under Ruri’s jurisdiction, but this was the first time I’d been in a domain of Suoh’s, so I barely knew anyone here. As I nervously scanned their faces, my eyes met with one of the girls’—with such blazing red hair, she had to be someone from near the central region. Her large, upturned eyes gave her a strong-willed appearance. She was sitting upright in her chair, and though her face was clearly still young, she wore a mature expression.

The moment I’d entered the hall, Gemma had made sure to tell me the names of all the children I should remember. If I recalled correctly, this girl was the daughter of the ducal family whom the previous emperor’s younger sister had married into. She had to be the highest-ranking girl here.

She stood up and approached the moment she noticed me, but then she remained a short distance away and just stared silently at me. Huh? Is she judging me for being rude? But that wasn’t what her expression seemed to be saying. She was fidgeting, the fan in her hand fluttering in a show of nerves. She kept glancing at me, but when I tilted my head in confusion, wondering what was wrong, she began looking around as if asking for help, and I could see her face starting to go red.

Oh, wait.

“Excuse me...”

The moment I finally spoke, she jumped and turned around, her cheeks bright red and her eyes starting to fill with tears.

Oh crap, was I supposed to speak first?!

“Excuse me!” As I said it again, I swiftly approached, fan covering my mouth. “You are the young lady of a ducal house, yes? I thought I had to wait for you to speak to me.”

“What are you saying?” she demanded. “The Margrave of Belisario is of equal standing to a duke, just below the imperial family. You must initiate conversation with anyone who is not a member of the imperial family.”

Oh nooooooo! I forgot! It still hadn’t sunk in! Still, that didn’t mean I could just talk to whomever I wanted. The margrave was my father, not me. Among children, I could speak to anyone, but there were a lot of annoying rules when it came to me initiating conversation with adults. Honestly, this type of stuff was such a pain. It would be so much easier if everyone lined up and introduced themselves one by one. I’d gone and made this poor girl so embarrassed.

The girl then took a smooth step back and introduced herself, her face red up to her ears. “I am Patricia, daughter of Duke Goodfollow.”

“I am Deirdre, daughter of Margrave Belisario. Lady Patricia...”

“Yes?”

“You’re cute.”

“Pardon?!”

“You’re so very cute! Please become friends with me!”

“What? Um, yes, of course.”

She leaned back slightly as I dashed right up to her, but I absolutely had to become friends with someone so cute. This girl with her upturned eyes that radiated a strong personality, who looked like the perfect honor student, was blushing bright red and had tears in her eyes.

So freakin’ adorable!

“Ah, Lady Karla.”

“Oh my. Hello, Lady Patricia. Lady Deirdre, what are you...?”

“Wha—? Oh, Lady Patricia was just so cute I couldn’t help myself.”

“I understand how you feel, but Lady Patricia is clearly uncomfortable.”

I see. So these two know each other. Had Lady Patricia been to Marquess Johannes’s domain on holiday before?

“Deir.”

When I heard my name, I turned around and this time saw Alan looking at me with exasperation. Oh no! Did it look like I was picking on Lady Patricia? This isn’t good.

“I heard your voice all the way over there,” he scolded me before turning to Lady Patricia. “Is my sister causing you trouble?”

“No, she just wanted to become friends. I am Patricia, daughter of Duke Goodfollow.”

“I am Alan, son of Margrave Belisario. It’s a pleasure. My sister can be a little strange, but she’s certainly amusing. Would you do us the honor of befriending her?”

“Yes. Gladly.”

Whoa, Alan is still amazing at leaving a good impression. It was easy to tell that he was Chris’s brother. All the girls were immediately smitten, not just Lady Patricia.

More importantly, what brother introduces his sister as amusing? That wasn’t even slightly a compliment.

“Alan, don’t you think Lady Patricia is cute?”

“Huh?”

“O-Oh, please now, Lady Deirdre. What are you saying?”

“She’s cute, isn’t she?”

“Uh... Yeah.” Alan nervously looked to the side and nodded, making Lady Patricia’s face turn even redder.

What is this bittersweet atmosphere? I’m too old to remember what it felt like to be their age. Never mind that I’m only six years old on the outside!

Chapter 3: Girl Talk

Today’s main event was finally here—it was time for the sleepover. In my previous life, my friends and I would always end Comiket with a drinking party filled with food and wine from a department store’s basement food court. It had been difficult for us to have those sorts of gatherings in public because we’d always get too excited talking about our obsessions, which would disrupt those around us. If we had it at someone’s house, though, we could talk all we wanted so long as we weren’t too loud.

I wonder what happened with our Comiket circle after I died. Would the person who found my body—or the police or the paramedics—have read my half-finished work? Ugh, never mind. Just thinking about it made me feel uncomfortable. That was yet another reason—other than my death itself—that I’d never have been able to face my family again.

We were all gathered on top of Lady Monica’s bed. Whispering among ourselves within the cozy space created by the bed’s canopy really made it feel like we were a group of close friends.

We’d all taken off our tight dresses and let down our hair. Now, we wore thin shawls on top of negligees—not the see-through kind, though. Just so you know.

It was like a secret girls’ gathering away from the boys, a very elegant pajama party. Lady Monica was seven years old, so that made her Lady Karla’s cousin who was older by one year.

Lady Monica’s Noland blood was apparent from how tall she was for her age—she would no doubt have been treated like a middle school student if we’d been in Japan. She’d probably have struggled to get station workers to believe her if she’d asked for a child fare. She appeared to have a fondness for cute things, given the way her canopy was decorated with small pink petals. Her pajamas were also pale pink, with lots of tiny ribbons. Her gorgeous wavy golden hair was trimmed evenly at the brow. Compared to the other girls’, my platinum hair felt so plain.

Lady Karla had invited Lady Patricia along, so there were four of us here at this secret meeting.

After the incident in the anteroom, I’d managed to have a normal conversation with Lady Patricia and we’d become friends. Alan had gotten mad at me for having gotten him involved, but he was the one who’d tried to act all cool in front of the ladies.

“I want to go see the Spirit King too, but I was told no,” Lady Monica complained.

“Of course you were told no. Monsters might attack you,” Lady Patricia pointed out.

“But isn’t Lady Deirdre accompanying the entourage?”

“I...get the feeling that she’ll be fine. I’m not sure why, though.”

For some reason, the girls’ eyes were all on me now. I didn’t understand why.

“You’ve seen some of the Royal Spirits, haven’t you, Lady Karla?” Lady Monica asked eagerly.

“Yes, at Lady Deirdre’s birthday party. Only from afar, though. His Sacred Majesty the Fire King was there too. He was a very wonderful man.”

“Oooh, I’m so jealous!” Lady Monica squealed.

“I’ve heard that he looks like the ideal gentleman,” sighed Lady Patricia.

Huh? Really? When I thought about it, it was true that Ruri and Suoh both looked like love interests from an otome game.

“But I had grandfather promise me that he’ll take me to see His Sacred Majesty once I manifest my own spirit beast,” Lady Monica declared, fists clenched in determination. Her little wind spirit was flying around excitedly.

This girl has a fire sword spirit too, by the way. A sword spirit. She’s certainly her grandfather’s granddaughter, that’s for sure.

Lady Patricia had a lot of mana, so she’d acquired spirits of all elements except for fire. She seemed a bit self-conscious of the fact that she lived in an area under Suoh’s control yet didn’t have a fire spirit.

“Our domain overlaps slightly with the Earth Queen’s lands,” she said. “The difference in crop yields is exceedingly notable, so there’s been a lot of anger toward the previous chancellor. Since we’re still assessing the situation in the central region, it’s made it difficult to go to the imperial palace. I really want them to sort things out already.”

“Our lands are at peace thanks to Lady Deirdre. We feel so much gratitude toward Margrave Belisario.”

“Oh, please, Lady Karla,” I said. “A lot of coincidences piled up. That’s all.”

“Even so, without you, Azelia may have turned out just like Pendelus.”

I’d been so curious about the desert country that I had looked it up on Little Wiki. They were...a little unique over there. No one here seemed to know exactly what was going on behind-the-scenes in Pendelus, so I hadn’t mentioned what I knew to anyone...because it was pretty bad. Things went far beyond just reaping what they’d sown. I was surprised the country even still existed, honestly.

The next to turn to me was Lady Monica. “I must also thank you for teaching my father how to manifest his own spirit beast. He is much more proficient at magic than swordsmanship, so he wasn’t as popular with our people as my grandfather is. Nowadays, though, he’s viewed in a much better light due to being the first in our domain to manage it. He was very happy.”

All the lords have their own issues, huh? Her father must’ve had it tough, especially since Noland was filled with so many adventurers.

“Don’t even mention it. You know, when I visited the imperial palace, I was confused to see so few people miniaturizing their spirit beasts. I learned later on that most just didn’t know how to alter their size.”

“Indeed. Um...”

The three girls looked at each other and then suddenly started fidgeting. They were so adorable. Okay, just for you three, I’ll offer you a special service.

“I have a spirit beast that turns into something like a cat in his smaller form,” I said. “Would you like to see?”

“Would it be all right?!”

“Please!”

“Thank you very much!”

Usually, I preferred not to show off my spirit beasts like animals in some show and only manifested them when it was truly necessary. But it seemed even spirit beasts liked the opportunity to stretch and run around, so I would let them out into the garden at times.

I would only manifest Jin tonight. He seemed to like humans. If he didn’t seem to be enjoying himself, I would just return him to his usual state.

“Jin, do you mind?”

(Not at all.)

With a little puff of smoke, Jin appeared, to the cheers of the girls. He looked smug as the girls fawned all over him, his wings flapping away. That was fine and all, but I would have appreciated it if he’d stopped standing on two legs. This isn’t an anime. Stop putting your paws on your hips.

“Act like a cat, please.”

(You ask so much of me, my lady,) Jin whined as he returned to all fours and stretched, tail going upright. Starting from Lady Monica, he went around to each of the girls, showing them his affection.

This little guy’s amazing. He’s stolen these ladies’ hearts in a flash.

“I hope I can get my own spirit soon,” Lady Monica cooed.

“I’ve heard that Lord Chris’s spirits can turn into cats too,” Lady Karla said.

“They can,” I confirmed. “All of them can.”

“Oh, that sounds wonderful!” sighed Lady Patricia.

“His looks, his talent, his spirit beasts, all of them are wonderful,” agreed Lady Monica.

“It’s only natural he’s as popular as Prince Andrew,” Lady Karla said with a knowing nod.

Romantic gossip: the main course of any girls’ night. I’d hoped I could gather useful intel from what they brought up here, but it seemed we were talking about my relatives instead.

“Lord Alan is wonderful too,” Lady Karla giggled while gazing pointedly at Lady Patricia.

Lady Patricia’s face turned slightly red. “Don’t tease me like that, Lady Karla. This is because you said something so strange, Lady Deirdre.”

“But he is wonderful, isn’t he? I’m sure Lord Alan will be the target of many girls’ affections when he begins attending school.”

“Um, Alan is the second son of our family, so he’s not going to be the next margrave. Would he still be popular even then?”

Stop. Stop looking at me like I just said something stupid. I’d seen so many people give me that look that I was starting to feel pathetic. You too, Jin. Stop looking so shocked while you’re getting your belly rubbed.

“Lady Deirdre, allow me to say this again,” Lady Patricia said with careful emphasis, “Margrave Belisario is treated the same as a duke. In fact, not just any duke, but as the most powerful person in the empire after the imperial family. That is the absolute pinnacle of nobility. Even if Lord Alan is only the second son, when your family has that much power, no one minds.”

“Lord Alan also wishes to become a member of the imperial guard, does he not?” Lady Monica said. “With him having spirit beasts of all elements and three of them being sword spirits, I do not think it is such a far-off dream for him to even aim to become the commander.”

“He is also assisting with FairyCo, yes?” Lady Karla added. “Those special carriages alone must be generating a fortune. And then there’s your gelato and... Well, mother said the bustier was wonderful. For some reason, so did father.”

Oh... Yeah. The bustiers were surprisingly popular with the men too, probably because they had hooks that made them easier to take off. These guys had been grappling with laces until now. The bustiers were tailor-made for each customer, so they were expensive enough that only nobles would have the chance of owning one. Nevertheless, we had so many regulars that there was a massive list of reservations. We were in the process of recruiting more seamstresses to try and keep up.

“And so, Lord Alan being the second son does not matter whatsoever,” concluded Lady Patricia.

“I understand now.”

If we’d been in Japan, these girls would’ve been in their first or second year of elementary school. Noble children received a thorough education from a young age, and since high-ranking nobles were always surrounded by maids and valets, they had to maintain a ladylike manner at almost all times, causing them to think in more mature ways from a much earlier age.

Girls especially were expected to get engaged at fifteen and married around eighteen, so very early on, they were being taught everything they needed to know about boys by their parents. It became the responsibility of the women of the family to connect their bloodline with influential nobles and accomplished men. Everyone would much prefer to make a love match, but we didn’t live in a world where it was okay to marry just anyone based on feelings alone.

I see. So both Chris and Alan are being viewed as excellent prospective husbands. Is their appeal that amazing? From an outsider’s perspective, it seems fun.

Lady Monica sighed, her shoulders drooping as she lamented, “I can’t marry either of them, though. It appears they have decided to discontinue marriages between margravial families starting with our generation.”

“Oh my.”

“The ties between margravial families are still growing stronger,” Lady Karla explained. “From the perspective of other nobles and Her Imperial Majesty, that is a cause for concern.”

“My brother was disappointed as well. Lady Deirdre is just so lovely, you see.”

Now that’s gotta be some mistake. Lady Monica’s brother would be Lord Jude, right? That handsome gorilla was clearly viewing Alan and me as his rivals, considering the way that his grandfather and father kept singing our praises—especially with Alan, given that they were around the same age. He hadn’t made the least attempt to hide how desperate he was to not be viewed as lesser than Alan, and all the adults had only been able to watch on nervously.

If you’re mean to my brother tomorrow on our way to meet Suoh, I will make you regret it, I warned Lord Jude, wherever he was.

“Um, what other worthwhile boys are there besides my brothers?” I asked. Not a single thing that had been said up until now was of use to me.

“What? Is it not decided that you and Prince Andrew will wed?” Lady Patricia asked in surprise.

“No, Lady Patricia,” Lady Karla said. “I was surprised too, but apparently they won’t.”

“Correct.” I nodded. “I have no desire to live in the imperial palace. His Highness would actually like me to introduce some nice girls to him.”

The three girls were all staring at me in surprise. Between them was the cat, currently nodding off. Did I say something that shocking?

“Um, let me think. A gentleman other than Prince Andrew or Lord Alan...”

Lady Patricia, do you actually have quite the thing for my brother? I would welcome you as a sister-in-law with open arms, but I think you should continue considering your prospects. Both boys and girls could change drastically by the time they were fifteen, in both appearance and personality.

“Lord Jean is far too old, and I assume Prince Eldred is also off the table for you?”

“Wait, is there no one else in our country other than my brothers and the imperial family that’s a worthy candidate?”

“No, it’s not that. But given your standing, it would be difficult to find a count whose social position is high enough. If you wanted to marry someone from a marquesal family, it would have to be someone with considerable wealth.”

Lady Karla’s family was wealthy, but unfortunately, their son was still only three years old. There should be a lot of children around right now, though, particularly close to Prince Eldred’s age. Some nobles timed their pregnancies so their child could potentially get married to a prince or be classmates with them. There were even those who would suddenly get married for that very purpose.

“What about the three great ducal families? Lady Patricia, you have three older brothers, don’t you?”

“Yes, but my eldest and second brothers are already engaged, and while my third brother is only twelve, he already has a girlfriend.”

Normies should all explode.

“Are you the youngest of your family, Lady Patricia?”

“Yes. I have three older brothers and one older sister.”

“Everyone in Duke Rampling’s family is married, and Duke Powell, well...” Lady Patricia seemed to hesitate.

“What is it?” I urged her on.

“This is a secret, okay? But I’ve heard that he doesn’t get along well with the empress. He used to own land next to the capital, but about seven years ago, he was reassigned to a rural domain in the east, and now he rarely visits the capital. He’s a very kind man, so I do wonder what happened.”

No one present could satisfy Lady Patricia’s curiosity. There was no way children would have been informed of the power struggles going on at the heart of imperial politics.

“But was it not for the best that he moved in the end?” Lady Monica muttered. “Isn’t the central region in a bit of a mess right now? Both the imperial family and the Bantock faction suffered great damage from the blow dealt to them.”

I had heard a little about that too. Due to two consecutive years of crop failures, their stores had run dry. Even though this autumn’s crop yields would be dependent on Kohaku’s judgment, they were not expected to be bountiful, so the affected lords had needed to purchase food from other domains to feed their people. As a result of that, while the question of how much responsibility the imperial family bore for the current crisis still hung in the balance, there was a simultaneous dispute over how much compensation each party could obtain from the property confiscated from Count Dalimore.

Apparently, they’d all cried tears of joy when father had said they could have a meeting with Kohaku in the autumn, so their relationship with us shouldn’t have been too bad.

“But Lady Deirdre definitely couldn’t get married to a family that is on bad terms with the imperial family...”

“Lord Douglas is the same age as you, Lady Monica, yes?”

“He is. I’ve heard he is a promising young man who shows considerable skill with the sword.”

Someone draw up a relationship chart of these nobles already. Make sure to include boys between four and eleven years old in it. And put a gold star next to those that it’s okay for me to get chummy with!

Chapter 4: A Brewing Conflict Between East and West?

A lone white cloud floated slowly across the clear blue sky beyond the castle walls. The morning air was a little chilly, and I reflexively rubbed my hands down my arms.

Both spirit carriages and regular carriages were lined up in the square in front of the castle, and next to them stood a row of horses. The horses with matching saddles belonged to the knights, while every other horse belonged to the adventurers. Twenty carriages would be undertaking the journey, so there was a huge number of people escorting us.

The people I could see dashing here and there were the spitting image of adventurers I’d seen in the illustrations in novels. There were some with large swords on their backs, some wearing bulky plate armor, others wearing robes, and yet others with bows and arrows... Surprisingly, I’d seen a fair number of female adventurers too.

“Alan, look. There are adventurers everywhere. They all look so strong.”

“Your spirit beasts are stronger, though,” he pointed out.

“At least compare them to other humans.”

“You’re stronger, though.”

That...was technically true. The fact that my spirit beasts were strong meant that I could use strong magic. But that wasn’t the point here. I was talking about how the sight before us tickled my sense of wonder. I’d been so excited all morning, yet Alan looked so uninterested!

“Alan, are you upset?”

“No. Just tired...”

“Were you up all night talking with Lord Jude? You were, weren’t you?”

There was a suspicious pause before he said, “No.”

Apparently, we girls hadn’t been the only ones to gather for a sleepover—the boys had done the same in Lord Jude’s room. What kinds of topics did boys talk about at gatherings like that? Did they just silently pass around a porn mag?

Today, the margrave and his family were all wearing the same types of clothing as the adventurers. The margrave looked like a warrior no matter what he wore, so the leather breastplate and huge axe he was lugging around suited him so well it was almost scary. The margrave’s successor, Lord Cody, was wearing a robe over some light gear, while his wife, Lady Greta, had a bow strapped to her back. Standing together, they looked more like an adventuring party than a family of nobles.

Although there were other nobles from the March of Noland dressed like adventurers, not all of them were—I could see a lot of women wearing dresses. The dresses were a little short and made of a material that wouldn’t crease easily during a long carriage ride, but otherwise, it was the usual attire you would expect to see nobles in other domains wearing.

Unfortunately, I was also wearing a dress, and even Alan was dressed as he usually was. I’d hoped he would be all geared up for battle, but he’d calmly told me that if the enemy was so strong that even we needed to get involved, we would have retreated long before that point. It would be bad optics for Margrave Noland if he had to make two kids fight for him—two kids that were to be treated the same way as ducal scions, at that.

Therefore, my job on this mission was to sit in the spirit carriage and behave. How boring.

“Be careful out there.”

“Please don’t take any risks.”

Despite how early in the morning it was, Lady Karla and Lady Patricia had come along to see us off. Lady Monica was off saying farewell to her own family. The wives and daughters of some of the nobles were also lined up to see their family members off, so many of the men had been glancing over here as they prepared. With so many beautiful women lined up, it was no wonder, but if they kept getting distracted like that, they’d trip.

“The knights’ order really is filled with so many strong men,” one of the nearby ladies sighed.

“Huh? Are some of the knights joining us?” When I unthinkingly responded to her, everyone suddenly turned to look at me.

“You are Lady Deirdre of the Belisarios, correct?” the lady asked. “Yes, there are many knights joining you, though they may be hard for a layperson to discern.”

“The knights all have crests on their breastplates,” another lady explained. “Do you see the black breastplates?”

“Ohh, I had been thinking their gear looked impressive,” I said.

“Isn’t it, though?”

The Noland knights had equipment similar to that of the adventurers, designed especially with monsters in mind. It was quite different from what our knights wore. But because some of the adventurers were also wearing black, it was too hard to tell them apart!

“Board your carriages! We’re heading out!”

At Margrave Noland’s call, the nobles boarded their respective carriages, and the knights and adventurers took up their positions to guard us. Alan and I also parted with those who had come to see us off and manifested our spirit beasts in their travel sizes as we headed for our spirit carriage.

Alan’s spirits—which had originally been natural formations like a tornado and a lump of rock—had surprisingly taken on humanoid forms when they’d reached full size. But they weren’t pretty ladies or anything—instead they resembled a certain all-powerful lamp-dwelling being. Like from that one animated movie. Except we had four different colors of them.

I’m not gonna beat around the bush—they were gross. They were a bunch of muscled bald old men with green, red, yellow, and blue skin. I couldn’t understand Alan’s taste at all.

They were in their small forms this time, but unlike back in Belisario, a lot of people here hadn’t seen spirit beasts before, so we could hear the crowd behind us getting excited.

Although the number of adventurers with spirits had increased, it seemed they were having difficulty manifesting them as spirit beasts. That was why over here, having a spirit beast was a sign of being an adventurer-mage of a high rank.

“Morning,” father greeted us. “I’m going to be riding in the Bureau’s spirit carriage until our first rest stop, so Alan, I need you to look after Deir for me.”

“I will.”

Apparently, we were participating today under the pretext of assisting the Bureau of Spirit Affairs, but that didn’t change what we had to do. Even father wasn’t here as Margrave Belisario, but as the Minister of Spirit Affairs. It meant that we weren’t creating debts between us and Margrave Noland and that this would not contribute to any improvement in our relations...

As if anyone believes that. We were clearly on friendly terms. But maintaining appearances like this was important. It made no sense to me, honestly.

We’d brought four spirit carriages along today. Two of them were ours, one was for the Bureau of Spirits, and the last was the one we were lending to Margrave Noland. The windshield attached to the coachman’s seat was rounded to reduce wind resistance, and the carriage even had two headlights so that it could be used at night. It looked like a car now more than ever.

Since I’d had to plan for traveling long distances, I’d been picky with the choice of cushions for my own spirit carriage, and it had an armrest that I could lean on if I wanted to. Also, if you rolled back a bit of the ceiling, a mirror would appear. It had a little icebox for drinks in the storage compartment too. I’d actually wanted a reclining seat as well, but I’d been told that if I wanted that, then I needed to hurry up and learn how to use spatial magic.

“You can all get comfortable, okay?” Lord Cody, who’d come to check on us, said. He was holding some bags filled with sweets. “Here, eat these on the way.” Behind him was a spirit beast that looked a little like a small golem.

“Thank you.”

As I began to board the carriage, Lord Cody peeked in through the window.

“Is something wrong?” I asked.

“Oh. No, it’s just I heard the court mages talking about spatial magic, and I was wondering if you could already use it.”

Oh, come on! You guys are way too loose-lipped!

“It appears I still need to grow my fire and earth spirits a little further. Spatial magic requires all of your spirit beasts to be fully mature.”

“Interesting, so you do need all elements. I wonder how many years it would take—”

“Cody, get over here,” came Margrave Noland’s voice from behind us. “I already said we were leaving.”

“Ah, father, I apologize,” said Lord Cody to his father before turning back to us. “If you’ll excuse me.”

After Lord Cody had been dragged away by his father, we quickly boarded our vehicles. Danny—the person who usually drove for us when we carried out our spirit lectures—was with us today, so Alan and I didn’t need to do a thing. Since we had two people’s worth of spirit beasts guarding our carriage, neither Gemma nor Alan’s valet was needed, so they rode in the spirit carriage behind us.

“It appears the existence of spatial magic has become well-known in certain circles,” Alan told me as he arranged the cushions on his seat. “It’s become a big topic of debate whether research on it should be conducted by the Bureau of Spirit Affairs or the Bureau of Magic.”

“Father must have it rough.”

“Oh, he’s fine,” Alan assured me. “The chief and deputy court mages are both your students, after all, and they still owe father one after the matter of the spirit forest. It appears they’ve decided to make it a joint research project, though it seems that the Bureau of Magic is now effectively subordinate to the Bureau of Spirit Affairs.”

Oof, really? I didn’t realize what was going down at the palace.

Father had the look of a kind gentleman, but he was a man who could get things done when he needed to.

“And who did you hear that from?” I asked my brother.

“Heh heh.” Alan looked all proud of himself as he flopped down onto his seat, head on the armrest and feet propped on the wall.

Does he really intend to sleep?

“Wake me up if anything happens.”

“I’ll make sure to go out and cause some havoc before I do.”

“Please don’t. Just let me sleep for a bit, okay?”

Just how little sleep did he get last night? I wasn’t tired at all, so I just looked out the window all by my lonesome.

The ride was so smooth that I didn’t even feel it when we departed. Even though it was early in the morning, tons of people were there to see us off as the long procession of spirit and horse carriages traveled through the town and then beyond the city walls.

I had been gaping in wonder even just inside the castle, so the moment we entered the town, I was practically glued to the window. The carriages were passing through the widest street, so the buildings on either side were magnificent. I saw signs bearing pictures of swords and bows, and armor and anvils and hammers, just like in the games I’d played in my previous life. It was both nostalgic and moving.

This was an RPG world. I was inside a fantasy. Even the clothes the onlookers at the side of the road were wearing were the exact clothes you would envision when someone mentioned fantasy. Not a single person was wearing an aloha shirt.

“Don’t stick your head out too far.”

I looked up when I heard someone address me from outside and saw Lord Jude atop his horse. This was another of Margrave Noland’s grandchildren. He was Lady Monica’s older brother and was the same age as Alan. He’d been so standoffish toward Alan at the welcome party yesterday, yet now they seemed like good friends. Just what had they been talking about last night?

“What’s wrong with Alan?” he asked.

“He’s sleeping.”

“That silly boy,” he said. “I did say I’d lend it to him for a bit, but I didn’t expect him to pull an all-nighter reading it.”

“What book did you lend him?”

“A monster encyclopedia.”

“I want to read that too!” I cried at once.

“You’re interested in monsters?” he asked. “Sure. You can hand it back whenever it suits you.”

“Thank you!”

Sorry I called you a handsome gorilla. You’re actually a good guy. He was massive, though. He was only eight years old, yet he was already 160 centimeters tall. The people of Noland were different all the way down to their bones—literally.

Still, it turned out what the boys had been talking about had been much more wholesome than I’d thought. A monster encyclopedia, huh? Was that the kind of thing boys talked about? I guess that’s like them talking about games and anime back home? I’d considered that maybe they’d been gossiping about power struggles in the imperial palace, good places to work in the future, or how the economy was going... But then again, they weren’t Chris, so I supposed that was silly to have even considered.

“The walls look even bigger up close... Huh?”

When we exited the city gate, at last passing beyond the walls, we were greeted by wide-open plains...and nothing else.

Seriously?! Is there really nothing out here?!

All that could be seen amid the endlessly sprawling grasslands were a few small trees. I could see a forest in the far distance and the mountain beyond that, and that was it. Our destination would be the foot of that mountain.

“Whoooaaaa...”

Are those things I can see over there monsters? It immediately called to mind a savanna. Monsters gathered in hordes around the trees and occasional rocky outcropping. The borderlands are crazy.

“I’m jealous my brother can sleep in moving vehicles,” I muttered.

No matter how far we traveled, the scenery never changed. It was a prairie, after all. Two hours of it was enough to bore me completely.

After one of our stops, I asked Alan to lend me his monster encyclopedia.

“Are you interested in monsters?” he asked.

“I want to know what kinds there are.”

Father was riding in our spirit carriage now, so Alan was sitting upright in his seat, looking out the window as if he’d never been sleeping. I’d thought he was the last true innocent of the Belisarios, but even he had to grow up eventually. It truly was tragic.

“Three Red Boars approaching!”

“Don’t let them get near the carriages!”

“They’re down!”

With so many adventurers and only the finest knights gathered, any monsters we encountered were taken down quickly. By the time I’d opened the curtain to try and watch the fight, it was already over. They’d probably taken them down with arrows and magic before they could even get close.

Lunch was just some simple sandwiches that we ate on the move. We would arrive at our destination past noon, and then while Margrave Noland was having a chat with Suoh, the nobles would search for spirits, and the adventurers would prepare a place for the night and get dinner ready. The fact that we’d have to camp out just to reach the Spirit King was one of the main reasons we couldn’t take many children on this trip. It was a shame; the other Royal Spirits had been jealous that so many children regularly visited and played by Ruri’s lake.

“August! There’s a dragon flying nearby. If it approaches, we’ll need help from your spirit beasts!”

A dragon?!

Margrave Noland’s expression was grave as he rode up to our carriage and asked father to stay on standby. I fully opened the curtains and leaned out the window to look up, and though it was quite far away, there was definitely something massive flying in the sky.

“Some of the nobles seem likely to panic, so we’ll make our spirit beasts bigger in order to reassure them. We’ll need you to do the same if the dragon gets close.”

“Understood,” father replied.

On Margrave Noland’s signal, three of the accompanying spirit beasts expanded to full size. I recognized the big golem that looked to be over four meters tall as Lord Cody’s.

“Don’t stop the carriages. Don’t break the formation.”

“It’s approaching!”

Father turned to us. “Alan, Deir, we’ll make our spirit beasts bigger one at a time.”

“Yes, father.”

Alan enlarged his wind spirit, causing a great green titan to appear.

Yeah. Still gross. I wouldn’t say it to his face, but his taste was the worst.

My father’s spirit beasts were all pegasi. Just like with Alan’s spirit beasts, they were different colors depending on their element, but unlike Alan’s spirit beasts, they were animals, so it didn’t look gross. Instead, they looked really cool. Even for a pegasus, though, those hooves were big—as big as my face. Their legs were all thick and muscular too. If a human were to get kicked in the face by one of them, they’d snap in two on the spot.

The spirit beast I chose to make bigger was Levvy. Usually, he was too big to let out, so I thought I would give him the opportunity to stretch as much as he wanted today.

“Jeez, what are those?” I heard someone say.

“They’re huge,” someone else replied. “We definitely won’t lose now.”

Levvy was a huge Eastern dragon, one of those long ones with no wings. They were the same type of dragon as the one who would grant you a wish if you gathered all the balls with the stars on them.

The enemy dragon looked bigger and bigger as it approached us, its red scales glimmering in the sunshine, and its gigantic wings spread wide. But ready to retaliate was a huge Eastern dragon that had its own silver scales shining blue in a similar fashion. Next to him stood a massive green titan and a golem.

Is... Is this just a kaiju film now?

The approaching dragon landed in front of us. Because of how big it was, the ground rumbled under its weight, and it kicked up a whole bunch of sand and dust. Beyond the billowing yellow dust clouds, the dragon lowered its head almost completely to the ground, seemingly looking this way in confusion as it tilted its head.

Is it not used to seeing spirit beasts? It’s kinda cute when it does that.

Perhaps thinking to give us mysterious creatures a little poke to see what would happen, the dragon slowly lifted its front foot toward us. Our spirit beasts immediately went on the defensive, but right at that moment, a wall of light sprang up, separating us from the dragon.

“What’s this?”

“What’s going on?!”

The wall of light—so bright it felt like it would blind me if I looked at it too directly—rising from the ground was about the width of a two-lane road and continued endlessly ahead. It appeared to be too bright for the dragon too, as it staggered several feet back.

(His Sacred Majesty created a path for us.)

(You’ll be safe if you continue down it.)

“Oh my. His Sacred Majesty is protecting us!”

“Keep the carriages going!”

At the spirit beasts’ reassuring words, the ladies who’d looked about ready to faint on the spot immediately brightened up. The carriages which had slowed down in the face of the dragon immediately picked up speed. The dragon remained sitting where it was as we drove away, simply watching us, as if still trying to process what had just happened.

Flanked on either side by the walls of light, we made it to our destination without further incident—other than the occasional monster curiously sidling up to check us out.

A red-eyed boy and girl were floating in the air waiting for us when we arrived.

(Please get down from your carriages here,) they said. (You must walk the rest of the way.)

The road ahead was all rocky and filled with tall trees with thick trunks. After creating barriers around the carriages with some magic tools, our group decided that everyone would go to see the Spirit King at once.

The boy and girl were like opposites of each other, and they were beautiful but seemed to lack emotion, just like a pair of dolls. They were terrifying, to be honest. No one dared complain as even the women in dresses all silently walked on. Or did the women of Noland just have a lot of stamina? Like the sort of “Walking? No sweat!” types.

It was one hundred percent easier for me out here than having to sit primly in the lavish imperial palace. I’d even made sure to wear proper walking shoes. Cynthia always prepared shoes for me that had deep grooves in the soles and plenty of grip.

As we continued walking down a narrow path between two rocky walls, light suddenly descended upon us from the skies. Nothing happened when it landed, though; the light simply melted into the ground and disappeared.

“What was that?”

(A purifying spell. You must not bring any living creatures except spirit beasts beyond this point, not even a seed. If you cannot agree to this, we must ask you to leave.)

What’s this all about? Are we going to some sterile environment? I didn’t imagine we were being invited somewhere indoors, so did Suoh just not want any invasive species in his space?

I realized I might have been right as we continued farther down the path. Whether because there was a volcano nearby or because the Fire King lived here, the temperature was hotter here than out on the plains we’d just traveled through. The trunks of the trees lining the path were blackened, and vines hung down from their branches. I’d seen these large-leaved plants in the greenhouse of a botanical garden I’d visited in my previous life—it was a tropical species of plant.

As we kept walking through the wildly different scenery, we suddenly came across an open field filled with knee-high grass and colorful blooming flowers. A large lake lay beyond that.

“This water...is hot.”

“So it is.”

The lake was too cold to be considered a hot spring, but it was definitely warmer than expected. The water was so clear that the lake bed was fully visible, and I could easily see the fish swimming about. Is there magma flowing under this?

Then again, that sort of common-sense thinking might not work here. It was simply bizarre for this patch of land alone to be a tropical region. If all it took to turn a place tropical was a volcano, then Japan’s climate would’ve been completely messed up.

“Deir, did you see those birds just now?” Alan asked.

“Yeah... What’s going on here?”

Birds like that, feathered in vibrant shades of blue and yellow, were also generally found in the tropics. At this point, I wouldn’t have been surprised if we’d stumbled across a chameleon. No wonder Suoh forbade anything from outside being brought in—this was like a completely different world.

(Do you like it?)

“Oh, Suoh.”

Suddenly, Suoh was standing between Alan and me. He was wearing a thin reddish-brown cardigan over a black top and bottoms. He was his usual handsome self, with his cropped red hair, tan skin, and tall, slender, well-proportioned body. The ladies in our group were immediately captivated.

“It’s a very beautiful place,” I complimented him.

“You have some interesting birds here too,” Alan added.

(I altered the area to make it comfortable for us. We have little interaction with the lands beyond, so it has managed to develop into its own ecosystem.)

Leave it to a Royal Spirit to even change the climate for his own comfort.

(You have done well to come this far, Belisario.)

Just like last time, everyone apart from Alan and I was bowing to Suoh. Were they warned about this in advance? No one seems surprised this time.

Father had been standing beside me when Suoh appeared, so he was now kneeling directly in front of the Fire King. With Suoh placing his big hands on my and Alan’s heads while cheerfully talking to father, it almost looked like he was our guardian in this situation. Unsure if this was appropriate, I glanced at Alan, but he was also looking just as uncomfortably back at me.

“No, not at all,” father answered. “Rather, I must apologize for having taken this long.”

(You have worked hard to change the thinking of those who had almost forgotten we existed. I understand that you require time. Now, here we stand with citizens of my territory who have chosen to visit me at my abode after having committed to live alongside us. I am overjoyed.)

“I’m glad to hear that, Your Sacred Majesty. May I now introduce you to the family who oversees Noland?”

(Go ahead.)

Even as the conversation turned to more formal matters, Suoh was still tousling our hair. Should we take a step back? Or do we just stand here and pretend like nothing’s going on? Surely Suoh’s hands are still here just because we’re the perfect height for his hands to rest on.

I glanced at Alan again, and he was escaping reality by staring off into the distance.

(Margrave Noland. I can finally meet you in my own lands.)

“Your Sacred Majesty, I must express my profound gratitude, not only for your invitation here today, but also for your protection from that dragon.”

(I had you journey all the way here. It was the least I could do. I have prepared an area where we may sit down for a careful talk. You may bring your family along. Belisario, what shall you and your family do?)

Alan and I both frantically shook our heads. Ruri only ever invited our family when we were back in Belisario, so it was best for Suoh to only invite Margrave Noland’s family now.

(Then allow me to discuss this with you first. Are there any immigrants in this land from across the strait?)

“From across the strait... Are you referring to Stark and Pendelus? Then yes, there are,” father answered.

(Are there followers of the Way of Nicodemus among them?)

Father’s eyes narrowed at that. “Most likely.”

If I remembered correctly, followers of Nicodemus believed that humans were a race chosen by God and were the true rulers of this world. Now that Azelia had been explicitly pursuing a policy of coexistence with the spirits these past few years, dissemination of the religion was theoretically prohibited, but it certainly seemed possible that some of those who had migrated to our country still followed it.

(Exile them.)

Suoh’s voice was so much colder than usual that I couldn’t help but lift my head in surprise.

(Those of Pendelus can be recognized by the diamond-shaped mark on the backs of their hands. That mark disappears if they have a genuine belief in and desire to live with the spirits. All with that mark should be deemed dangerous. Chase them out.)

This was the first time I’d heard any of the Royal Spirits give such a firm order. Father and Margrave Noland exchanged a glance before looking back at Suoh.

“Did those people cause some trouble again?”

(Indeed. They assassinated the second prince of Luftanen.)

“That wasn’t a plot to do with the succession?!”

(No, it was. That land thrives on a deeper connection with the spirits than even Azelia. For followers of the Way of Nicodemus, it cannot be allowed to exist.)

“Was it not the second queen who was rumored to have committed the murder?”

“Yes, but there was no proof.”

(The Empire of Azelia had forgotten the existence of spirits until two years ago and had been living their lives with the assistance of magic tools instead. Despite that, you were functioning perfectly fine as a country. For those from Pendelus and other followers of Nicodemus, you were a shining example of what they strove for.)

And then that shining example suddenly remembered about coexisting with spirits, began manifesting spirit beasts, and even established direct relations with the Royal Spirits. As a result, the empire’s land had become filled with mana, crop yields had grown steady, and the nation’s strength had gradually increased. To a follower of Nicodemus, that may have been seen as an act akin to a betrayal.

(It appears that only the central region failing to restore their relations with the spirits, thus creating a clear divide between them and the border regions, has not been ideal for the Way of Nicodemus. Those who previously adhered to the Way of Nicodemus have now left the faith, and those who advocate for coexistence with the spirits have increased. Consequently, civil strife has erupted in areas of Stark where many Pendelusian immigrants reside.)

“Does that mean the children of Belisario may be targeted?” Margrave Noland asked with worry in his voice.

Everyone’s eyes turned to us at once, but Suoh gave an easy shake of his head.

(Belisario is filled with spirit beasts, and their defenses are formidable. As more of the citizens there have begun residing with spirits, it has become more difficult for those with marks on the backs of their hands to remain there. Deirdre may have drawn much attention, but she has our protection.)

“Do you mean that they have moved to other regions?”

(Indeed, Noland. If you choose to remain involved with me, you may very well be targeted next.)

Upon hearing those words, Margrave Noland flashed a wicked grin. “We have long fought against monsters for our survival, and I have plenty of experience fighting against humans too. I will not go down so easily.”

Lord Cody, Lady Greta, and Lord Jude kneeling behind him all seemed to be in agreement.

I’m glad that most of the Royal Spirits chose to reside in areas ruled by margraves. We all have the military power to protect ourselves.

“We must increase the number of manifested spirit beasts in our lands with all due haste, father,” said Lord Cody.

“Indeed,” replied the margrave. “We mustn’t lose to Belisario.”

With that conversation dealt with, the family of Margrave Noland followed Suoh to the location he had mentioned. I thought he was going to invite them to the middle of the lake like Ruri had done for us, but it seemed he’d made an opening in the side of a cliff. Does that lead to where Suoh lives?

Having known only the margrave’s family would be invited, those left behind began exploring the surrounding area as they pleased, releasing mana in the hopes of finding their own spirits.

“We must inform Her Imperial Majesty about this right away.”

Father immediately began a meeting with the other members of the Bureau of Spirit Affairs.

“Alan, if there is civil unrest occurring in Stark right now, will it affect our trade with them?” I asked.

“It already is. We’ve been exporting more goods there as of late. The idea of having you give your spirit lectures to them has been raised as well.”

“And who did you hear that from?”

“That’s the second time you’ve asked that question today.”

I turned to look at the man standing next to Gemma, who was keeping an eye on us from a short distance away. He had an average build and plain features, but his eyes were sharp, giving him the look of a villain. His hair was the platinum blond commonly seen in our march. He tilted his head slightly in question when he noticed me looking at him, but I just smiled and turned back to the lake.

That was Alan’s valet and Rex’s older brother, Luther. Alan’s valets and retainers were all the same type of person.

“Do you not think you’re more suited to intelligence gathering than serving in the imperial guard?”

“That’s exactly why I want to join the imperial guard. Think of how easy it’ll be to acquire information about the central regions there.”

“Huh?”

“I’ll be better able to help brother too.”

What? The reason he wanted to join the imperial guard wasn’t to protect the country and the imperial family, but to gather information from the inside? It’s all for Belisario? Was this the drawback of a multiethnic country? Both father and my brothers were almost always focused on how to make Belisario prosper first and foremost. They would get along with the imperial family and denounce the civil strife in Stark, but that might all be because they didn’t want our march to suffer the consequences of resistance.

Now that I think about it, Lord Jude is a similar age to Prince Eldred, yet he isn’t the prince’s retainer. He’s always in his own domain.

I imagined that the nobles of the central region and the ducal and marquesal families felt very differently.

I’d been a bit late figuring this out, but I was shocked at finally grasping the way my family thought. That would explain why they’d brought up the prospect of me marrying into the imperial family yet had never tried to persuade me when I’d said no. Even mother had lately been saying to me, “If you want to keep working for FairyCo, can’t marriage wait?” No wonder Her Majesty and Prince Andrew were on edge.

While I was lost in thought, I heard father speak with barely disguised discontent. “No, my marriage was one of love, so I want to let my children experience their own encounters at the academy.” It seemed he’d suddenly been surrounded by nobles asking to be introduced to Alan and me. They must have found it difficult to approach us directly after seeing how well we got along with Suoh.

“However, I am fully conscious of my position at court, and my children also get along well with the Royal Spirits. Our respective titles may be important, but if their partner does not have spirit beasts of all elements by the time they graduate, it will be difficult for us to consider marriage.”

Hey. Why has the hurdle between me and my happy married life just shot as high as a pole vault bar?

“Alan, I have come to believe I may be single for the rest of my life,” I said with a sigh.

“I’m sure there’ll be at least three of them in your year who fit the criteria. We’ve got three in our knights’ order, you know.”

Yes, but are you aware of just how many more people are in the knights’ order by comparison?!

“You do know your partner will have the same requirements thrust upon them, right?” I shot back.

“I’m just the second son, so all I need to do is find someone of the right age. You’ll probably need to find someone that is the eldest son of at least a count with their own land, no?”

“Noooooo, I’m sure that won’t be the case,” I said ever so confidently.

I can’t give up! I can’t...

I want to cry.

We all returned to the carriages around evening to camp out for the night. We’d created barriers with both our spirit beasts and magic tools, so we would be plenty safe there.

Seats like park benches with cushions on them had been prepared, and the nobles were all enjoying the camping life in comfort. I would have been happy to sit on the ground, but I was immediately admonished for trying, so instead, I was seated like a lady on the cushion between father and Alan.

At the center of the gathering, a large bonfire had been built, and all the fire beasts were cheerfully flying around it. We grilled and seasoned the monster meat that had been brought along for dinner—it might have been partially because of the atmosphere, but it tasted delicious.

I wonder if they could turn this into part of a sightseeing tour. Even children could join if they were able to guarantee that Suoh would protect them from dragons. Making it a custom for kids to journey to see the Spirit King when they turned ten as a trial of sorts felt very Noland-esque.

“Hmm? What’s that sound?”

No matter how loudly everyone was partying, there were always those moments when everyone coincidentally stopped talking at once and the whole place dropped into silence. When that happened here, I ended up hearing a sound like something bumping into glass over and over—and that was when I saw them.

The barrier that the magic tools were creating served as a bug repellent at the same time. But right on the other side were mosquitoes the size of an adult’s fist, buzzing away as they crashed into the barrier over and over. It wasn’t just one either; they were swarming like insects drawn to a streetlamp at night.

“A-Alan... Look at that.”

“What? Oh, Horned Mosquitoes!” he cried.

“Huh?”

“Ahhhhhh, we’ve gotta catch them!”

As soon as they’d heard Alan’s shout, the adventurers who had been merrily drinking beer just a moment before put up barriers around themselves and then dashed off. I was then told that it was called a Horned Mosquito because the tube it used to suck blood looked like a horn, but that didn’t matter right now! They were so huge that you could see every stripe on their legs, and it was disgusting.

“What’s going on?” I asked father.

“Their bodily fluids can be used to make medicine,” he told me with a smile. Unfortunately, my eyes were now trained somewhere else entirely.

“Th-That...”

This time, a moth larger than my head was shedding a dusting of scales as it rammed into the barrier.

“Oh my, it’s a Powdered Moth,” one of the ladies marveled.

“Let’s catch it alive. We can probably sell it for a lot.”

Catch it alive? A Powdered Moth?

“Here in Noland, we cultivate medicinal herbs and breed monsters. If we did nothing but hunt them, they’d all go extinct,” the margrave explained.

“That sounds wonderful.” Good job, me, for managing to respond to him with a pleasant smile.

I hadn’t expected there to be monsters that were just huge bugs.

“Would you like to watch us create makeup from one of those Powdered Moths?” he offered.

No, stop, I definitely can’t.

I quickly learned that Noland was a land to be feared.

Chapter 5: An Enjoyable Meal, Kolkett Edition

Summer was approaching once more—the time of year when our domain turned into a bustling holiday resort. FairyCo was in a mad rush as we pressed ahead with various products we were preparing for all the visitors.

Apparently, our gelato was immensely popular, and it was common to see couples eating it while walking around the park. However, the nobles that came to visit would only buy from our shops, never our stalls.

I’d made a huge mistake. I’d made suggestions based on how I would have spent a summer holiday; ice cream always seemed to taste more delicious at your holiday destination, right? But when I’d gone down to the town the other day, as a young noble lady, I hadn’t been permitted to buy from the stalls myself. Some nobles might have gone incognito to try it, but they were an exception.

Only wealthy nobles traveled here to escape the summer heat. They came to our seaside town because they hated the heat and wanted somewhere cool to stay—that was it. They weren’t here because they wanted to swim in the sea or go on a sightseeing tour. They were essentially relocating to a villa or a hotel and then spending time the way they would have back in the capital.

If they did decide to do a bit of sightseeing, they would rather do it from the comfort of a carriage cooled by a magic tool rather than outside in the heat on their own two feet. That wasn’t good for their health, though; they needed to walk and get some exercise in.

For those who would rather stay cooped up inside a cool room than venture out in the heat—just like those people back in Japan who would spend their summers in libraries and convenience stores where the air conditioning worked because they couldn’t handle the heat of their homes—FairyCo had prepared small rental spirit carriages for sightseeing, driver included. Surely that will make them want to travel a bit farther, just to try it out?

We would also start selling cheesecake sticks this year. If visitors didn’t want to walk around and eat, then they could eat their sticks in the carriage. We would also sell icebox magic tools in our gelato shops so that guests could keep gelato in their carriages as well. Though that addition made the gelato a bit more expensive, rich people’s sense of money was so out of whack that they would pay anything to increase their own comfort. There were even several who’d said they wanted to take a whole stall home with them because they couldn’t eat while walking around.

We would lure the nobles into visiting the neighboring towns by having them enjoy the ocean view from the comfort of a spirit carriage while savoring delicious desserts. The port town by the castle was primarily for foreign trade, but the surrounding towns had ports used by fishermen, so they had tons of fresh seafood. There, the nobles could relish our famous tomato-flavored bouillabaisse while they gazed at the sun setting over the horizon. If we got some of them to stay there overnight, then mission accomplished!

Recently, Belisario had become known as a bit of a holy ground for spirits, so a lot of travelers would only visit the castle. With any luck, our plan would get people traveling farther into our domain. I would be seriously grateful if they did.

Since my inner self was a woman over thirty, when travel was mentioned I instantly pictured hot springs, but unfortunately, we didn’t have any in Belisario. Delicious food, delicious sake, and an onsen—that was all I needed to spend a whole day relaxing and unwinding from the stress of work.

In my past life, that was what my holidays had consisted of, so I could come up with ideas for good food, but I couldn’t come up with much else.

I guess my extra knowledge isn’t really worth anything when it comes to our empire’s affairs.

As the days passed by in peace and tranquility, the time for us to visit the March of Kolkett finally arrived. This time, Alan would be the one to remain at home. Mother hadn’t joined us in Noland out of respect for Her Imperial Majesty, but she was joining us on this trip. Kolkett had many local specialties, so they were said to be the march with the best relationship with the central region.

The view from their castle was like something out of a fairy tale. The buildings were all different colors, from cream to a light pink, and the brick-colored roofs had dormer windows built into them. They even had chimneys that Santa Claus would surely have loved to shimmy down. Beyond the townscape studded with five-story buildings, pastures stretched on and on up to the castle walls which could be faintly seen in the distance. It was a peaceful land of relaxation that was soft on the eyes and healing to the soul.

The welcome party in Kolkett consisted of a feast with everyone sitting around big tables lined up in rows. You know how back in Japan they sometimes showed foreign dignitaries being welcomed at a state guest house on TV? It was like that. I was pretty sure you didn’t sit by your partner at formal gatherings like this; the seating arrangements were designed to alternate based on gender.

Sitting across from me was Lord Vince, Margrave Kolkett’s eldest son. He was a young father with a four-year-old daughter. To my right was Marquess Carlisle’s eldest son, Lord Douglas, who was a year older than me. He was a boy with striking red hair—which clearly showed his relation to those in the central region—and sharp gray eyes.

The domain of Marquess Carlisle neighbored both Belisario and Kolkett, so people from both of our marches often traveled through the Carlisle domain to transport goods to the capital. As a result, we’d been family friends for a long time. I’d practically been a recluse for two years after I’d turned four, though, so this was the first time we’d met in a while.

Sitting to my left was Lord Deryl, the eldest son of Count Rahner. He was a gentle-looking boy with soft chestnut hair and green eyes. Apparently, Count Rahner was the husband of Margrave Kolkett’s younger sister. Lord Deryl was the same age as me, so while I was happy that we could get to know each other in advance since we’d be classmates and all, this seating arrangement definitely felt intentional.

Wait, I remember. The Rahners were famous for their mana aptitudes. As evidence of that, Lord Deryl had three spirits by him. Considering how big they were, I wouldn’t have been surprised if they could manifest as spirit beasts. Lord Douglas appeared to have one regular spirit and one sword spirit.

Isn’t it impressive how I seem to know exactly who everyone is? I made a whole relationship chart. By myself! I’d asked mother and Chris for help understanding who was who, but they hadn’t known I was turning that information into a relationship chart. It had turned out not even one chart had existed in this world before now!

Anime and manga had tended to have relationship charts of their characters, but when I thought about it, I hadn’t seen them used much elsewhere. Maybe the idea of creating relationship charts at all was something only the obsessive brain of an otaku would come up with.

However, I had been an otaku in my previous life. I’d painstakingly created relationship charts bit by bit to avoid confusion in genres where new characters kept cropping up in fan works. Finally that experience had come in handy. My family had praised me for how easy my chart was to understand, so I’d used transcription magic to make several copies for them. Father had even stuck his up in his study.

Though, honestly...I felt a bit conflicted. It was embarrassing having my hidden otaku skills finally exposed to my family. And bringing relationship charts, of all things, into another world felt like a kind of unimpressive achievement... Maybe if I just embraced it and created a relationship chart of Prince Andrew, his classmates, and his retainers, I’d be able to sell it to the other young ladies.

The adults were dining at another table, enjoying wine and ale as they ate. Lord Vince and his wife, Lady Janet, along with several of the other children’s guardians, were seated at the children’s table to supervise us, but I was seated almost at the exact middle of the long, rectangular table.

I was bad at striking up conversation or thinking up new topics of discussion, and it was a dinner party, so I really just wanted to enjoy the delicious food. The seasoned steak and fresh milk were both delicious. And the cheese too! I’d been a great lover of cheese in my previous life, and I’d even ended up a regular of the cheese seller in my local department store’s lower level—I would often buy some on my way home from work.

My weekends had consisted of cheese, wine, and doujins. It was the best! Thinking about this is so nostalgic. I really wish I could’ve bought that one circle’s doujin...

As I silently ate my meal, Lord Vince suddenly spoke to me. “You eat so elegantly, Lady Deirdre. You look as if you’re greatly enjoying your meal.”

“All of it is delicious,” I told him, “especially the cheese.”

“Do you like cheese?”

“Yes.”

“Belisario has farms too, right?” Lord Douglas joined in from my right.

The ability to so effortlessly slide into a conversation like he just had was a skill in and of itself—or so I felt.

“We do, but we’re so busy crafting our gelatos and cheesecake that we don’t have very many varieties of cheese right now,” I explained.

“Cheesecake? You turn cheese into a cake?”

“Yes, Lord Vince. We have included some in the gifts we gave to Margrave Kolkett.”

“Wonderful,” he replied. “I look forward to trying some.”

“You’re so lucky,” said Lord Douglas. “I want to try some too.”

“Me too!” chimed in Lord Deryl.

Everyone always got so excited when it came to the topic of food. Maybe I could use this as a method for becoming friends with other children. They did say that the way to a man’s heart was through his stomach. To be clear, I wouldn’t physically go through their stomachs.

“We will begin selling them this summer, so please come visit Belisario when you have the chance. You can even rent out a spirit carriage.” I recommended it to them with a smile. Business was important, after all.

“I can ride in a spirit carriage?!” Lord Deryl excitedly leaned forward.

“Yes, Lord Deryl. It is by reservation only, though, so you must make sure to tell us early.”

“Is it possible to ride in the spirit carriage you always use?” he asked.

“Excuse me?”

“I heard that the spirit beasts you manifested when the dragon attacked in Noland were big and strong.”

“I heard that too,” said Lord Douglas. “I’m so jealous that you got to see a dragon.”

“Really? We were safe out there because His Sacred Majesty protected us with walls of light, but if I can’t guarantee I’ll have his protection, I never want to see a dragon again.”

Why did they look so surprised by my answer? Did they really think I could crush a dragon?

“When I heard people refer to you as the fairy princess, I wondered what kind of person you’d be, but you’re surprisingly normal,” Lord Deryl remarked.

What image did “fairy princess” even give people in the first place? Had he imagined me befriending the dragon or something? Or had he expected me to stand my ground no matter what because I had the protection of the Royal Spirits?

He had the complete wrong idea! Of course I’d been scared with a dragon right in front of me! That was something that could have stayed in the realm of anime and movies as far as I was concerned—seeing it in person had been terrifying. My life had been on the line. I don’t want to die at six!

“Did I ruin your image of me? I must apologize.”

“Not at all,” Lord Deryl reassured me. “I think you’re very cute.”

“Why, thank you for the kind words.”

Being called cute felt nice, even if people were just being polite. In this world, though, the noble ladies were on a whole different level. It was hard to find someone who wasn’t cute. That was why everyone threw out that word so easily. It was like a greeting at this point.

Suddenly, a gentleman sitting a short distance away asked me, “What kinds of boys do you like, Lady Deirdre?”

Who is this again? The only adults mixed in with the children are those involved with the hosts, right? Whatever the case, I doubted I could go too wrong with my stock answer.

“Someone like my father would be wonderful.”

The women sitting at the children’s table immediately responded positively.

“Margrave Belisario is certainly a fabulous man,” one said.

“Lord August would be most pleased to hear that.”

But for some reason, Lord Vince and Lord Douglas looked solemn.

“Someone like Margrave Belisario, hmm?” murmured Lord Vince.

“You’ll be hard-pressed to find another man like that,” declared Lord Douglas.

What was with those reactions? Didn’t young children often say things like that? “Papa, I want to marry you when I grow up!” or, “I like people like you, papa!”

Oh! Was the issue that my papa was on a whole different level? He was treated with as much importance as a duke, and he was a minister of the empress’s cabinet. He was making bank off the success of FairyCo and he had spirit beasts of all elements. And he was super pretty.

Damn, I really would be hard-pressed to find someone like that.

“Father still loves mother very much,” I rushed to clarify. “I was thinking I would like someone like that.”

“Ah, so that’s what you meant.”

“Yes.” I nodded vigorously.

Whew... My path to marriage feels like it’s gotten even more arduous.

“Imagine bringing up such a topic.” Lord Vince glared at the man who had brought it up and then turned to me with an apologetic look. “I do apologize. I hope that didn’t make you uncomfortable.”

I wasn’t all that bothered, honestly. There were always those who turned to this type of topic over some drinks. You could definitely argue that it would count as sexual harassment, but in this world, you couldn’t survive as a noble if you didn’t know how to respond to tasteless remarks with a smile. This was nothing compared to other things that could have been said.

“There is no need to worry so much. I’m perfectly fine. Oh, in that case, may I ask everyone else the same question?” It was only so unnatural because I’d been the only one asked.

“I would like a girl as cute as you, Lady Deirdre,” Lord Deryl confidently stated.

“Oh my, you know exactly what a girl wants to hear, Lord Deryl.”

Hey, you little brat. Don’t name someone specific at a time like this. You’re gonna cause me trouble later. The adults would start suggesting arranging a marriage or going to Belisario to see me... Wait, I wholly welcome you coming to visit our domain.

“Deirdre’s cute, but...” Lord Douglas frowned. “Margrave Belisario is already so protective, and Chris and Alan are just as bad.”

That...was true. I was like a final boss with an add phase that required you to take down all three of the adds at once or they’d revive each other.

After the meal came the dance party. Kolkett was renowned as the center of ale production in Azelia. Each town had its own famous brand of ale, making it not only the empire’s top producer, but also its greatest consumer. Although it was being called a dance party, it wasn’t like a formal evening ball. Instead, it was a relaxed gathering with a distinctly local flavor, with everyone dancing to joyful upbeat music while enjoying their ale. I loved this kind of easygoing atmosphere.

With the way the town looked and the fact that they were famous for ale, I had to think there must have been a little rural town like this somewhere in Europe. Though, I’d heard that for those who favored the formality of the central region, these types of gatherings didn’t deserve to be called dance parties—in fact, they would outright mock them for being uncultured. That was a shame; it was because this place retained its countryside roots that so many local specialties had been created and trips here were so fun. In such a diverse country, it was a bad idea to mock other ethnic groups for living their traditional ways, but it seemed the rise to power of the margraves had made the other nobles even more aggressive in this regard.

“I knew so few people there that I was so nervous,” Iris murmured as we enjoyed the dance party together.

“But the meal was delicious,” Cheryl replied.

I’d brought Iris and Cheryl with me this time as my two retainers—they needed to gain experience, after all. They’d scolded me when I’d referred to them with their titles as I always had before; they were my retainers now, so I was to simply call them by name, it seemed. Trying to get used to relationships where only I dropped the title was really hard, though.

The girls had been eating at the same table as the other retainers. Though the food had been the same as mine, it was almost certain that the topics of discussion at their table had been vastly different. While the children had likely been having friendly chats with each other while trying to remember everyone’s faces, the adults would have been using the meal as a time to gather information. Gathering vital information for their master was one of their duties as a retainer, after all. There might have been some among them who got a bit too tipsy and ended up complaining—but if they did, rumors about them would immediately spread among the nobles.

Iris and Cheryl had been asked much by the others at their table. They’d been asked about the stories of the spirits beasts fighting the dragon and about Suoh patting my head like I was precious to him. Since I was still being treated like a cryptid, new embellished stories about me were popping up every other week. The other nobles must have seen this as a good opportunity to get even just a little bit more information.

The reality was that we’d never properly fought the dragon, and Suoh had been patting Alan’s head too, yet apparently, that hadn’t been good enough for the gossips. Everyone had only heard what they wanted to hear.

Why are you trying to turn Suoh into a lolicon? And do you want to make me fight in a big kaiju war or something?

“Lady Deirdre, may I speak to you?”

I jumped and turned around when someone suddenly addressed me. The only people who were supposed to be able to initiate conversation with me were members of the imperial family. Anyone who wasn’t royalty usually just entered my line of vision, hoping I would notice and speak to them.

This sucks. This is so annoying. As someone who’d spent their previous life never rocking the boat, I really wanted to just answer them and pretend I hadn’t realized. If only we’d had that moment of mutual uncertainty like with Lady Patricia, it might have created an opportunity for us to become friends.

But to have said as much would have made me a failure as a noble. Status held a lot of weight in this world; if I was treated discourteously by one of lower standing in a public space, I had to respond appropriately or my family would be mocked. In fact, not only my family, but my retainers and the other staff who worked at our castle, and in some cases, even our subjects could potentially be looked down upon as a result.

The one who’d called out to me was a gorgeous girl with wavy red hair. Three girls of roughly the same age stood with her. None of them had spirits, so they were likely all from the central region. Their expressions were tight with nerves, but they didn’t seem hostile in any way. They didn’t seem like they were here to pick on me.

These girls seemed to be about twelve or thirteen years old, though. Children matured more quickly in this world, so they’d already had their second growth spurts—they were tall, and their chests were big. They practically looked like adults. Girls seemed to develop earlier than boys at this stage. And there were four of them.

My two retainers and I were six- and seven-year-olds, so the height difference was big. It was like the difference between a third grader and someone in middle school. Cheryl was terrified, with her small frame, clinging fearfully to my arm. To anyone looking over, it would definitely look like some older girls were bullying girls younger than them, right?

“Lady Deirdre,” Iris whispered from behind me and quietly held out a fan adorned with feathers—a noble lady’s weapon and armor.

Your skill should be acknowledged, my dear retainer.

This was, in fact, the perfect time for the evil villainess, Lady Deirdre, to make her appearance!

“Um... May I ask who you are?” I took the closed fan and tapped it against my chin, tilting my head as if trying to search my memory.

Th-This is good enough. My face isn’t cut out for looking fearless. I was the wild child that people wanted to protect, after all—a scheming villainess type. I’m not the type who becomes a coward the second they walk outside their house, I swear!

“My, you don’t know who Lady Bridget is?!” one of the girls said.

Correct, I don’t. I’ve never met her in my life. And you, girl with the green hair. You’re far too loud. You’re drawing attention. You’re tying the nooses around your own necks right this second. This old lady is becoming worried for your safety.

“I am Bridget Lydia von Chandler, the third daughter of Marquess Chandler.”

“A marquess?!” My eyes shot wide as I flipped open the fan and covered my mouth with it. It turned out it was pretty difficult opening and closing a fan with just one hand. I really should’ve practiced at home. “Oh my, I thought that since you addressed me first you must be a member of the imperial family I happened to not know.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You’re the daughter of a margrave, aren’t you?”

Hey, do these girls not know? Isn’t that pretty bad?

“Oh no, were you not aware that my father is now to be treated the same as a duke?” I asked.

“Huh?” the girl who’d called herself Bridget said, and the others turned to one another and began expressing their own shock.

“He was granted a position only second to the imperial family?”

“Wh-What is she talking about? That’s impossible.”

“Did you know?”

“Then what about the fact that he is also now a minister of the empress’s cabinet?” I continued.

“What?!” one of them cried. “Hey, what’s this all about?”

“I don’t know,” said another. “She’s probably lying, no?”

Yeah, these types always exist. They’re in every class once you reach middle school. All they care about are trendy desserts, their favorite bands, and cute boys.

“Lying? Did you just accuse me of being a liar? Not only do you dare, as someone of lower rank, to initiate conversation with me on our first meeting, but you address me by my name even though I never granted you permission to do so, and now you’re calling me a liar? Fine. I have gained a clear picture of how the young lady of Marquess Chandler’s house views me.” I let out a dramatic sigh and tilted my face down sadly.

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of Lord Douglas about to come over, so I frowned in a way the girls wouldn’t see and sent a signal with my eyes to tell him not to approach. A boy shouldn’t get involved in a spat between girls, especially not a handsome boy so close to us in age.

(Did these people do something?) Ifri suddenly asked.

(Are you sad? Are you okay?) Levvy sounded concerned.

(Shall we take them down?) asked Jin.

(Are they our enemy?) Gaia added.

Apparently, my spirits had had enough of just watching because they suddenly flew between us. Cheryl’s and Iris’s spirits must have decided they didn’t want to be shown up, so they flew in alongside them.

A handsome boy shouldn’t get involved, but I couldn’t really tell my spirits not to—their job was to protect me, after all.

“I’m okay. There is no problem here, so calm down, okay?”

Lord Douglas, who had been observing the situation, said something to a boy next to him who looked around before dashing off.

Oh, did he just send his retainer to call over my parents or Chris?

“Wh-What’s with the attitude?,” Lady Bridget was stammering. “I was just going to extend you an invitation to a tea party!”

This is hopeless. How was I meant to bring this situation back under control? If she was going to invite someone she’d never met to a tea party, she should at least have done her research first.

“I refuse,” I stated, point-blank.

“Wh-What?!”

“Honestly, I’m amazed you still think I’d agree under these circumstances.”

Suddenly, the four of them turned their backs on me and started talking among themselves.

“H-Hold on. You don’t think she’s going to say anything to Lord Chris, do you?”

“What? Why? All we did was talk to her.”

“Well, because, His Highness Prince Andrew...”

So Chris and Prince Andrew are their aim after all.

“Deir, what on earth is going on?”

While I was relieved to hear the next speaker’s voice, I was also gripped by a very real fear at the same time. Mother’s voice was colder than freezing, you see. It felt like people were going to start dropping like flies at any moment.

With her golden hair drawn up atop her head and her fine figure accentuated by a well-tailored dress, my mother really stood out here. She was so beautiful that all she had to do was stand there, and you wanted to stare. Even the four girls stopped chatting among themselves, noticing my mother as they fell silent and the color drained from their faces.

“Iris, could you tell me what’s going on?”

“Yes, Lady Nadia.”

I wasn’t surprised that mother hadn’t waited for me to answer; she knew that I might try to defend the girls or to sort out the situation by myself. But the further Iris got in her story, the more mother’s beautiful smile morphed into something far more terrifying.

“My, so you’re Lady Kathy’s daughter, are you?” she said once Iris had finished recounting the events.

“You...know my mother?” Lady Bridget asked.

“Yes. I know her very well. But there is something I wish to ask you. Why is a daughter of Marquess Chandler attending this gathering?”

“What?”

“Who invited you?” mother asked.

Why did all four of them suddenly look so flustered? Were they all here without an invitation?! And yet they’d initiated conversation with me, and with that attitude?!

“Why are you all here?!” A scream tore through the room as Lady Cindy, deathly pale, came hurrying over.

Lady Cindy was Margrave Kolkett’s daughter, and she was seventeen this year. She was usually so calm and mature, but right now, she looked about ready to burst into tears.

“I... I took my sister’s invitation...” Lady Bridget stammered.

“I told Rebecca that I sent that by mistake!” cried Lady Cindy. “I told her to destroy it!”

“I...didn’t know.”

You shouldn’t have been using your sister’s invitation in the first place. And coming as a group of four? They had some guts, that was for sure. Fear those obsessed with love. Fear the aggressively forward woman.

“I’m so sorry,” Lady Cindy was apologizing. “I invited my friend without knowing the circumstances, then when my mother apprised me of them, I made sure to quickly cancel the invitation. Rebecca was already familiar with the circumstances and told me she’d assumed it was a mistake.”

Uhhh, so hang on. What’s going on here? Is there some feud going on between us and the Chandlers?

“Calm down. It’s all right. I’ve already heard about that,” mother reassured Lady Cindy as she gently placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled.

After letting out her breath in relief, Lady Cindy bowed her head deeply. “I truly am sorry.”

“My issues with Lady Kathy are a thing of the past. I have no intention of making a fuss now...but you young ladies over there calling my daughter a liar is a whole different matter.”

Mother took out a rose-colored fan adorned with delicate black lace. She opened it without a sound, veiling her crimson-colored lips slightly in a way that felt alluring. Few people could have pulled off using that fan the way mother did—showy, bewitching, yet still refined. I doubted I could imitate her even once I was older.

“I cannot believe the daughter of a marquess who was not even invited to this gathering would make light of my daughter to such a degree. What will Marquess Chandler do about this? Though I must also speak with the host to understand how someone uninvited could make it so close to my precious daughter to begin with. What happened to security?”

Oh nooo, my mama’s sooo mad.

Lord and Lady Kolkett frantically dashed up. I felt sorry for them, having something like this happen the day before meeting the Spirit Queen for the first time.

“Nadia, I understand that you’re worried about our beloved Deir, but I don’t want to ruin this party solely because of these girls. How about we take the discussion to a different room?” My father’s dashing figure swooped in and took mother by the shoulders, calmly talking her down. That was my father for you.

The four girls who had turned deathly pale at my mother’s cold attitude toward them were now spellbound by the exchange between the couple—but that only made mother angrier.

I don’t have anything to do with this anymore, right? I can leave, right?

“You make a good point,” mother said. “Everyone is so happy that they will be able to meet Queen Hisui tomorrow, after all.”

“Chris, Douglas, we need to leave for now. Look after Deir for us.”

Chris nodded firmly. “Leave it to me.”

“What? Oh, uh, yes.” Lord Douglas looked caught off guard for a moment before nodding along with my brother.

Lord Douglas’s retainer had been the one to inform father of the situation, and Lord Douglas was Marquess Carlisle’s son—we were already well acquainted with their family. Father had taken full advantage of those circumstances and hadn’t shown a sliver of hesitation in involving Lord Douglas in our affairs.

Over in Noland, the adults and the children had been very cleanly separated, and since the girls had stayed close to other girls, no one in particular had addressed me. But because I had my retainers with me this time, there were a lot of children and adults who were trying to befriend me through Iris and Cheryl. Was father using the marquess’s son in place of a regular bodyguard because of that?

“You don’t need to come with us, Douglas,” Chris said as soon as father and the rest were gone. “Stay away from Deir.”

“Come on, you have to stop clinging to your sister so much.”

“Hmph. Deir, let’s go out to the balcony for some fresh air.”

“Yes, Chris,” I said obediently.

Before I’d even finished my response, someone had twirled around to my side and held out a hand, ready to serve as my escort.

“Douglas...” Chris warned.

“Stop acting so childishly, Chris.”

Rather than being scared by Chris’s sudden deep, ill-tempered tone, Lord Douglas seemed incredibly amused instead. I took his offered hand with a sigh, and we strode past Chris to the balcony. The balcony—which served as the roof of the terrace—was huge, able to fit three big round tables with six chairs each.

Lord Douglas kindly pulled out a chair for me, which I sat myself down upon. I was able to breathe a sigh of relief as I gazed down at the garden filled with early summer plants. I’m glad there’s no one else here. I’m exhausted.

Cheryl stood behind me, while behind Lord Douglas stood his own retainer, the boy who had fetched my mother, Mr. Gildeau.

The novels that I had read in my previous world had frequently mentioned that retainers would stand right beside their masters, but now that I was in a position to have my own faithful servants, I couldn’t help but find myself feeling uncomfortable. I would rather be the one who was standing.

“I’ve done a terrible thing to poor Deryl,” Lord Douglas said. “He tried so hard to be noticed. If he knew I was here, he’d hate me for life. He was so upset that he was chased off with a smile.”

“Deryl?” I asked. “Oh, the gentle-looking boy.”

Chris finally arrived then after having trailed behind, still sulking as he seated himself beside me, opposite Lord Douglas. He made sure to ask his spirits to set up a soundproof barrier that let no one through without permission—my brothers were so much more skilled in using their spirits than I was.

“He might look gentle, but he should have quite a lot of mana,” Lord Douglas told me. “I believe he has at least one spirit beast.”

“Hmph.” Chris apparently wasn’t going to stop sulking anytime soon.

“He...was trying to be noticed?” I asked.

The two looked at me in shock.

“Did you not notice how clearly he was flirting with you?!” cried Lord Douglas.

“Did that brat try to hit on you?!” demanded Chris.

“Ugh, stop being so overprotective.” Lord Douglas practically rolled his eyes.

“He was just being polite,” I reassured my brother.

“Right, of course.” He nodded. “You don’t need to worry about it, Deir.”

“What?!” spluttered Lord Douglas. “But isn’t a six-year-old using politeness to flirt even crazier?”

“Aren’t you only seven?” Chris pointed out. “You’re one to talk.”

“Even I wouldn’t use such flattery to try and pick someone up,” Lord Douglas protested.

“But people call others cute all the time, don’t they?” I was so confused. “Isn’t it like a polite greeting?”

Stop looking at me like that.

I was used to seeing Chris’s exasperation, but now even Lord Douglas was looking at me in the same way.

“Deir, I recommend you don’t say that in front of other girls,” Chris said.

“Huh?”

“Everyone calls you cute because you are cute,” he explained. “It’s not something they say to everyone.”

“But all my friends were called cute too...”

“Your friends are Lady Karla and Lady Patricia, right?” my brother asked.

“Well, no wonder, then,” said Lord Douglas. “You’re surrounded by cute girls.”

So those girls were cute even by the standards of this world filled with beautiful people. That’s why everyone kept calling us cute, huh?

“Um... Is she an airhead?” Lord Douglas asked Chris.

“No, she’s just a little unfortunate,” my brother replied.

“I can hear you, you know.”

I genuinely had thought that people in this world called girls cute as a greeting. But apparently that wasn’t the case at all. In which case, I’d been so rude brushing those compliments off... Next time, I’d make sure to say thank you.

Wait! Does that mean that even in Japan, cute girls were told they were cute as though it were a greeting? By boys?!

This was a shocking new truth my reincarnation had taught me. It was a life utterly alien to my old self.

“So it was to do with my face after all...”

“Deir?”

“It’s nothing.” I waved him off.

Chris’s retainers, Lai and Alicia, came by with a tea set and various cakes lined up on a tea trolley. I was still full from lunch, yet the boys began devouring those cakes like it was nothing. What were their stomachs made of?

Oh, all four of our retainers had pulled up chairs and were having tea together with us. I was relieved Chris had given them permission.

“Were the four girls earlier your classmates?” I asked Chris.

“I may have said hello to them once or twice.” He shrugged.

“That was the daughter of Marquess Chandler and some other girls tied to his family, right?”

The boys were both making such unhappy faces that I was certain now that something more was going on here.

“Is there something you didn’t tell me when I made the relationship chart?”

“Relationship chart?” Lord Douglas looked puzzled.

“Your commentary is not required,” I told him without taking my eyes off Chris.

“Mother and Lady Kathy, Marquess Chandler’s wife, used to be rivals in love,” my brother revealed.

“What?!”

“Huh?!”

Why was even Lord Douglas surprised? He’d looked like he understood what was going on two seconds ago.

“Did you not know?” Chris asked.

“I thought it was political,” Lord Douglas said with a shrug. “You know, like faction-related.”

“Oh, well, there’s that too,” Chris said. “Mother left specifically to hide that part, I think.”

“The central region is so close to being forgiven by the Spirit Queen,” Lord Douglas said, nodding now. “The last thing they want to do is kick up another fuss.”

“Hang on.” I was being completely left in the dust here. Why were they ignoring me? “Could you talk in a way I actually understand?”

Even when I slapped my fan on the table, all they did was look at me, so I started hitting their arms with my fan instead. Sure, I was making sure not to hit them too hard, but the way they continued smiling away as if it never hurt at all really angered me.

“Okay, I get it,” Chris finally relented. “Don’t get in a huff like that. Even though they were rivals, father only had eyes for mother, yet Lady Kathy still tried to go after him and even harassed mother about it.”

Heyyy, I know where this is going. This is like those stories where the kind heroine gets surrounded by the bullies, who’re all, “What the hell do you think you’re doing, you floozy?”

Though if you asked me, mother didn’t seem the type to take that sort of attitude sitting down. Ooh, what if it was a five-versus-five? That sounded terrifying. I wouldn’t want to get involved, but I’d have loved to peek around the wall and watch it happen.

“Around the time mother and father got engaged, mother wore a dress and accessories that father had gifted her to a ball. Lady Kathy deliberately bumped into her and spilled wine all over her dress. An accomplice of hers had called father away on a false errand.”

“Does that mean mother had a whole group bothering her?”

“Not only was mother friends with Her Majesty, she was also beautiful, so she was highly popular with the boys at school. Father was the eldest son of a margrave, and he was a very handsome man, so he had his own popularity. It was natural there would be lots of people who wanted to ruin their relationship.”

School was a place for education, right? It was a place where lots of children your own age gathered, so I understood that it was a good place to search for a partner, but what was this absolute chaos he was describing?

“Did the adults just let it happen?” I demanded. “What were her retainers doing?”

“Of course her retainers and friends immediately ran off to tell father—they’d only been away from mother for a few minutes. But Lady Kathy ended up actually losing her balance for real after that. Mother’s necklace got caught in the lace of Lady Kathy’s dress, and that caused it to pull and break.”

“Wow, that’s horrible,” Lord Douglas said.

“What a disaster.” I shook my head.

Although we three were the only ones talking, our retainers were listening too, and they were all making shocked faces at the story. I felt dizzy just imagining myself in that situation.

“And then, even though she was the one who’d done it, Lady Kathy acted like the offended party, yelling that it had happened because mother was wearing such an ugly necklace. It was at that point that father returned.”

“That was a necklace the margrave had specially selected, right?” Lord Douglas asked.

“You’ve seen her wearing a zoisite necklace before, haven’t you?” Chris said.

I had. She’d worn it to the tea party with the imperial family.

Did Lady Kathy seriously outright say it was ugly? Toward a couple who had just gotten engaged?

“When father coldly inquired if she had harassed his dearest beloved just to mock his taste in jewelry, Lady Kathy apparently burst into tears. She hadn’t known that mother’s dress and accessories had been from father, and hadn’t heard that they were engaged either. That was where father publicly announced their engagement, and since then, our parents and Lady Kathy have never been in the same place.”

“Even now?!”

“After a few years, people started to get the hint and stopped inviting them. They still haven’t seen each other again.”

Seriously? Wait. Did that mean that Lady Kathy hadn’t been able to attend any of the major events held by the empress at all? I wonder how she felt about all the changes related to the spirits over the past few years.

“I’m surprised Marquess Chandler made a woman like her his wife,” muttered Lord Douglas.

“Well, that’s because they’re both part of Duke Powell’s circle. Her Majesty had only just become empress at the time. They’d only just managed to prevent the war from spreading further.”

“I heard that Duke Powell does not get along with Her Majesty,” I said.

“Duke Powell doesn’t get along with the general’s father, Marquess Bantock, you see. It’s rumored that the duke has had it in for the marquess ever since he got moved to a provincial domain. What’s more, Count Dalimore, one of the men punished over the incident with the spirit forest, was tied to the Powells through marriage. They belonged to the same social circle.”

“Well, in that case, even if your parents hadn’t had any issues with the Chandlers, it makes no sense for anyone from Duke Powell’s faction to be at this welcome party.”

Oh god. Lady Bridget and the girls must’ve been desperate...

Even if they were able to greet Prince Andrew and Chris at school, the boys were always surrounded by their retainers and students from families within the same social circles, so they’d never have been able to get close. No matter how much they liked them, if their families were on bad terms, they could never be close. The friendship between Margrave Kolkett’s daughter and Lady Bridget’s sister must have seemed like their last hope. They’d finally gotten their hands on an invitation. They had probably heard the rumors about me, so they must have thought that, even though our parents were on bad terms, maybe they had a chance if we could just befriend each other.

But the way they’d gone about it was so freaking terrible! Why had they not even thought to do their research first? They’d taken their one and only chance and blown it, and they’d fractured the relationship between our families even further. What good had they thought that would do? I couldn’t believe it. They could’ve at least tried to send me a letter through my retainers, or maybe even befriended a girl from my year that was in my circle and organized a big girls’ night with me invited. Like, come on! There’s definitely more than one option here!

“Why are you clutching your head?” Lord Douglas asked me.

“You aren’t sympathizing with that girl from earlier, are you, Deir?” asked Chris.

“No, but...she was just so silly.”

“Agreed,” sighed Lord Douglas.

“You talk as if it’s none of your concern,” Chris said, “but if Queen Kohaku’s anger is appeased by the time of the visit in autumn, there will definitely be a celebratory banquet held in the central region. Their factions will almost definitely make an appearance. And we’ve had all sorts of problems with the Bantock faction ourselves. We’re not really close with either of them.”

“Then won’t they try to get close there?” pointed out Lord Douglas.

Ough, could I excuse myself from this? I really don’t want something like that earlier scene happening again.

“Lord Douglas.” Mr. Gildeau had returned from scoping out the gathering and had seamlessly slid into the conversation. “It appears everyone is wondering why the eldest son of Marquess Carlisle is out here.”

“Because the margrave told me to watch over Lady Deirdre.”

“And that is why everyone is wondering why Margrave Belisario chose to leave his daughter to Marquess Carlisle’s son,” continued Mr. Gildeau. “Everyone knows that your families are close, what with your domains neighboring each other.”

“Are they starting to think that father wanted Douglas and Deir to get closer?” Chris’s smile was so dark. He’d known this was how things would turn out from the start, hadn’t he? “That was why I didn’t want you to accompany us.”

“I don’t care if people start gossiping about me,” Lord Douglas said.

“Wow.”

“I expected the people of Noland to be much more aggressive given that they have to live with monsters, but it turned out all the children played among themselves and didn’t converse with me at all,” I mused. “Meanwhile, everyone over here is living such an idyllic life, yet they’re so much more forward.”

Since margravial families were no longer allowed to marry one another, nobles from the surrounding domains were all trying to offer themselves instead. I was being introduced both to children more than a year older and up to two years younger than me. Is going to school and falling in love just a legend or something?

“What are you saying? The winters here are harsh and come with much snow,” Chris said. “The reason their walls are so low is to lure monsters with their cows and then hunt them for food.”

“During the wars at the border eleven years ago when Her Majesty had just become empress, the people of Kolkett also struck back against the enemy and expanded their territory,” Lord Douglas added.

“Plus, everyone’s drunk on ale.”

“That too.” Lord Douglas nodded.

Ah... So they were real in-your-face types. Did I hear someone mention at some point that they were actually pretty sloppy when it came to their politics? Hell, they’d even forgotten to check their invitations properly.

“Maybe we should invite our friends over and have them bring some cakes,” I suggested.

“That sounds like a good idea,” Chris said. “We could invite some of the girls too.”

“Could you call Deryl over as well?” requested Lord Douglas.

I watched as Lai and Mr. Gildeau dashed away and then let out a sigh. If the girls came over, rumors would start about whom Chris was close with next. Lord Douglas was quite a catch himself. Everyone was likely watching to see what he’d do.

“Oh, right,” Chris said then. “Douglas, you’re the same age as Prince Eldred, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, but we don’t talk much. I make sure to visit when we’re in the capital, but he always has so many people surrounding him that the most I can do is pay my respects.”

“What kind of person is His Highness?” I asked.

The two of them looked at me in shock again.

H-Hmph! I’m tired of seeing people make that face. I feel like I’ve seen it a million times by now.

“You met him at the tea party, didn’t you?” Chris asked.

“Chris, is this girl okay?” Lord Douglas sounded actually concerned.

“Hey,” Chris objected.

“What?”

“Oh, but that hardly counts,” I elaborated. “I’ve met His Highness several times now, but he barely talks to me.”

“Oh, right...” Chris said. “He pretty much only spoke to Lord Jean at that tea party.”

“Ahh, that prince rarely strikes up conversation himself,” said Lord Douglas. “Everyone else has to try and be considerate and bring up topics. I dunno. It’s not that he’s a bad person, but...he seems to think that because he’s an important figure of the imperial family, everyone should follow his orders.”

The arrogant prince type, huh? I’m not great with that kind of person. Welp, guess I should keep my distance. If I accidentally snap and lash out at him, I’ll never be able to take it back.

“So what you’re trying to say is that not one of you has managed to speak to Prince Eldred?” Lord Douglas suddenly asked.

“Well, uh... No.” Chris shrugged.

“You Belisarios are so...”

Why did Prince Eldred refuse to just talk to us? Did he think we were too arrogant because we were well-liked by the Royal Spirits?

“But Alan has been like that for a while, and Deir is like this, so...” Chris shrugged again.

“You Belisarios are so...” Lord Douglas shook his head.

You don’t need to say it twice.

Chapter 6: Hisui’s Abode

We departed from the castle the next day, shortly before noon. Queen Hisui lived upon the highest peak of a mountain range north of the city, so it was impossible to get there on foot. Instead, we would apparently be using a teleportation array. It turned out that a nearby decrepit building that the locals had thought was just some old ruins had actually been built for teleportation purposes.

The moment he’d learned the truth, Margrave Kolkett had ordered that the building be fortified at once. There had naturally been proposals to renovate it entirely, but they’d decided to preserve its history so as to never forget its original purpose. Instead, they’d only built protective walls around it.

It took a bit less than an hour to get there by horse-drawn carriage. There were far fewer people making this trip through the farms than had attended yesterday’s party, and some of them had only come to partake in the lunch we would eat near the teleportation array before our visit to Queen Hisui.

Now, usually, you would assume that suddenly being teleported to the top of a mountain would cause someone to suffer from altitude sickness, right? Given that we would all have just eaten our lunch, at least one of us would have thrown up from the sudden change. That was where we could be thankful for Hisui’s abode; she’d said that she would make sure to erect a barrier that would make the air comfortable for us when we arrived.

The Royal Spirits were all kind and generally loved humans. They were only ruthless toward those who abused spirits in any way. Even though there were nothing but benefits to us getting along with the spirits, there were ridiculous people who got mad that spirits could do what humans couldn’t, or who still believed that humans were superior. I couldn’t fathom their way of thinking at all.

Incidentally, alcohol was forbidden at today’s lunch. Margrave Kolkett and his family had all apologized profusely for the run-in with Marquess Chandler’s daughter and the excessively aggressive advances toward Chris and me. It turned out it hadn’t been just us; Marquess Carlisle and other high-ranking nobles had also found themselves subjected to several drunk attendees trying to marry their children into their families. The sad bald patch atop Margrave Kolkett’s head had grown a little sadder overnight.

Lord Vince had apparently had a stomachache since morning, and Lady Cindy was staying behind to watch over the Kolkett residence. Meanwhile, Marquess Carlisle had been up bright and early looking entirely refreshed. “I’ve heard that you’ve been kindly bestowing attention upon my son,” he’d greeted me cheerfully.

“Lord Douglas is a very popular young man. He was surrounded by so many young ladies,” I’d returned just as cheerfully, giving a response that I couldn’t be called out for—it wasn’t a lie, after all.

As we made our way to the teleportation array, my family and I had a spirit carriage all to ourselves. This was precious time away from our valets and retainers that we rarely had the opportunity for. Our conversation naturally drifted to Lady Bridget.

“I was told that immediately after it all went down, Lord Vince and his wife, Lady Janet, took the four of them to the imperial capital and met with Lord and Lady Chandler to lodge a formal complaint,” Chris said.

“Lady Kathy is the marquess’s second wife,” mother explained. “Her children are Lady Bridget and her nine-year-old twin sons, while there are four older children whom the marquess’s previous wife gave birth to. The marquess is older than Lady Kathy by eleven years, and he tends to spoil his younger children, it seems.”

“Now that they’ve put themselves so deeply in our debt, won’t they struggle to show their faces to the other members of their faction?” I asked.

“Well, Count Dalimore’s family and associates just suffered a massive blow from the incident with the spirit forest. There have been rumors that Duke Powell was also involved, but he threw them to the lions and got off scot-free. In comparison to that, the blow to the Chandlers’ reputation will be minor,” father answered.

It was a little sad that this was all we could talk about even though we were about to meet Hisui. All of this had happened because an eleven-year-old girl had wanted to get closer to the boy that she liked, and yet it had caused so much trouble to everyone around us. It almost made sense when you considered what her mother had done during her school days, though. Like mother, like daughter.

“You don’t need to worry about this,” mother reassured me when she saw me gazing out the window in a daze.

I much preferred being back home talking about matters to do with FairyCo. The moment I stepped outside, relationships always became so much more complicated.

“Right. Whatever the case, I can’t get married to a red-haired girl anyway,” Chris said.

“You can’t?” I asked.

“You’ve noticed there are no red-haired children in the margravial families, haven’t you?” father pointed out.

“The people of each territory are proud of their own heritage,” Chris elaborated, “especially those who have a Royal Spirit living in their domain. There is a strong resistance to marrying someone from the central region into a margravial family.”

I-I see. Well, I suppose I get it.

“That said, Alan will have to live in the capital when he joins the imperial guard, won’t he?” father mused. “Isn’t there a chance he’ll end up marrying someone from the central region?”

“I’d really like to allow all three of our children to marry whom they like, but...” mother murmured. “Say, dear, perhaps we should scout out a good selection of acceptable choices for their partners as soon as possible, so that they can pick whom they like.”

Make sure you let our prospective partners have a choice too. Keep in mind that they could reject the offer.

Our parents seemed like the type to assume no one could ever possibly reject us.

“How was yesterday’s party?” Mother shifted the topic then. “Did you make any friends?”

“I made no new girl friends,” I told her. “As for boys, I became friends with Lord Douglas, Lord Deryl, Lord Henry...”

“Father, we may have to find some older children to become Deir’s retainers.”

“I agree, and preferably someone who could chase away any boys,” father said, nodding.

Mother frowned as she turned to father. “What are you saying? You were the one who told Douglas to remain by Deir’s side.”

I hadn’t even questioned it when Little Wiki had told me that Her Imperial Majesty’s and my parents’ marriages were love-based. To be fair, it hadn’t been a lie, and they’d definitely had proper romances, but I was certain now that the circumstances had been different from the freer approach to love taken in modern Japan.

It was only after filtering the options by status, age, faction, and ethnic group that you could finally start basing your interest on the other person’s personality and appearance or your chemistry with them. It was a lot more like modern Japanese matchmaking—you started by making clear your conditions.

I didn’t think that was necessarily bad, though. In exchange for the luxury I was being allowed to live in, I would make sure to fulfill my responsibilities as a noble lady. I wouldn’t become the empress consort, but I was prepared to pick a partner from a pool of candidates that my parents deemed appropriate. Rather, I wanted to get married. This time, for certain.

Although, since I was already over thirty inside, anytime I was presented with a six-year-old boy, it was hard to think of an appropriate response when I was asked if I’d like him as my romantic partner.

Father was wonderful; I could say that at least. If Margrave Noland had been twenty years younger, I might have viewed him as a dream partner as well. Once I turned fifteen, I could at least develop romantic feelings akin to having that feeling of captivation when faced with a young idol. That said, I couldn’t just ask them to wait another ten years.

“Deir?” Chris snapped me out of my thoughts.

“What? Oh, uh, yes.”

“Did you hear us asking about Mia?”

Mia? That’s Count Edkins’s eldest daughter, right?

“In terms of whether she would be good as your partner?”

“No!” he immediately yelled.

“That would definitely put her in an uncomfortable position after marriage,” father said.

“More importantly, the count and his three older sons are...”

Count Edkins was our neighbor to the east, but the territory he was in charge of was very small. He held one town and one village. Oh, and a tea field. Mia was his eldest daughter, and she used to be the one who would scold the count and her three older brothers in place of her deceased mother. She had often been the one managing the manor as a result. But when the eldest son had married, she had begun searching for work outside of the Edkins domain.

By the way, that girl was twelve, only one year older than Chris, and she had regularly scolded her eldest brother who was seven years her senior. It makes you wonder just how put-together this girl is, doesn’t it? Apparently, she was a cute young lady with silver hair.

“She would probably be happy to work as a member of our live-in staff,” mother said. “She’s been too busy to try and find more spirits of her own, so she still only has a wind spirit. Help her out, would you?”

“Busy? Doesn’t she have maids and valets in her manor?” I asked, confused.

“She does, but she also has four siblings, and they don’t have the largest holding. It sounds like she was having a rough time trying to help out on the farms as well.”

“They rely on Mia far too much,” father said with disapproval. “I heard the second and third sons have already left the house, so if the count just got a hold of himself, things would be fine.”

“The count will probably tell Lady Mia to send all her wages back to his territory.”

Our parents sighed at Chris’s prediction.

What a mess of a family...

When they’d said that the teleportation array was inside some ruins, I had envisioned something like Greek ruins, but the building was a lot more Middle Eastern in aesthetic. The gray rock walls were covered in moss, and most of the roof and one whole side of the walls had completely collapsed, their rubble still scattered about. Inside what was left of the building was an octagonal teleportation chamber at its center, as well as an entrance hall, an antechamber, and something that resembled the remains of a kitchen. Outside was a stone-paved path that appeared to lead to the ruins of a gazebo. That was where we would be having our lunch.

They’d likely used this in the past as a form of waiting area, letting people have tea or search for spirits while they waited for their turn to use the teleportation array. With the area so lush and green, I had to think that even now, there were plenty of spirits here waiting to meet with a human.

Whether because alcohol was forbidden or because Margrave Kolkett himself had given a strict warning, we were able to enjoy our meal in peace without people swarming us. I had allowed my two retainers to return home early since I knew my parents would always be nearby from here on. Iris and Cheryl were still only six and seven years old—this experience had to have been tiring for them.

Since we couldn’t discern what things were like on the other end of the teleportation array, my family went first with our spirit beasts manifested in their travel-sized forms. We were playing the role of intermediaries here, after all.

It seemed that this teleportation array wasn’t always active and could only be activated by the Spirit Queen herself. When my family and I entered the room, we awkwardly looked around for a bit, wondering what we were supposed to do, but then we were suddenly teleported.

This lackadaisical or...easygoing attitude toward the whole affair felt very Kolkett, and also very Queen Hisui... Well, I wasn’t absolutely certain who resembled whom here, but either way, the place that we arrived at was a building with transparent walls and ceiling.

And it was huge. You could probably play soccer in here...

The first thing that jumped out at me was the sprawling green of the farmland below. That sight alone made the whole trip worth it.

“Huh? A waterfall?!”

But when I looked behind me, I realized that I wouldn’t have been satisfied with just that view. Water streamed down from a cloud in the sky above us, falling like a waterfall through a hole in the roof and into a garden inside the room—and this waterfall was also huge. It was easily the size of a roller-coaster track at an amusement park, so the sound it made was deafening. The spray of water droplets at the base rose high in the air, making rainbows.

This giant room contained a meadow, the waterfall, a river, gravel pathways, and gazebos. Even though you could see snow-capped peaks outside the glass walls, it was like a different world inside here. Now that I’d seen two more of the Royal Spirits’ abodes, Ruri’s felt so plain by comparison; all you had to do was go to our castle’s lake to meet him. That said, his real residence appeared to be under the sea. Any time we went to visit, we were always teleported directly there, so I could never tell how amazing it really was.

(Yaaaaaay, you finally came!)

I looked around, trying to find where the voice had come from, and eventually saw Queen Hisui descending from above accompanied by a boy and a girl.

“Your Sacred Majesty.”

(No, please, you don’t have to do that.)

When my parents knelt before her, Hisui immediately waved her hands and urged them to stand.

Her lush green hair was tied up in a ponytail with a decorative cord, and she was wearing a wrap made of diaphanous material the color of jade—the same color that I’d named her after. She was as beautiful as always. I wish my legs were that long...

(Is Alan not here today?)

Is Alan some ladykiller or something? He’s always a hit with the older women.

“I apologize, but it’s only me today,” Chris told her.

(Oh noooo, don’t look so sad. I wanted to see you again too.)

Hisui leaped forward and hugged Chris from the side, her chest half burying Chris’s face. Chris clearly looked unsure of how to react, which was a very rare expression to see on his face. I was starting to wish this world had cameras.

“I wish I could show Alan your face right now, Chris,” I said.

“Deir?”

Oh no. His smile is so incredibly ominous right now.

“I didn’t see anything.” I quickly corrected myself.

“Of course you didn’t.”

You shouldn’t threaten your little sister, if you ask me.

Chris then teleported back and brought Margrave Kolkett over. The margrave’s valets were going to teleport here next, so we moved out of the way toward one of the gazebos farther in.

(Once you’re ready, let us talk over there about how we will deepen our relationship going forward,) Hisui told the margrave as she pointed at the cloud from which the waterfall was flowing.

I guess that’s where her residence is.

(I heard that Suoh told you not to let in any of those fools from Pendelus.)

“Yes,” father replied. “We have already made the relevant arrangements.”

(He’s always so rough, that one,) Hisui sighed. (But he is right that you should get to work right away. Now that the Royal Spirits of both Luftanen and Azelia have begun communicating with humans, things have been changing for the better. Belisario has been a massive help in this regard, but Royal Spirits from other nations have begun thinking that simply watching over the humans isn’t enough.)

“Do you mean that something may happen across the strait?”

(Indeed. I imagine things may be rough over there for a while. Oh, but don’t get the wrong idea. A lot of people over there are beginning to reevaluate their relationships with the spirits.)

“In other words, the followers of Nicodemus are struggling to hold their ground,” said father.

(Heh heh.) She sounded pleased. (And a new nation has been founded north of the Kingdom of Duchamp.)

“A new nation?!”

(The Royal Spirits left Pendelus and formed a new country with the nomads who already lived in that land. We Azelian Royals are now in a partnership with them.)

To try and battle the desertification caused by the departure of the spirits, Pendelus had been creating tree plantations while also trying to spread the Way of Nicodemus to involve other countries in their madness. But it was a religion that was charging headlong into inevitable destruction. Without the Royal Spirits, the land would dry up, no matter what. The fact that they could still deem humans to be the superior beings was so baffling that it was scary. What would the religious zealots do if they learned that the Royal Spirits who had left Pendelus were now living a fresh life in a new country founded with some nomads? I prayed it wouldn’t result in them hating the spirits even more and doing something radical.

(I wish all the nations could just get along with spirits and with each other.)

After reincarnating here from peaceful Japan, I had the exact same opinion.

Chapter 7: The Interview with Kohaku in the Capital

The seasons are changing, and the leaves have begun to redden. How is everyone faring? Deirdre is feeling a little heartbroken.

No, but really, it was horrible. Listen to this. In the two years I’d been a shut-in, I’d barely had any friends, so now that I was finally free, I’d invited some guests to a meal here in Belisario. I’d chosen a few people I’d met while giving my spirit-raising lectures, the girls I’d become friends with during the sleepover in Noland, and their friends. I’d even said that anyone who wanted to join me for a sleepover could. I’d thought it would be good to invite those who were around three years my senior as well so that I could have some older friends to help me out when I started attending the academy. Well...and I had maybe been considering my brothers’ futures too.

It wasn’t as if getting married was the end goal—life after marriage lasted far longer. In which case, wouldn’t it be really lucky if you got married to someone you’d known since you were a kid and whose family was friends with your own? My brothers were so popular that both at school and at tea parties, all the girls would swarm them. They were starting to struggle to tell who was who. I felt bad for both my brothers and the girls.

Although the plan had been to have eleven people attend the gathering, four of them had suddenly canceled seven days beforehand—all on the exact same day. It seemed all four of them were friends, so it might have been planned.

Perhaps I had been getting complacent. Everything had been going so well since I’d reincarnated in this world. My family always looked out for me, and I’d never been the target of hostility. I was practically always being fussed over. Somewhere in my mind, I had allowed myself to believe that anybody would be overjoyed to be invited to an event by me. I hadn’t been thinking about it in a narcissistic way or anything. I’d just thought people would be happy because it meant they could get closer to my brothers or the imperial family, so I’d never considered the possibility that I might be rejected.

But, like, did they really have to suddenly change their yes to a no a week before the gathering? I hoped no one thought I would do something to them. Did my nickname of the fairy princess make them think that I was some sort of supernatural being, so they were afraid of me? I was totally normal, though.

Oh, sorry, I told a bit of a lie there. For the most part, I was a normal girl. Yeah.

Ugh, if I got too depressed, my spirits would worry and then they’d get mad and maybe start something, so I needed to just reflect on the whole matter and keep moving forward. On the off chance she might accept, I tried inviting Elda, the daughter of Count Bliss who was our neighbor to the east, and even though it was so sudden, she actually accepted. Let’s just enjoy it with our group of eight.

By the way, the reason the lands of both Count Bliss and Count Edkins—whose daughter, Mia, I had recently made my retainer—could be our neighbors in the same direction was purely down to the size of their domains. Count Bliss’s domain was by the sea, and then north of it was Count Edkins’s land. Even their two domains together didn’t cover our whole eastern border; that was how long it was. Both families were from the same ethnic group as the people of Belisario, and before we’d been incorporated into the empire, they’d been noble families who served our family. That was why our families were still close even today, and the children of the three families were always well acquainted from childhood.

Anyway, today was the meeting between Kohaku and the imperial family, so before I worried about the meal three days from now, I needed to focus on today’s meeting and the celebration party that would follow. Today would be a very important day for our country, after all.

The meeting with Kohaku was in the morning, so my family and I immediately teleported to the academy after breakfast. Apparently, the imperial guard would be the ones to protect us from here, and our retainers and bodyguards weren’t allowed to come with us. A few of them remained at the dorms so that they could join us for the celebratory gathering, while the rest were waiting either at our town house in the capital or in the palace antechamber designated for the Belisarios.

To repeat, we had our own antechamber in the palace. Now we really felt like a family that was second only to the imperial family. Even though I referred to it as an antechamber, it also came with a parlor, a living room, and even a room for the valets attached to it. I didn’t even think we needed so much; father already had his own office in the palace as an imperial minister, for heaven’s sake. The valets’ room alone was bigger than the whole apartment I’d lived in back in Japan.

I was starting to feel like the exciting freshness of being a new student would wear off long before I even enrolled in the academy now that I’d visited the place twice before that point, but there was no helping that.

The trees in the park outside the dorms were beginning to change colors, making it feel so much more like autumn. The sky was blue, and the breeze was pleasant.

Many people had already gathered in the park, waiting according to their status or the upcoming schedule. Members of the Bureau of Spirit Affairs were giving out the orders while security had been left to the imperial guard. Unlike the meetings with the Royal Spirits out in the borderlands, the one in the capital was like some big, dramatic event. Only a handful of the people gathered would be allowed to go to Arlon Falls, while the rest would need to remain here and wait for the spirits to return to the forest, but maybe they felt there was significance merely in being present for that moment.

The families of Kolkett and Noland also had representatives here, but only the adults. We offered some quick greetings before making our way to our own spot, and immediately, members of the Bureau of Spirit Affairs came up to my father. Their spirit carriage would be leading today, followed by ours, and then the two that we had presented to Her Imperial Majesty. Kolkett and Noland had brought their own spirit carriages, and that meant the FairyCo brand carriages here numbered six. It seemed the chief and deputy mages’ spirit beasts would be the ones to pull along the imperial carriages.

“Um, excuse me.”

The person who had called out to me was Elton, one of Prince Andrew’s retainers. He was the second son of Count Bliss and, therefore, Elda’s older brother. It was acceptable to initiate conversation with those above your status if required for work or to deliver a message as a retainer. It would be impossible to carry out one’s role if that weren’t permitted.

“Is something wrong?” Chris asked in place of my father, who was still speaking to his colleagues.

“I heard that Lady Deir kindly invited Elda to a meal.”

“To the one three days from now, yes,” Chris confirmed. “Is...there a problem?”

Huh? Don’t tell me Elda’s about to cancel on me too!

“No, she was really happy.”

“Oh, good. Then is there something else?”

“Um, three days from now is—”

“Their Imperial Majesties and Their Imperial Highnesses have arrived!” a booming voice informed us, and everyone immediately returned to their positions.

“I’ll talk to you later,” Elton hissed before dashing off himself.

“Three days from now is...what? What’s going on with Elda?” I wondered.

“I’m not sure.”

Neither mother nor my brothers had any idea what Elton had been about to say. Was Elda’s family nervous because young ladies of both ducal and marquesal families would be there?

The imperial family, dressed in their formal attire, sparkled so much that it was like they had special visual effects. Yeah, looking from afar is greatly preferable for me. I don’t want to stand up there with them. Their aura is totally different from mine.

A burgundy carpet had been rolled out down the path the family would walk. My family was lined up along the edge of the carpet at the position closest to the spirit carriages. Since it was an official event, I had my head bowed, with one hand on my chest while the other hand delicately lifted the hem of my skirt.

“We hope for your assistance today, Margrave Belisario,” came the empress’s voice.

“Yes, Your Majesty. We will do all we can.”

We felt their gazes upon us, but we kept our heads lowered until the imperial family had boarded their spirit carriages, and then we boarded our own. Father’s spirit beasts would be the ones to pull our carriage this time—pegasi just looked like horses, so they made our carriage appear less scary, given that it looked much more like a regular carriage.

More than ten horse-drawn carriages were lined up behind the spirit carriages, so we still had to sit and wait inside our carriage a while before the procession departed. Eventually, the leading carriage began to move, leaving the circular plaza next to the park and exiting onto a large public road.

Even though commoners couldn’t enter the academy grounds or go to Arlon Falls, they all knew why only the central region was drying up and why their crop yields had been steadily worsening. They had been informed that the imperial family was traveling to Arlon Falls today to settle the matter, so there were crowds of people lined up on either side of the road waiting for the spirit carriages to appear.

Is this a parade now?

It was normal for people to think that something was going on when they saw a whole tree plantation suddenly spring up in their city. The forest road led right from the academy to Arlon Falls, taking about twenty minutes to traverse on foot. Fantasy worlds were crazy. Even though only three years have passed, all it took was mana to make those seedlings grow into huge trees in that short span.

With the two halves of the city separated from one another for such a long distance, problems with traffic would naturally have cropped up; it would have been tiring having to always take a massive detour just to avoid the forest. To deal with that, three roads had been cut through the forest to let carriages through.

The next problem was that if the forest was divided by the roads, it would no longer serve as a path for the spirits, so they’d added a roof packed with soil and planted with flowers and shrubs to create something like a hanging garden. Before long, the trees they’d grown on these bridges had begun intersecting with the branches of the trees on either side, and the forests were officially connected. Some of the trees stretched as tall as a three-story building. Flowers bloomed in every season, all year round.

I’ll say it once again: Fantasy worlds are crazy.

“There’s no horses attached to those carriages!” I heard someone cry.

“They call them spirit carriages,” someone else answered.

“Whoa, there’s so many spirit beasts,” came another voice.

“Nobles are seriously something else,” said another.

There were so many people speaking on either side of the road that I was struggling to pick out what a lot of them were saying, but I could tell that everyone was excited and cheerful.

“That’s the Belisarios’ carriage, right?”

“Can we see the fairy princess?!”

“I heard the fairy princess is invisible.”

“What? I heard she glows.”

What? What kind of alien do they think I am? I’m see-through and yet I also glow... Am I a jellyfish now?

The lace curtains of our carriage were drawn so that the crowd couldn’t see inside. We couldn’t let my brothers or my parents be seen! What if they’d ended up with stalkers? Plus, if all those people learned that I was just a normal girl, they’d be so disappointed.

“They think she glows...”

Meanwhile, my whole family was in hysterics. They’re gonna hear you outside! Stop it!

“Eeeeeeeeeeeeee!” A squeal pierced through the laughter. “Prince Andrewwwwwwwwww!”

“Prince Eldred, look over here!”

“Your Majesty!”

“To Her Imperial Majesty and the general! Hip, hip, hooray!”

The moment the imperial family became visible to the crowd, the gathered people erupted into cheers. What, are they idols now?! Their popularity was insane. That chancellor was off his rocker to have ever thought it would be a good idea to try and get Lord Jean on the throne instead.

A road that took twenty minutes on foot to traverse only took five in the spirit carriage. We were there in the blink of an eye. I wouldn’t have been surprised if the back end of the procession hadn’t even left the academy yet. But only the imperial family and the Belisarios would meet with Kohaku at first, so we disembarked without waiting for the rest and entered the imperial holding.

This was land owned directly by the imperial family and therefore off-limits to anyone without permission. The imperial capital was obviously a part of the imperial family’s domain, but there were a lot of state facilities there, and even over half of the imperial palace was made up of facilities to run the country. Imperial holdings like this one were owned by the imperial family for the imperial family, exclusively.

It was forbidden for the land here to be developed in any way. Arlon Falls sat at the center, the area completely untouched by human hands. Apparently, walking from one end of the holding to the other on foot took about an hour.

We stopped our carriages in a little open square and from there, walked down a narrow gravel path farther in. Given there was space to park the carriages and a waiting area, it seemed possible to use this as a sightseeing spot.

After we’d disembarked from our carriage, we manifested our spirit beasts in their small forms. The imperial spirit carriage arrived as we stood around waiting, our spirit beasts all around us. Since Lord Jean was now a duke, he wasn’t here. Therefore, the only spirit beast the imperial family had with them was the general’s fire spirit. With my family all gathered here with our spirit beasts out, it looked like we were trying to intimidate them, but it was just what we had to do—we were going to meet a Spirit Queen, after all.

Led by a stone-faced knight of the imperial guard, we made our way to the waterfall. When I’d heard about Arlon Falls, Kegon Falls in Japan had come to mind, though I’d also thought that, since these falls were in the capital, they might be a bit smaller than that. But since this was the place where a Spirit Queen resided, it had to be majestic. In fact, the waterfall was about as high as Kegon Falls, and its width was similar to the narrowest waterfall of Niagara Falls.

I was pretty sure I could hear the sound of the waterfall all the way from where we’d gotten off our carriage.

The basin of the waterfall formed a lake, and that water flowed out to become a huge river outside the imperial capital. The misty spray that flew out toward us was cold, and it was so loud here that if you didn’t shout, you couldn’t be heard.

(Your Sacred Majesty, are you present?) the general’s spirit beast asked.

The imperial family would be the main representatives of the delegation from this point on, so we were just there to be present while they had their meeting with Kohaku. We shouldn’t need to do anything.

(Welcome, welcome.)

The moment Kohaku appeared, the deafening noise of the waterfall immediately quietened. Just like that time back in the school forest, she appeared lounging gracefully in the air, as if there were some invisible sofa beneath her. Her body was still beautifully curvaceous, and her voice held a kind sweetness that might have made this feel like being greeted by the owner of a small bar...except that behind her was a great big waterfall. It was practically roaring behind her. The sight was exceedingly intimidating.

I doubted anyone faced with such an alluring woman was thinking about the fact that she was floating in the air. The imperial guard were all completely entranced by her. The two princes must not have realized how beautiful she would be because they were frozen stiff with shocked looks on their faces.

“What are you all doing?!”

At the empress’s roaring admonition, the knights quickly came to attention and knelt, leaving only me, Chris, and Alan still standing. The reason neither the general nor my father had been so captivated by Kohaku when they’d first met her was probably because they already had dear partners whom they loved. But then, why had my brothers not been captivated by her? Had they just been so overwhelmed by meeting all the Royal Spirits at once that they hadn’t been in that frame of mind? Is she just not their type?

“I am truly sorry,” the empress apologized.

(It’s fine,) Kohaku said. (Do not worry yourself. More importantly, good work forging a spirit path in such a short time. I saw many people frequenting the academy’s forest to give their own mana. It made me very happy.)

The way Kohaku was talking now was completely different from when I’d met with her at the lake for my birthday or when I’d met her in Ruri’s abode. She looked nothing like the friendly queen who had tried to spoil Alan with fruit. Her expression did seem softer than that time in the forest, though. Her eyes were especially soft when looking at the two princes who had been left without spirits because of the mistakes of the adults.

(However, we have only forgiven you for destroying our forest. Whether we can build a relationship based on trust remains to be seen.)

“Yes, Your Sacred Majesty. We are fully aware.”

(Therefore, I will not invite you to my abode as the other Royal Spirits have done with their people.)

After a brief hesitation, the empress repeated, “Yes, Your Majesty.”

And now, another difference between the margraves and the imperial family had reared its head. But so long as the imperials remained on their best behavior, I was sure they would become best friends in no time. In fact, they really needed to. They needed to become such close friends that they would gain the blessing of the Royal Spirits too so they could finally stop eyeing up Belisario.

(You may all stand.)

Everyone stood the moment Kohaku ordered it. No one could tell whether or not they should be happy yet—whether the central region would become lush again—so the air was still heavy.

(I imagine you are all at a loss as to what to feel, having gained my forgiveness far faster than you anticipated. There is a reason for that. You have heard of Pendelus and the followers of the Way of Nicodemus from the other Royal Spirits, yes?)

I saw everyone’s faces cloud over. They likely had access to far more information than someone like I did, so they must have heard a lot about what was going on across the strait.

(We do not wish to allow any opportunity for their religion to propagate.)

Huh? Is that what we’re here for?

The moment I thought in my head about how the other Royal Spirits had been bragging like crazy about the people in their territories when they’d come to Belisario for my birthday party, Kohaku glared at me, clearly warning me not to say anything unnecessary.

My family immediately looked away from me. The only one Kohaku was looking right at was me. It’s fine, you know? I can read the room.

“May I ask a question?” The empress put an end to the silent standoff between me and Kohaku. “What crimes have Pendelus and the followers of Nicodemus committed to make Your Sacred Majesties so cautious of them?”

(Oh... Have you humans not been told?) Kohaku’s lips formed a perfect curve, her presence becoming all the more intimidating. (They believe that humans are a race chosen by their god. They cannot sit by and allow a species stronger than themselves to exist. They believe that the “superior” humans should not be unable to use magic purely because there are no spirits.)

I really wish we could just tell them that that obviously means humans aren’t superior. Then again, they’d probably already realized that fact. Their issue was that if they acknowledged it, Pendelus would fall apart—that was how reliant the administration was on religion as a form of keeping the country running. The Way of Nicodemus was Pendelus’s national religion, after all.

(And so, they thought that they would try and make it so that humans could use magic without the help of spirits. They were raising spirit beasts and then experimenting on them.)

“Experimenting?”

(How long could they go without mana before they disappeared? If they were attacked by monsters while isolated from their humans, what would happen? What if they dissected them? They did all manner of horrific things, like poisoning them or tearing off their limbs.)

“Unbelievable...”

“That’s horrifying...”

(And so, we assisted the Royal Spirits in evacuating from Pendelus. Do that and none of them could use magic, right? So after that, they stirred up the citizens by telling them that the Royal Spirits were intending to take over the country, spurring them to set fire to every one of the spirits’ lands.)

No wonder they were abandoned. Even now, the citizens of Pendelus were laboring under the belief that the Royal Spirits were the enemy who had razed their country. They’d completely forgotten what they themselves had done.

“And so they won’t forgive countries that are willingly prospering alongside the spirits?” the empress guessed.

“That’s no reason to assassinate another country’s prince, though,” said the general.

The topic that the empress and the general were discussing with such grave expressions was the assassination of the Luftanese prince I’d heard about before.

Luftanen comprised four islands. Originally, they were four separate countries, but the current ruling family had unified them. The current king had ascended to the throne at a young age and then married a woman from each island to strengthen his relations with them. That meant there were four queens. They had five princes and seven princesses. No wonder they’re having fights over the succession.

Just recently, the second prince had been killed by either the third or the fourth prince’s faction—apparently, believers in Nicodemus had infiltrated their ranks. The fifth prince was the son of the queen from the island closest to Azelia, and he’d already renounced his right to the succession. The crown prince was already twenty years old. He was apparently talented as well, so I had to wonder what the assassins had even thought they would accomplish. The second prince and the crown prince were the sons of the same queen, though, so there was speculation that the assassins had originally targeted them both.

“We understand now that the followers of Nicodemus must be approached with the utmost caution. We will not allow such a religion to spread in our country,” the empress declared.

“It may be a good idea to restrict entry from Pendelus. Margrave Belisario, you have already been strengthening border checks, haven’t you?” the general asked.

“Yes,” father confirmed. “There were several people on the Luftanen coast, not the coast bordering the strait, that were trying to enter the country illegally.”

(Hmm... You have informed your citizens of the spirits, yes?) she asked the empress.

“Excuse me?”

The topic had changed so suddenly that the general and the empress could only look at each other in confusion.

By the way, we children were still awkwardly standing there, silently listening in on the conversation. The princes might as well not have existed.

(The fact that you can talk to the spirits and get a response now means they must know that spirits can understand your language, yes?)

Well, obviously. Otherwise, we couldn’t communicate.

(In other words, they know that the spirits with them are always listening to what the humans are saying?)

“Yes. Um... Well, we’ve heard that those in Belisario keep their spirits in a different room while bathing or at night, so we’ve been doing the same.”

(Indeed. If you do not wish to be heard, all you need to do is remove them from your side. But it appears there are those from the central region who do not understand this. As spirits wish to protect those who give them mana, they are not deliberately eavesdropping. However, if they hear something that may put the spirits in danger, they will inform us of it. Oh, and of anyone who intends to cause harm to Deir as well.)

Of course they would. You are my guardians, after all. But why is this coming up here and now?!

“Have such people entered our country?!” cried father.

Oh, that’s what this is about? If father hadn’t said that, I would’ve assumed people were just bad-mouthing me. Well, that isn’t good. We haven’t made proper arrangements for a crisis.

(Not at this moment,) Kohaku reassured him. (However, you may want to inform everyone that any plans made to harm Deirdre will eventually reach our ears. The Royal Spirits will not overlook such transgressions. Deirdre has already done much to repair the relationship between humans and spirits. To followers of Nicodemus, she is already an enemy. We did become her guardians in order to protect her, after all.)

And that means all bad-mouthing will be heard by the Royal Spirits too. That meant the spirits were eavesdropping, even if only to protect me, so anyone plotting something evil would need to keep their spirits away. But telling their spirits to stay away while they were in a meeting would be tantamount to saying that they were plotting something.

“Deir, did those girls who suddenly canceled have spirits?”

“Huh?”

I jumped when Chris suddenly whispered in my ear.

“I’m not sure,” I whispered back. But “intending to cause harm” meant situations where my life would be in danger, right? They wouldn’t do anything just because some girls decided to be a little mean, surely.

(Now then, shall I return your spirits?)

Kohaku, I’d like to ask that you stop looking over at me with a smile on your face while you talk.

The spirits were all here, so she must have heard us whispering, right?

“Queen Kohaku definitely knows something,” Alan whispered, gathering light into his palm and releasing it into the air. Kohaku then smiled at us siblings.

After that, the spirits returned to the land around Arlon Falls and to the forest by the school, and the leaves of the trees grew plentiful and vibrant. Those who had been frequently giving mana to the forest received their own spirits right away, and we could hear them cheer in the distance.

The princes were gifted earth sword spirits from Kohaku directly. They’d apparently been visiting the forest by the academy almost every day, so they’d probably get spirits of a second element soon.

Now that the Belisarios had visited the lands of each of the four Royal Spirits and served as a bridge between them and the people who ruled in their domains, our work had come to an end for the moment. Apparently, the Bureaus of Spirit Affairs and of Magic would begin conducting joint lectures on spirits for the central region.

While the other nobles began heading to Arlon Falls and strolling around the forest to find their own spirits, my family decided to return to our town house early, via the imperial palace. We had to get changed for the celebration party, after all. I still hadn’t been to any palace events beyond that one private tea party, so this would be my first official social function there.

My body felt heavy, and my stress was on a whole other level. I’d never survive if I had to live in the imperial capital.

Chapter 8: A Hidden Truth

After getting changed at the town house, my family and I headed for the palace. Many of the nobles were still in the forest trying to find spirits, so the celebration would be held in the evening. Since we still had time, we decided to wait in our antechamber.

Accompanied by one retainer each, we traversed the wide corridors of the palace. Any time the staff busily dashing about noticed us, they would immediately step aside and make way for us. I began wondering which there were most of among the palace staff: people who were afraid of us Belisarios, those who had no choice but to stay where they were because their spirit beasts were by the wall bowing and refusing to move, or those who were too scared to get close because of our own spirits flying about trying to protect us.

When we entered the part of the palace reserved for only the highest-ranking of nobles, the corridors became more resplendent, and the valets and maids we encountered wore uniforms of finer materials. We also passed far fewer people. One side of the corridor was designed like a cloister, facing an inner courtyard with a fountain at its center. The weather today was pleasant, and the rays of the sun gently streaming through the gaps between the pillars cast evenly spaced shadows onto the tile floor.

“Ah, Duke Powell,” father’s voice suddenly rang out. “Were you unable to go to the forest?”

I’d been staring fixedly at the garden as I made my way down the corridor holding mother’s hand, so I hadn’t noticed that father had come to a stop until I bumped right into him.

“I’m getting on in years,” came an unfamiliar voice. “I see little point in trying to gain another spirit when I likely don’t have the mana to sustain them. My son and his family did go to Arlon Falls, however.”

“I wouldn’t say that,” father replied. “Having raised three spirits so splendidly, you could easily handle another.”

I’d heard that Duke Powell had been the mastermind behind the push to make Lord Jean emperor. I was using past tense because since Count Dalimore, the previous chancellor, had been executed two years ago, the duke hadn’t made any new moves—not noticeably at least. The rumors stated that he’d taken advantage of their faction’s banishment to the countryside to shift all the blame onto Count Dalimore and his associates, claiming that he himself had been too busy working hard managing his domain in Suoh’s territory to participate in such schemes.

It seemed that right now, with Duke Powell and Count Dalimore’s group removed from their positions, operations weren’t running as smoothly in the palace. It was hard to deny that Duke Powell and his brother-in-law had been talented statesmen able to unite a large faction to carry out anything the government required.

The man in front of me was in his fifties, but he gave off the aura of, like, the perfect middle-aged man.

Still, it was odd. Two years ago, when Count Dalimore and his henchmen had been arrested, their spirits had been either almost gone or completely vanished. Her Majesty’s spirit had also been in a similar state, and even though she only possessed the one, it had only recently reached the stage of becoming a spirit beast.

Nevertheless, here Duke Powell was, accompanied by three spirits all mature enough to manifest as spirit beasts. Even considering differences in natural mana capacities, raising three spirit beasts in only two years should be impossible. Wouldn’t that mean that the duke had begun raising his spirits well before now? Was I supposed to believe that Count Dalimore—someone who had destroyed the spirit forest over a power struggle—and Duke Powell—someone who had raised three spirit beasts—had been part of the same faction? There was no way.

“Are these your children I’ve heard so much about?” the duke asked then. “Everyone says they’ve been working hard to correct our country’s impression of the spirits. They’re so talented I can’t help but be envious. My own rascal of a son has been so obsessed with weaving that he hasn’t left the domain in a long time.”

“Oh, don’t sell him so short,” father replied. “Isn’t your domain famous for its silk clothing?”

“Perhaps, but that does not mean someone of his status should be carrying out the work himself. Unfortunately, there is little we can do about our natural talents. My son is a modest man, but when it comes to textiles, it’s like he becomes a completely different person. It is rather troubling... Oh, but where are my manners? Do excuse my grumbling. May I be introduced to your children?”

My mother’s hand tightened around mine—she was clearly wary. For my part, my first impression of this man wasn’t bad. He seemed a bit eccentric, but so were a lot of nobles. By this point, I’d have started worrying for a noble’s health if they seemed too normal.

“I believe you’ve met our oldest before,” father said.

“My name is Chris,” my brother introduced himself. “I am pleased to meet you again.”

“I’ve heard you’re the top student of your year at the academy,” the duke said. “And that you’ve even gained the trust of the crown prince.”

Father gestured at Alan next. “This is our second son, Alan.”

Alan gave a small, polite nod. “It’s my pleasure.”

“And this is our daughter, Deirdre.”

“It’s my pleasure,” I said, copying Alan with my own little nod.

Duke Powell smiled at us both. “I have my own grandchildren, you know. My granddaughter will be four this year; she’s the elder of the two. She received two spirits from the academy forest just the other day.”

“Goodness, in such a short time?” Father sounded impressed.

“Yes. My grandson is still only one year old, yet he has also already received his own spirit. My son may have disappointed me, but he has blessed me with two talented young grandchildren.”

The moment the duke began talking about his grandchildren, he suddenly came across to me as a friendly grandpa. There was no such thing as absolute evil, in reality. It was impossible for all real-life enemies to be extremely twisted like they often were in anime and games. I had to be careful to not immediately view people as bad guys the second I met them. Though...there’s nothing to prove he isn’t just putting up a front.

I was really bad at this kind of thing. I couldn’t read between the lines very well or figure out if people had ulterior motives. If it turned out he was just putting on an act, did that mean that us bumping into each other here wasn’t just coincidence?

“Lady Deirdre,” the duke addressed me then.

“Yes?”

“Since you are only two years older than my granddaughter, you will be attending school at the same time as her one day. Please do me the favor of showing her kindness.”

“Of course,” I replied. “Also, if your grandson has managed to acquire a spirit at one year old, then he’s the same as me.”

“Oh my, is that so?”

“You are aware of the magic tools that you can move with just a bit of magic, right?” I said. “The toys that you hang from the ceiling? If you get some for him, his mana capacity will naturally increase as he plays around with them.”

“Now, hang on,” Alan suddenly interrupted. “I do think those toys are good for building one’s mana capacity, but my sister got so engrossed in playing with them that she ended up passing out more than once, so if you aren’t careful, it could be dangerous.”

“To be fair, I think Deir’s a special case...” Chris muttered.

“That’s true, but still...”

The duke let out a cheerful chuckle at my brothers’ back-and-forth. “So the rumors were true, were they? I’d heard from many people that you kept giving so much mana to your spirits that you fainted all the time but that your capacity improved as a result.”

I froze on the spot. “N-No. That never happened. Definitely not.”

“What an amusing little lady. Please make friends with my grandchildren, you three.”

My parents glanced at each other uneasily. My mother and Duke Powell had been avoiding each other until now—one was friends with the empress while the other wanted to make Lord Jean emperor. My parents probably had no idea how to feel, having the duke suddenly act so friendly.

“Before I became an imperial minister, most of my time was spent in my own domain, so I don’t believe we had the chance to meet before now,” my father said carefully.

“Ah, yes,” said the duke. “Belisario remained unscathed even after the death of the previous emperor and the outbreak of skirmishes on the border, thanks entirely to your constant diplomacy and strengthening of your army.”

“I’m honored to hear you say that. Though I must admit, that is why I was never aware that you had raised three spirit beasts already.”

“You can tell that they are spirit beasts?” When all of us gave big nods, Duke Powell beamed with delight. “Until now, I couldn’t let it be known that our faction had divided, so I’d been keeping them in their spirit forms. Recently, though, I’ve been able to let them do as they please in the mansion.”

“Your faction has divided?!” father exclaimed.

“Indeed,” the duke replied with a nod. “By the time Dalimore decided to destroy the forest, our faction had already split in two.”

Seriously?!

(Seriously,) came the voice of an unfamiliar spirit.

“I see...” I replied to the spirit which had addressed me before doing a double take. “Hey, how did you know what I was thinking?”

(Because you looked so shocked,) explained another of the duke’s spirits.

Duke Powell seemed genuinely surprised that his spirits were speaking to me. He blinked a few times and then turned to my family—who were certainly not surprised—and sighed while looking a little exasperated. “I see. She really is beloved by the Royal Spirits, isn’t she? I never thought my own spirits would freely converse with her like that.”

“In that case, is it true that the only ones involved in the destruction of the spirit forest were those who have already been punished?” father asked.

“The Spirit Queen judged it so,” the duke replied, “so isn’t that enough?”

“No.” I let go of my mother’s hand and stepped forward. “The count said that the reason they destroyed the forest was to make Lord Jean emperor. They wanted to give Her Sacred Majesty a reason to be angry with the empress, and then Lord Jean, as someone loved by the spirits, would have asked for forgiveness and become the new emperor.”

“That fool said that...?” scoffed the duke. “No, I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised. I’m sure somewhere inside, that was what he truly believed would happen.”

“So that you don’t misunderstand, I want to be clear that Kohaku had no say in how the count and his associates were punished,” I told him. “All she did was remove their spirits. The count alone was not the cause of the spirits disappearing from the central region—it served as a punishment for those who only thought about using the spirits for their power struggles, especially Her Imperial Majesty.”

“Deir.” Alan placed a warning hand on my shoulder. But it was true, wasn’t it? It didn’t feel right to leave everything up to the Spirit Queen’s judgment. If humans stopped thinking for themselves, that wasn’t coexistence—that was dependence.

“A punishment for Her Majesty? This is the first I’ve heard of that,” Duke Powell said with a frown.

Huh? Wait, is it all being treated like Count Dalimore’s fault in the palace? Kohaku had definitely been just as angry with the empress as she had with the count back then.

Hang on... Did I not think something was odd at the time?

“May I hear about it in more detail?” the duke asked.

“How about we talk over there, then?” Chris suggested, gesturing outside.

“Chris...” father warned.

“Well, it appears there’s something we don’t know, right?”

Our parents seemed a bit hesitant at first, but when Alan and I nodded in agreement with Chris, he moved the conversation along at once.

I understood their worry—it wouldn’t take long for it to spread that Margrave Belisario and Duke Powell had been talking. The other margraves and Her Majesty would probably interrogate us about it. But even though we’d heard plenty about what had been going on from the imperial family’s side, we’d heard basically nothing from the side of those who’d wanted to make Lord Jean emperor. It wasn’t good to only listen to one side of the conflict.

There were several seating areas covered by large sunshades in the courtyard. As we sat ourselves down at one, our retainers stood at attention a short distance away.

“I’ve had my spirits raise a soundproof barrier, so there is no risk of us being overheard,” Chris said.

“You can do that?” At Duke Powell’s question, his spirits made large movements up and down, as if answering him with a big nod.

“You seem to get along well with your spirits,” I remarked. “You’ve been taking good care of them, haven’t you?”

“Well, my wife left this world ahead of me, and my son is already standing on his own two feet. Watching my grandchildren grow up and raising my spirits are two of my greatest joys in life.”

Oh, this man has a completely different way of thinking about spirits than Count Dalimore. No wonder their faction had divided in two.

“Eleven years ago, the previous emperor passed away, and war began with other countries,” Duke Powell began. “This made it impossible for the margraves to leave their domains, yes?”

“Right,” father nodded. “I was also stuck in my domain.”

“In which case, you wouldn’t know what occurred within the palace back then. Empress Ephenia originally stated that she would cede leadership to Lord Jean after five years. On the condition that Her Majesty and the general would support Lord Jean when the time came, we agreed to allow her to take the throne and all united to fight off the enemy.”

Little Wiki didn’t have that written in it. Or perhaps it did, and I’d simply not reached it. When I’d originally looked up the history of Azelia, I had been two years old and there had been so many links I hadn’t bothered reading them all. I’d been making sure not to look at any personal information either. Now I was glad that I hadn’t. If it had gotten out that I’d learned of such a dirty secret, who knew if I would still be alive today. It didn’t help that I was terrible at keeping a poker face.

Wait, hang on! We just ended up learning about it! We’re involved now!

“Are you aware that the spirit forest was developed to house those displaced by the war?” the duke asked.

“Yes,” said father.

“Many refugees retreated to the central region, and the more their numbers increased, the more desperate Dalimore became to search for land to house them. Marquess Trier, his older brother, showed no desire to assist Dalimore. He felt a sense of inferiority due to the public viewing Dalimore as the more talented of the two. The other nobles refused to accept the evacuees into their domains as well. I sent a proposal to Her Majesty to take them in, but I was refused.”

“That’s horrible...”

“Given that she had only just become empress, I imagine she did not want to owe me anything when I had not sworn loyalty to her,” the duke said. “However, there were no other suggestions raised. Therefore, Dalimore set his eyes on that forest.”

“You knew that was the spirit forest, didn’t you?” mother asked.

Duke Powell nodded. “Of course I did. Therefore, I tried to stop him. I warned him that that was the one place he should not touch. In fact, I told him that if he was willing to go so far, he would be better off appealing to Her Majesty to make use of her private land. Everyone was leaving the situation to the chancellor to sort out while refusing to even try and cooperate. Some even had the nerve to complain about it. Even Her Majesty did nothing more than order him to do something about it and leave him to his devices.”

“And that was how your faction ended up dividing?”

“Exactly. We wrote up a proposal to build residences for the evacuees in my domain, but the chancellor presented the proposal to develop the forest instead. I naturally refused to cooperate with those who had decided on something that would anger the Spirit Queen.”

See? You really can’t know everything if you don’t ask both sides. The duke whom we’d thought was the leader of the faction that had destroyed the forest was really someone who loved spirits and had raised his own spirit beasts.

“But then why did you not inform Her Majesty about the spirit forest?” mother asked.

“Lady Nadia, have you forgotten? The next year, Her Majesty gave birth to Prince Andrew. In other words, she was already pregnant at that time. All state matters had been left to the general, and he refused to grant us an audience. The general quickly completed most of his work alongside the chancellor. The paperwork tied to the development of the forest was buried under a mountain of documents that required the general’s approval, which were all signed and put into action in quick succession. There were postwar settlements, food shortages, minor routine affairs... The development project’s papers were mixed in with all of those and at some point, ended up getting approved.”

“That sounds like a setup by the chancellor,” Chris pointed out.

The duke nodded with a smile. “I imagine it was. He was always a quick thinker, that man. Very good at making things work behind the scenes. Civil servants often relied on him to settle any disputes, knowing he would help if asked.”

“And then, five years passed and Her Majesty still had not stepped down from the throne.”

“Precisely,” said the duke. “The general was being hailed for pushing back those who had attempted to invade in the chaos of the previous emperor’s passing, even expanding the empire’s territory in the process. He was a hero wed to a beautiful empress. People are quite often fans of stories like that. Her Majesty was popular, even across the border. In comparison, Lord Jean had barely appeared in public. In fact, people had begun to forget he even existed.”

“But back then, he would’ve still been—” mother began.

“Weren’t you both frequent visitors to the palace back then?” the duke asked. “Particularly you, Lady Nadia.”

“Yes. His Highness Prince Andrew was often at the palace, even when he was still young.”

“Then you must know that many conservative-minded nobles were deemed unnecessary for the court and swiftly removed at that point. The vast majority of them were those who wished Lord Jean to be the next emperor. Most of the nobles who were loyal to me and not Dalimore were also relocated to provincial domains at that time, and that was also when I moved to my current domain.”

“How could I have not seen this...?”

What was written in Little Wiki was no doubt the official history of the country. But the “official history” just meant the history recorded by the victors. That didn’t necessarily mean it was accurate.

Her Majesty had gained the citizens’ favor and won the battle of succession. That was the reason she remained in her position even now. Just how had Lord Jean felt watching all of that unfold?

“Please wait,” protested mother. “Her Majesty told me that Lord Jean did not wish to become emperor.”

“I find that hard to believe. Three days before Dalimore was arrested in the forest, he and his men had an audience with Lord Jean.”

Oh... Yeah, now I remember what I felt uneasy about. I’d wondered why Count Dalimore had seemed unaware that Lord Jean had his own spirit beasts, even though he’d apparently wanted him to become ruler. Right after that, he’d even said that Lord Jean was someone loved by the spirits.

What expression had the chancellor worn at that moment? Why had the chancellor, who was known for his sharp mind and talent, decided to try and get Her Majesty to abdicate at such a time?

Oh no. I don’t like where this is going. But though the thought had sprung to mind, I couldn’t get involved in a dispute like this. I couldn’t...but that uneasiness remained in my chest.

“Please be careful,” the duke warned us then. “Dalimore was a well-liked man. The connections he built are still in place today. Your family is very attractive to almost every faction. If you do not wish to be dragged into noble power struggles, I suggest you build up your own faction so that you have sufficient pull within the palace.”

By the time we finished talking with Duke Powell and made it to our antechamber, there was already a whole line of people in the corridor outside our door waiting to ask about our schedule or to deliver letters requesting a meeting. Those from Duke Powell’s faction who had hesitated to speak to us finally made their greetings now that they could openly talk about the spirits with us. There were those that contacted us to confirm what our relationship with the duke was as well. Our retainers and valets were being run ragged.

My brain had been fried by all the information it had suddenly been fed, but I ultimately ended up just throwing it all out. It was none of my business. All of it had happened before I was born...though there was one thing I wanted to ask.

“How much did you already know of what Duke Powell told us?” I was standing in front of my family with my arms crossed, glaring at them where they sat on the sofas. They didn’t withhold information from me when I made that relationship chart, did they? I really don’t want to have to start up Little Wiki after forbidding myself from using it.

“Not much. Most of that was new to me,” father insisted. “The nobles of the central region don’t leak that sort of information, especially to the margraves.”

“Yeah, Deir.” Chris was next to defend himself. “And we don’t really want to get involved anyway. Power struggles related to the succession are some of the worst situations to get mixed up in.”

Well, father and Chris didn’t seem to have known, and mother looked so shocked it was hard to believe she had been hiding it.

“Not that I ever thought otherwise, but this has really made it sink in that no matter how close I may be to the empress, the imperial family and the nobles are two very different groups,” mother sighed. “I thought that Her Majesty was pushing herself to become an empress suitable for the country. She told me that Lord Jean had no interest in the title, and estranged as I was from the Bantock faction...”

“We have to keep in mind that there’s no telling whether what the duke told us was the truth,” father warned. “Though...there was a lot that made sense to me.”

If we wanted to learn the truth, we’d need to gather information for ourselves, but Her Highness and Lord Jean would instantly catch on if we did.

No way. It’s way too dangerous. I just want to live a peaceful life. It had nothing to do with me, and I had the feeling that my actions could end up deciding the next ruler of Azelia if I wasn’t careful—though that did sound a bit absurd.

“Alan, why have you been so quiet?” I finally asked. “Don’t tell me you— Actually, never mind. I don’t want to hear it.”

“Say...” Alan began.

“If you want to tell anyone, tell Chris,” I firmly ordered him.

“Lord Jean really is hard to read, isn’t he?” Alan said.

“Well... I’ve been thinking that ever since he sent that weird letter,” I muttered.

“But wasn’t he also the first member of the imperial family to attempt to contact you directly?”

“That’s true, but Prince Andrew was also the only one who thought to have an actual conversation with me. Even after that incident with Count Dalimore in the forest, neither of Their Imperial Majesties even tried to get in contact. I thought it strange that they wouldn’t want any information on the Royal Spirits.” On the other hand, they might also have just not wanted to interact with a creepy child.

Chris suddenly sat up straight and turned to our mother. “Mother, I believe it would be impolite to say this anywhere else, so I will only ask this here.”

“What is it?”

“Is Her Majesty’s image actually completely crafted by those around her—including the brusque way she speaks and acts?”

“Oh, right. She did act unusually feminine around the general that one time,” I pointed out.

“I knew it,” Chris said. “She may be playing a role—acting as a puppet empress and happily leaving the real work up to the nobles supporting her.”

Was power really that important? Important enough to betray her younger brother?

“Now that you mention it, during our school days, the empress was a normal princess,” mother said, looking troubled. “She completely changed once the previous emperor died. But I struggle to believe that she would betray Lord Jean. She absolutely treasures him.”

Ughhhhh! I don’t know anymore! This is way too much for an office lady to handle.

I’d forget the imperial family. I just wanted to make my family happy!

Chapter 9: Undelivered Invitations

The first time I saw the imperial palace’s grand hall, my mouth dropped open as I gawked at its lavish decorations and extravagant size. The walls and ceiling were colored white and royal blue, with the white sections outlined in gold. The pillars were white with golden fixtures, and they glittered under the glow of the crystal magic chandeliers.

When we were first led through the entrance into the hall, the other end was so far away that it almost tricked my mind into thinking this was a corridor—but it was too wide for that. The floor at the far end of the room was raised three steps higher than the rest, and three chairs were lined up there in front of another gorgeously decorated wall. The seats were probably for the empress, the general, and the crown prince.

Each of the five of us Belisarios was accompanied by one retainer, making us a party of ten. Everyone who was already present stopped talking to turn and look us up and down. It didn’t feel all that great being scrutinized so closely.

Today, I was wearing a reddish-brown dress embroidered in gold and crimson, accented by amethyst-studded accessories. I was pretty sure I looked like a noble lady, but with so much attention on me, I was starting to worry that something in my appearance was off, and the hand holding my fan began to tremble. Go ahead and laugh at me for being a scaredy-cat. This is my first social function in the palace, okay?

The one saving grace was that I had my family with me. The higher a noble’s rank, the closer to the dais at the far end they were seated, so as we made our way down the hall to our own seats, we offered greetings to the people we knew. Everyone was paying close attention to each conversation my family had. It was all I could manage just to shut up and follow behind them.

“Duke Goodfollow, did you just arrive?”

“Oh, Margrave Belisario. I heard you went all the way out to Arlon Falls. How was it?”

Oh! Someone I know! If Duke Goodfollow is here, then...

“Lady Patricia!”

Hallelujah! I have a friend here after all! Now I could step away from my parents without having to fear being left on my own. My brothers were also here, but they had their own friend groups, and I didn’t want to intrude.

“Thank goodness you’re here, Lady Deirdre,” Lady Patricia responded. “I so desperately wanted to apologize.”

“Apologize? For what? Oh no! Don’t tell me you suddenly can’t make it to the gathering either!”

“No, that’s not it!”

“Then—”

“Patricia, at least introduce me.” Here we were, finally getting to chat, and this boy had decided to put a hand on Lady Patricia’s shoulder and interrupt.

“Brother,” Lady Patricia said.

“Oh, don’t worry. You don’t have to. I’ll do the introductions.” This time, Chris put his hand on my shoulder and stepped between us. “This is Derrick. He’s one year my senior. He just recently split up with yet another girlfriend.”

“C’mon, you don’t need to include that,” the boy complained.

“Don’t go anywhere near my sister.”

Uhhh, he’s the third son, right? I remembered someone mentioning that he had a girlfriend when we were having our sleepover in Noland. If he’d split up with “yet another” girlfriend, did that mean he was the playboy type? Hang on, what age is he again?

“Don’t be such a spoilsport. She’s adorable.”

His long red hair was combed back and his bowtie loosened a little, making his outfit look more casual. I supposed this was this society’s equivalent of looking like a delinquent. He did have a cheeky look to him that seemed like it would be popular with girls.

“Brother, I’m having a conversation with Lady Deirdre right now,” said Lady Patricia. “Could you not interrupt?”

“Huh? Why are you being so cold?”

“Because I have something important to discuss with her. Right?” She turned to me again.

“Right.” I had no idea what she was talking about, but I played along for now.

“See?” Chris chimed in. “Stop getting in their way. Alan, keep him occupied, will you?”

“I don’t want to.”

“I don’t wanna be stuck talking with a dude either,” grumbled Lord Derrick.

You all look like such good friends...

“Oh look, Lady Karla and Lady Monica are over there,” Lady Patricia pointed out then. “Let’s go see them.”

“Yes, let’s. Father, may I go over there?” I asked.

“Hmm? Oh my, if it isn’t Margrave Noland and Marquess Johannes.”

“Shall we go over as well, then?” Duke Goodfollow suggested.

Now that we’d met up with the duke’s family, our little group had grown even bigger. Duke Goodfollow’s two eldest sons were already adults, so they were going around saying their hellos accompanied by their fiancées. It was more efficient to split up when there were this many guests.

“Oh, Lady Deirdre. We were just discussing how I wished to apologize to you,” Lady Karla said.

“I heard four of your invitees suddenly canceled?” said Lady Monica, sounding sympathetic.

Even after meeting up with Lady Karla and Lady Monica, we were still talking about apologies. Lady Patricia and Lady Karla seemed to be feeling guilty that they had introduced me to the girls who had canceled. It wasn’t either of their faults, though. It was mine for not being more careful.

Since whom I invited to these sorts of gatherings was important, I’d thought I would start by getting to know some high-ranking noble ladies of a similar age, so I’d asked Lady Patricia about it, and she’d introduced me to the daughter of a marquess with his own land in the central region and another marquess’s daughter from the general’s hometown. Lady Karla had introduced me to the daughter of a count whom she was friends with. All of them had canceled. None of them had any direct connection to me, so they might have taken offense.

After promising we’d come back to have a good chat with one another later, we four girls went off with our respective families and returned to making our rounds. Now that I’d managed to find people I knew, my nerves had practically disappeared, and the trembling of my hands and the tension in my face had eased.

Greeting the imperial family would need to be prioritized when they arrived, but for now, we proceeded farther into the grand hall...and quickly bumped into a whole line of people who would be ridiculously awkward to greet.

First, there was Marquess Chandler. My parents pretended not to notice him and walked past while maintaining a fair distance. I glanced over quickly once I was hidden behind the crowd, and it seemed like the only person with him was a young man who looked like he might be his son. Lady Bridget and Lady Kathy might have been there too if the incident in Kolkett hadn’t happened.

Next were Duke Powell and his son and daughter-in-law. Since we’d already broken the ice earlier, this was an easy greeting. The murmuring around us when we spoke was hard to miss, though. One family was friends with the empress while the other had just been pushing for Lord Jean to become emperor not long ago, and now suddenly, we were friendly. It was only natural that that would get people talking.

Then there was Lord Jean. After what we’d heard from Duke Powell, I wasn’t sure how to face him, but since I was with my family, I didn’t think I’d have to say much. And then, as I walked up all relaxed, both he and the tall, red-haired young man next to him immediately turned toward me.

That young man was Duke Paolo Rampling. He was so talented that he’d already inherited the title of duke despite only being nineteen. A lot of the red-haired people I’d met had soft, fluffy hair, but his was rougher, with long bangs parted in the center. He looked like he would fit into a visual kei band. He was undeniably a handsome fellow, though. The sight of him lined up beside Lord Jean was so dazzling that what Duke Powell had told us completely left my mind. Chris and Prince Andrew made a great duo, but these kinds of older pairs were definitely the best.

“You’re Lady Deirdre, right?” Duke Rampling asked. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“It’s nice to meet you too.”

It would’ve been even better if he hadn’t spoken to me. I had a disease that made me so nervous I wanted to run for the hills any time a handsome man approached me. It had taken forever for me to get used to even my own father. Not long ago, even twenty-year-olds had seemed way too young for me. I was pretty sure I hadn’t paid much mind to even the handsomest of children before now, so what had changed? Had the youth of my body begun to affect my mind?

Whatever the case, that still didn’t mean I wanted to get with someone who was technically thirteen years my senior. I wouldn’t have minded if I were older, but a nineteen-year-old who would willingly date a six-year-old was a no-no.

“It’s been a while since I saw you last,” the other young man present spoke up then.

“Hello, Lord Jean,” I replied. “Were you unable to go to Arlon Falls today?”

“No, I did visit. Since I’m a duke now, though, I went with Paolo.”

“Ah, and that’s how you got that wind spirit,” I guessed.

“Mm-hmm. I wish I’d managed to complete all four elements today, though.”

Good job, me! You managed a conversation. That was greetings to the three great ducal families dealt with. Surely that was enough for today? Already, so much had happened.

After that, we offered our greetings to the imperial family, who had finally arrived. Then Lady Patricia, who’d greeted the imperial family right after us, met up with me, and we headed toward the windows. My brothers were with us at first, but by the time Lady Karla and Lady Monica joined us, they’d disappeared. They probably hadn’t wanted to be surrounded by girls. We had our retainers and our spirit beasts with us, so we girls would be fine by ourselves.

“I’d like to show you our company’s shops as well,” I was telling my friends. “Let’s have some cheesecake together.”

“Cheesecake is so delicious,” a new voice spoke up then. “I like desserts that aren’t too sweet.”

“Oh my, Lady Suzanna, Lady Irene.”

“Are you discussing the meal?” they asked. “May we join you?”

“Of course.”

Lady Suzanna was the daughter of Marquess Orlandi. She had silver hair and pale blue eyes that slanted gently downward. She was so charming that it was hard to imagine she was only nine. Lady Irene was the daughter of Count Regan. She had eye-catching, straight red hair and gave off a scholarly vibe. Both of them lived in domains within Hisui’s territory, and they got on well with Margrave Kolkett.

Last time I’d visited Hisui, I hadn’t become friends with any girls, right? So I’d asked to be introduced to some. Having friends from Noland and the central region yet none from Kolkett had seemed like a problem that needed rectifying, you see.

“Ugh, I’m the only one from the family of a count...” sighed Lady Irene.

“It’s fine. You don’t need to worry about that.”

“The remaining two attendees are daughters of counts as well,” I assured her. “They are Lady Ethel Mylar and Lady Elda Bliss.”

“Eight sounds like the perfect number for a good chat.”

“I plan to have lots of fluffy mattresses laid out in the room, so we can get ourselves comfortable with cushions and snacks and have a good gossip.”

“That sounds like it’ll be wonderful.”

A group of six girls all chatting together was naturally lively and cheerful, but because we were all under the age of ten, the atmosphere was very relaxed. Our retainers standing behind us practically looked like our guardians.

“Lady Deirdre.” We were so distracted having fun that we all jumped when Mia suddenly called out to me, and we jumped again when we saw where she was looking.

Prince Eldred was practically charging toward us with two boys who seemed to be his retainers in tow. I turned to the other girls, wondering if they knew whom he had business with, but all of them shook their heads, clearly as puzzled as I was.

“Deirdre, I have something to ask you,” the prince declared.

Wow, dropping my title already? I don’t think we’ve ever even had a proper conversation.

“Why are you not attending my tea party three days from now?” he demanded.

“Three days from now?” I repeated. “What are you referring to?”

“My birthday tea party. I heard you haven’t responded to the invitation. Neither have you, Patricia.”

Three days from now? Oh god, that’s the same day as my gathering.

“Your Highness, I’ve received no invitation,” I told him.

“Nor have I,” Lady Patricia said. “What are you talking about?”

“That can’t be right!” Prince Eldred exclaimed.

“Did you confirm that they were sent?” I asked.

Prince Eldred turned to the retainers standing behind him. “You confirmed it, didn’t you?”

They both just looked confused.

“You’re the ones who always send out the invitations, aren’t you?” the prince said. “Both of you. Invitations should’ve been sent to all children born to marquesses or higher.”

Having six girls all looking at him in confusion wondering what the hell he was talking about only made the prince angrier.

“Your Highness, allow me to ask again. Did you confirm that you sent out the invitations?” Lady Patricia asked. Since she was from a ducal family, she was related to Prince Eldred. They’d known each other since they were children, so the prince looking a bit unhappy wasn’t enough to scare her off.

“I...” he began, seemingly at a loss.

“When did you realize you hadn’t received a response from me?” she pressed. “Not just today, I hope.”

“No...”

“Exactly what have you been doing until now, then?”

“Lady Patricia, calm down,” I urged her.

“Yes, let’s have some tea over there,” Lady Monica suggested.

“Wait,” Prince Eldred said. “Then I’ll invite you again. Come to my tea party three days from now.”

“Excuse me?”

Oh, crap. I’d completely forgotten to control my expression, so I’d ended up glaring right at him. My spirits were swirling in agitation above my head too.

“Wh-What?” he stammered. “You got a problem or something?”

To such an arrogant prince, the only correct response from a girl who’d just been invited to his tea party was gleeful celebration. And yet, the girls in front of him weren’t happy in the least. In fact, we were verging on annoyance, and he couldn’t quite understand what was happening.

Lady Suzanna stepped forward, covering her mouth with her fan. “Your Highness, may I speak? At Azelia’s imperial court, there are neither imperial princesses nor fiancées of the imperial princes. That means that Lady Deirdre is the unmarried lady of highest status in the court at the moment. Second is Lady Patricia.”

Ough, don’t remind me... The situation made me feel both guilty and anxious.

“I’m aware,” Prince Eldred said curtly.

“Oh my,” murmured Lady Suzanna. “You’re aware of that fact, yet you decide to suddenly intrude upon our conversation, make accusations against two ladies to whom you never even sent invitations, and then tell them to attend your tea party with only three days’ notice? Is that how the princes of our empire act toward ladies of high rank?”

Lady Suzanna’s downturned eyes had led me to assume she would have a mature, gentle personality, but her kind face and voice were imparting some beautifully merciless words right now.

“What are you implying?”

Prince Eldred’s face scrunched up, and he looked just about ready to fight back, but then a hand landed on his shoulder.

“Your Highness, my valets always say that men and women are two very different beasts.”

It was Lord Douglas.

“If you want to invite ladies to a tea party, you should give them at least two weeks—and preferably more than a month—of advance warning,” said another very familiar voice. Alan’s here too.

He was right. The women of FairyCo’s fashion department had said that it took a long time to tailor new dresses.

“Who cares what dresses they wear?!” the prince yelled once he heard the explanation.

Hey, look! This idiot just turned every lady in the world into his enemy with a single question. That was the number one thing a man should never say to a woman. Your Highness, you just skipped right into a minefield.

Even back in Japan, a simple suit and tie had been a man’s workplace armor. Women, on the other hand, would make sure they got dressed in a suit, did their makeup, set their bangs perfectly, and pumped themselves up in front of the mirror each day. Clothing and makeup hadn’t merely been our armor, but also the appearance expected of a proper member of society. I wouldn’t have worn a tracksuit to my workplace, and if I’d shown up without makeup, I might’ve been seen as someone with sloppy habits.

This world was no different. Daughters of high-ranking noble families were expected to wear fancy, expensive dresses, style their hair, and adorn themselves with accessories. If their clothing was unkempt or lacked style, their family would be laughed at and scorned. A sloppy appearance would make people think that your family wasn’t managing their land well or that they were struggling financially—and that could even be enough to hinder trade deals.

Plus, we were all still growing. We were getting taller all the time. Even a dress from six months ago would end up needing adjustments to fit. Was the prince telling us to go to his tea parties in skimpy dresses?

“Oh my, what a surprise. I suppose His Highness is still a child, after all.” Lady Suzanna’s smile was terrifying. I was starting to imagine her as one of those crime boss ladies lounging across a love seat with a long pipe dangling from her fingers.

“Perhaps there is no one around to teach him these things.” Even the kind Lady Karla was unwilling to take those words sitting down.

Lady Monica and Lady Irene joined in next, covering their mouths with their fans as they leaned toward each other conspiratorially. They made sure His Highness could still hear their words, though.

“Meanwhile, Lord Douglas and Lord Alan are as gentlemanly as expected.”

“They’re so mature that it’s hard to believe they’re younger than he is.”

As she witnessed the tanking of her childhood friend’s reputation, Lady Patricia’s face grew pale. After all, nearly every girl close to the prince in age who was from a marquesal family or higher was here—in other words, all of his most eligible marriage candidates. Daughters of counts could probably also become princely consorts, so Prince Eldred would still have his fair share of choices beyond us, but the six girls here and the two other daughters of counts I’d invited to my meal were chief among the families that the imperial family wanted to get close to right now. We were all daughters of margraves or powerful provincial nobles.

“I must ask you impudent lot to stop being so rude toward His Highness,” one of the young men behind him said.

“How dare you complain about him deigning to extend an invitation to you?” demanded the other.

Oh no, talk about the worst timing for his retainers to add fuel to the fire. A chorus of polite indignation broke out from the gathered girls.

“Excuse me? What did you just call us?”

“Hmm, what was this pair’s status again?”

“Who even are they? I’ve never seen these boys in my life.”

“Alan, they just called me ‘impudent’.” I didn’t hesitate to step forward myself and egg my brother on.

Alan and Lord Douglas both looked at the other boys like they were stupid and sighed.

“I’ll lodge a direct complaint on behalf of Belisario,” my brother said.

“Huh?!” The boys seemed shocked by this response.

“Wait, Alan,” cried the prince. “They’re my retainers.”

“Which is why Your Highness will be judged as having trained your retainers poorly,” Alan retorted.

“Please state your full names,” I ordered the two boys. “It would be a pain to look them up. Mia, take a memo.”

“Whoa, Lady Deirdre, wait.”

I didn’t even pay Lord Douglas any mind as he tried to stop me.

“I’m sorry, but I will not let someone get away with mocking my friends.” Plus, I wanted to know what faction these boys belonged to. Who had prevented the invitations from reaching us? The prince’s chief maid? His head valet? His aides? Why intervene like that? If it had been done out of spite, then that was manageable, but I was starting to get a bad feeling about all of this.

“Prince Eldred.” I approached His Highness with a smooth glide, but then he leaned back and avoided me, perhaps out of fear. How rude. “We have a prior engagement three days from now.”

“What?” He blinked. “Is it something even more important than my tea party?”

“It’s a ladies-only meal hosted by me.”

“But...”

Unsurprisingly, he didn’t go so far as to tell me to call the whole thing off. If he had, probably even father would have been up in arms.

“And there is actually something about this all that’s bothering me,” I muttered quietly in a way that caught His Highness’s attention. He sidled up to me curiously. For some reason, Lady Patricia, Alan, and Lord Douglas did the same, so we had become a secret huddle of five. “Could I see the list of attendees for your tea party?”

“Absolutely not. That’s a security risk.”

“Then can you at least tell me if the four people I name are on the list?”

“Why?”

“We’re drawing too much attention here. Could we talk later and in a more suitable location?”

At this point I made sure to use my cuteness to my advantage. I put on a troubled look, gazing up at him with pleading eyes and tilting my head slightly.

“Good idea. I think confiding in His Highness is a wonderful idea.” Lady Patricia offered an assist.

“Yes. We’ve had a bit of a shock, you see...” I continued.

“What is it? Did something bad happen? I suppose we can, then. You’re right to turn to me.”

The prince puffed his chest out proudly. Heh heh. A seven-year-old is no match for me.

“I will get in contact with you later, then.”

“All right. It’s best for us not to attract too much attention, yes? I understand.”

I watched the prince and his retainers swiftly stride away and then turned back to the girls.

“There’s no way it being on the same day is a coincidence,” I said.

“But those four families don’t even belong to the same faction,” Lady Patricia pointed out.

“What’s this all about?” Lord Douglas asked.

“Stop while you’re ahead, Douglas. It sounds like faction politics mixed in with a battle between ladies.”

At Alan’s warning, Lord Douglas frowned and dropped into thought. “Will you be getting involved?” he asked Alan.

“Deir is the victim here, so yes.”

“Oof... It sounds like this’ll be a pain no matter what I do.”

Lord Douglas and Alan were good friends—he’d likely ended up here for this confrontation because he’d been chatting with my brother. But those kinds of casual coincidences could lead to great turning points in a person’s future.

“You’re drawing way too much attention,” Chris hissed as he rushed over. I immediately sensed the tension among all the gathered girls rising. My brother really is beautiful. “I mean, maybe that’s a given considering who’s gathered here, but I saw His Highness with you as well. What happened?”

“We’re going to have a talk with him elsewhere later,” Alan informed him. “We’ll need to determine a location and get in contact with him when we’re ready.”

The girls’ eyes glittered as they watched my brothers exchange information.

Huh? I’m used to Lai being with Chris, but why is Elton here too? Should he not be with the crown prince?

And then it occurred to me. “Wait, when you came to talk to us at the academy back then, was that...?”

“Yes.” Elton nodded. “I wanted to let you know that the date of your meal clashed with His Highness’s tea party. But it appears he ended up telling you first.”

Had he heard about my gathering from Lady Elda? If so, then it was likely that Prince Andrew had already heard about everything that had happened here.

“Chris, who is it that should’ve handled the invitations for the tea party?” I asked. “Would it have been his aides?”

“It isn’t a formal gathering, apparently, but that should still be the case, yes.”

“It’s not a formal gathering?!” Lady Patricia exclaimed. “That makes sense. The imperial family was supposed to refrain from holding any celebrations until the Spirit Queen’s anger had subsided, as the continued poor harvests and drying up of the central region were all attributed to them. I’d wondered why the prince was holding a tea party in the middle of that.”

“But Kohaku has already forgiven them,” I pointed out. “The tea party is three days from now.”

“Yes, but preparations would’ve started several months ago. The invitations should’ve been sent out half a year ago.”

“Exactly,” Elton said. “It appears it was planned in secret, and both Her Majesty and Prince Andrew only learned of it recently.”

“Elton, do you know what faction the prince’s staff—his aides, and if possible, his chief maid and valet—belong to?”

“No. As someone who serves the crown prince, it would be improper for me to look into such information.”

I see. I suppose they are separate groups.

“Alan, contact Viscount Heyward,” Chris ordered.

“Got it.”

“Viscount Heyward is a Belisario noble, right? He’s... Oh.” Right, he’s the chancellor’s deputy.

“Incidentally, Chancellor Thackeray is part of the Powell faction,” Chris supplied. “He’s made sure to raise his spirits well.”

“Which means he wasn’t involved with the spirit forest incident, right?” I confirmed.

“It seems he was relegated to grunt work when the faction split in two. Sorry for bringing this up in the middle of a celebration party, but...” Chris suddenly turned around to face the girls. “Could you explain what happened here and then pass a message on to your guardians? It would be good to return to your families so that you don’t draw further attention.”

“Do you mean to tell them about the invitations?” Lady Patricia asked. “In that case, we’ve already—”

“That, and also something else,” Chris said. “It’s a confidential message from Margrave Belisario himself.”

Whoa! Is father gathering all of these girls’ parents? Under his own authority? If these families all gathered, then Margrave Kolkett would definitely join in as well. Lord Douglas was wrapped up in all this too now, right? Huh? What exactly is this gathering all about?

“We’ve already prepared a location perfect for holding a private meeting. The details are written here, but please dispose of these once the contents have been read.” Elton distributed small cards to everyone, fist closed to keep them as hidden as possible. It felt like we were in a spy movie now.

“Deir, we have a maid outfit prepared in the Belisario antechamber. Could you put that on before coming?”

“As a disguise? Oh, that sounds wonderful,” I said. “If Elton will be joining us, that means the crown prince will be there too, yes?”

“Yes. His Highness appears to have come to a decision following your conversation with Duke Powell.”

Excuse me?! I still hadn’t come to a conclusion in terms of whether the duke had been lying in wait for us or whether that had been a total coincidence, but was what we’d discussed really having an effect already?

“I want to join too,” Lady Patricia pleaded.

“Discuss that with your guardian, please,” Elton replied curtly before giving a small nod, taking his leave, and melting back into the crowd.

“Chris, what is this all about?” I asked.

“I can’t tell you here,” he said before turning to the other girls. “You’ll all understand afterward, so please, just leave it to your guardians. It’ll be best for the rest of you to stay behind. It may be dangerous, so I recommend you ask your spirits to set up a defensive barrier.”

We already had a soundproof barrier deployed, but this sounded like the situation was worsening. Were we at risk of being attacked? By whom? What was the crown prince going to discuss? Prince Eldred would be there too, yes? I had ended up essentially inviting him.

“We’ll be heading off now, but you should all split up soon too. Douglas, I need you to tell the Lord Marquess as well.”

“Sure thing. This is seriously becoming something huge, huh?”

“Your fault for not leaving earlier,” Alan quipped.

Lord Douglas and my brothers walked off and left us girls, but it was impossible to keep up the lively, cheerful discussion we’d been having before—in fact, we had no idea where to take the conversation now. But we also had to make sure we acted normally enough to not draw suspicion. Admittedly, we were already plenty suspicious by now...

“That was my first time seeing Lord Chris from so close,” Lady Irene suddenly said, putting a hand to her cheek. “He really is wonderful. He’s so beautiful it’s almost frightening.”

“Right? I felt like I was about to faint being so close to him. Is Lord Elton still single?”

I see. At times like this, girls distract themselves with talk of boys.

“Their territory is right next to Belisario, right? And he’s the crown prince’s retainer. I hadn’t even considered him until now.”

“We neighbor them too.”

“Oh my, you too, Lady Karla? What a wonderful location to be in.”

“In any case, I will return to my parents now,” Lady Suzanna said then.

“As will I,” chimed in Lady Irene.

Lady Suzanna and Lady Irene left, and then Lady Monica and Lady Karla waited a moment before also swiftly returning to their parents. The only one left with me now was Lady Patricia.

“You will be joining the meeting, won’t you, Lady Deirdre?” she asked.

“Yes. Especially since His Highness will be there.”

“I will go too. Perhaps all I can do is listen, but I’m worried about Their Highnesses.”

“You will have to persuade your father in that case,” I warned her.

“Indeed. I will give it a try.”

What does Prince Andrew want to discuss with us, and why was Prince Eldred trying to have a secret tea party? Actually, I suppose it’s possible that he was just being used...

Someone didn’t want us to join the tea party, but who? And why?

“Mia, I’ll be returning to our antechamber now,” I told my retainer.

“Do you not need to speak to the lord and lady first?”

“No, it’s fine. I’m sure my brothers will return shortly.”

Not knowing anything was making me nervous. Things were happening outside of my knowledge, and I was frightened at the prospect of being wrapped up in it all. There was a fear that came from knowing, and a fear that came from not knowing. If I had to pick one or the other, wasn’t knowing better? Information could be a useful weapon. But that would mean knowing the intentions of the empire’s highest authorities. Wasn’t there a possibility that I would be targeted for having learned that information?

Wait... I’d be perfectly fine if I ended up targeted. I don’t think anyone currently in this world has a higher chance of surviving than me.

I locked myself in the innermost room of the Belisario suite and had my spirits create as secure a barrier as possible. I was still a little unsure about this plan. I just wanted to live a peaceful life in Belisario. Little Wiki had helped us make progress with the spirits—surely that was enough.

At least, that was what I had thought. But now, not a single member of a ducal or margravial family had been invited to an event as significant as the second prince’s birthday party. Was someone trying to elevate the second prince? There was no way the crown prince would just sit by and let that happen. Those around me wouldn’t approve of such methods either.

But if things kept going like this...it might cause civil war, and my family would be involved in that. My friends’ families would be involved too.

If irreparable damage could be avoided by simply understanding the situation here and now, yet I still chose to remain ignorant...I would never be able to live with my weak, cowardly self. I had the power to protect the people I loved. All I needed now was the resolve to use that power.

I laid out the paper and pens I had brought on a table and then sat cross-legged on the floor. I took a short break to enjoy the tea and cookies that Mia had left me and then opened Little Wiki. Since I normally didn’t use Japanese at all in this world, I whispered what I was reading out loud as I took notes, and then arranged everything on the tabletop in chronological order.

The sense of nostalgia I’d felt back when I’d first opened Little Wiki and seen Japanese again seemed to have lessened. Now that I had a family and friends that I loved in this world, I’d begun to view my current self as me, and my life in Japan was slowly becoming more like a distant memory. Six years was a long time.

I still felt guilty when I remembered my Japanese parents, but if I’d been unhappy, I’d probably have felt the guilt even more strongly.

All right, let’s do this.

The way Little Wiki displayed information was determined based on the type of thing I was looking up. If I looked up a person, then it would show their name with a basic description of their history written underneath. Their full history was in an index that had clickable links that you could select to jump to each section. The categorization of the information made it easier to avoid what you didn’t want to learn about, whether it be their favorite foods or the details of their love life.

Naturally, I made sure to look at the entries concerning everyone’s spirits.

You know... I want to know what their stances on the spirits are—whether they hate them or want to coexist with them. I don’t want to know the names of their spirits.

His wind spirit is called Whooshy and his water spirit is called Splooshy... What childlike nicknames. He was totally the kind of person to put on a baby voice when talking to his pets, wasn’t he? This was Duke Powell, by the way. Such a dandy gentleman and he called his wind spirit Whooshy... No, no, this was good. It made him more endearing. He had said that since his wife passed away and his son left the nest, his spirit beasts had become the meaning to his life.

Born the eldest son of a duke, he was a talented and intelligent man who had never known failure...until the death of the last emperor. Those who had worked with him to uphold the empire had suddenly been chased into the outskirts, and the only people left in the central region had been those who couldn’t care less about the spirits and believed that all they needed to continue to survive were magic tools.

Yet, it seemed that miraculously, there were still those from Duke Powell’s faction who had managed to remain members of the imperial court. They seemed to have kept themselves inconspicuous, waiting until the time was right.

If I remembered correctly, the faction with the most power in the central region right now was the one built around Marquess Cannadine and Marquess Bantock, who supported the empress. Marquess Trier, Count Dalimore’s older brother, had also been part of that faction.

Let’s see, the general is a member of Marquess Bantock’s family... Wait, huh? No way. I gotta read Her Majesty’s section.

“Lady Deirdre, everyone has returned,” Mia called, poking her head into the room.

“Don’t let anyone in,” I urged.

“Deir, we found out the names of His Highness’s retainers and also whom they were introduced by,” Alan called from outside.

“Jin, get the details from him, would you?”

The secret meeting would be held two hours from now. Subtracting the time it would take for me to explain things to my family, that left an hour and a half. It would also take about thirty minutes to compile everything. Oh... I need to get changed too.

“Graaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! There’s no tiiiiiiiiime!”

“Deir, what’s wrong?!”

“Open the door.”

Crap, calm down, me. I didn’t need to summarize everything, just the important points. As someone had once said, “Never Give Up!!!”

“I’m okay. Just give me an hour. Could someone get the change of clothes for me?”

Ugh. I want to punch the me of four years ago who was just squeeing at everything she was reading. Okay, first the general’s section... Then Lord Jean... Holy shit, I’m getting goose bumps. I could end up completely upending Azelia.

(Your clothes.) I didn’t even look up to see which spirit had spoken to me.

“Thank you.”

I stood up and continued looking through Little Wiki as I got changed. I roughly pulled out the pins keeping my hair up and then retied it into a ponytail, braided it, and wound it into a bun.

“This boy was introduced by Count Dalimore? And this one too? This one was Duke Rampling?”

Duke Rampling was that visual-kei-looking guy that was friends with Lord Jean, right? The one who looked like he’d be on bass. You know, because a lot of weirdos tend to be on bass... Okay, well, I guess that’s irrelevant.

“I don’t get this at all.”

These relationships were so complicated. And why were there so many assassinations, both attempted and successful?

“The number of people around Count Dalimore that were assassinated is insane.”

Had that made him panic and rush to try and get Lord Jean into the position of ruler as soon as possible? These assassinations had happened so close to us. Why had everything suddenly become so brutal?

Oh god, there’s no end to this. Let’s just organize the rest back home.

For now, I’d managed to gather everything I wanted to discuss at the secret meeting.

After making my notes as concise as possible and getting changed into the maid outfit, I opened the door to my family waiting in the next room.

“Sorry for taking so long,” I said as I walked to the sofa and looked slowly around at my family. They were all watching me closely. “I would like you to read what I’ve written. This is all me making theories based on the information we have, so we’ll need to find evidence that these things are true. If we can get testimonies from Duke Powell and Chancellor Thackeray, that may be enough.”

Father’s brow scrunched up. “Deir? What is this all about?”

“I’ve decided to become Sherlock Holmes!” I declared, clenching my fists. Alan then frantically ran up and put a hand to my head. “Oh, please. I’m not going crazy.”

“No, you are,” he countered. “Of course, you’re always crazy.”

“It’ll likely be the same thing that the crown prince wants to discuss at the meeting,” I announced.

“What do you mean?”

I thrust the piece of paper at Chris, who was leaning forward from the sofa, hands on his knees. I’d only included the important parts, and I’d organized most of it into bullet points and in chronological order, so I was sure he could finish reading it in a flash.

“I’ve used my brain so much I feel like I’m gonna throw up,” I moaned. “I want to sleep for a whole month.”

I leaned on Alan, so he sat me down on a chair, muttering, “Can you postpone your hibernation for a bit?”

And I have to participate in the secret meeting after this too? I’ll leave the explaining to someone else for now. My brain is overheating.

“Father...” Chris said, eyes still scanning the page. “This is a lot worse than I thought.”

“But it’s very likely correct,” said father, who was reading over Chris’s shoulder. “Nadia, steel yourself before reading this.”

“Of course. I can already more or less guess what it contains from what you’re saying.”

“Get this transcribed,” father ordered one of his retainers. “We’ll need multiple copies.”

Is that it? C’mon, couldn’t you be more shocked? A six-year-old girl just wrote all that, you know? She just wrote a whole bunch of stuff that could completely alter the fate of the country!

I’d been so certain I would be thoroughly questioned by my family, but it had turned out they were too used to my oddities by now to be surprised.

“Now, hold on,” I objected. “We can’t just pretend everything written here is true without hearing the opinions and testimony of everyone else.”

“True. But given that you went out of your way to show us this, that means everything written here is the truth, no?” Chris countered.

“The fact that you locked yourself up alone means that the method you used to reach these conclusions is a secret, right?” father pointed out. “I do not believe you are someone who would use such a power selfishly.”

“Thank you, father,” I said. “Besides, I can’t always use this. It’s impossible.” Or more specifically, my concentration would never hold out. Since I’d felt like I needed to see the situation from as many angles as possible, I’d looked through so many different people’s pages. Honestly, I might have already forgotten some of the stuff I’d researched at the start. “Still, we need evidence regardless. We were right to invite Duke Powell.”

“Is it safe to mention this to Prince Eldred? He’s surrounded by people from the Bantock faction,” Alan pointed out.

“Perhaps we should have him leave the meeting after we discuss the tea party. Nadia, it’s about time we go. What would you like to do?” father asked.

In shock from the contents of my report, mother was now leaning forward with her face in her hands.

“I will go too,” she muttered. “What kind of mother would I be if I made my children go without me?”

Mother got to her feet, and then after lining my brothers and me up, gave us each a big hug. “You’re all so strong and smart. Even the Royal Spirits love you. But that doesn’t matter to me. You’re all my precious children. Not even Chris is an adult yet. Please don’t do anything to put yourselves at risk. If anything happened to you, I’d wage war on the Royal Spirits and turn this empire into a desert myself. Oh, and Deir?”

“Yes, mother?”

“That maid outfit suits you surprisingly well.”

When I saw my mother’s forced smile, I gave her a tight hug back.

Chapter 10: The Secret Gathering

Since we’d left the grand hall less than an hour after the celebration had started, there were still a lot of guests gathered down there. Given that this was a joyous day for the nobles of the central region, they appeared to be pleased that the margraves and provincial nobles had left early.

I received a small valise from Mia to make it look as if I were a maid helping load my master’s luggage into their spirit carriage. Once there, I slipped into the vehicle myself.

The sun had almost fully set, and with only the lights of the castle and the streetlamps illuminating us, all it would take was the carriage veering offtrack even a little for it to vanish into the darkness.

The main building was large enough to be divided into multiple wings. As large as it was, not even the people working there had the whole place memorized. There were the princes’ living quarters, the guest houses, the greenhouse, and the barracks, all surrounded by gardens, so there were plenty of quiet areas.

Our spirit carriage came to a halt in front of an old European-style house surrounded by thick trees. What even is this building? The elegant look of the white building made me think it had originally been built as a residence for a woman.

Behind us came the rest of the dukes, marquesses, and margraves who would be attending this meeting. The most terrifying thing about this gathering of people was that it felt like a group that could easily launch a successful coup. Most were nobles in charge of lands outside of Kohaku’s territory, so the vast majority had their own spirits, turning the room where we gathered into a whole flashing light display.

I had hoped that the other girls would remain somewhere safe. What we were about to discuss wouldn’t be fun. But Lady Patricia, Lady Suzanna, and Lady Monica were all here. Marquess Johannes had been too worried for Lady Karla’s safety, so he had come alone. Count Regan had tried to avoid coming because he felt uncomfortable being the only one of his status, but Margrave Kolkett had caught him before he could make his escape, and given how much the count owed the older man, he couldn’t refuse. He was sitting on a chair in the corner probably wondering why he’d been involved in this mess.

“What...is going on here?”

Prince Eldred, who had come at my invitation, turned pale the moment he saw everyone who had gathered on the sofas set up along the walls.

He was still only seven years old. Thanks to his father’s genes, he was a lot broader than most boys his age. Though both of the princes had inherited their mother’s red hair and golden-brown eyes, Prince Andrew had a kind, gentle face, whereas Prince Eldred looked much more strong-willed. The power his gaze exuded was of an entirely different order.

“Even you, brother...?” the younger prince said.

Prince Andrew had arrived earlier and was sitting cross-legged in a chair with two of his retainers standing by him. Perhaps it was to be expected given his position, but the crown prince was acting so arrogantly. He held himself as if all the nobles had gathered here today just for him. In fact, that was probably exactly how he wanted it to look.

Prince Eldred, on the other hand, was alone. Apparently, he didn’t have any retainers that he trusted enough to bring to something like this. He must have been on edge after learning of that whole situation with the tea party. When he was told he could take a seat, he chose somewhere slightly separated from the rest of us. I felt sorry for him, given his age, but he was definitely the outsider here.

“All of the guardians of the young ladies who spoke to you earlier are gathered here,” I told him.

“I... I see.”

Well, them and a few extra people. Lord Douglas was here with Marquess Carlisle, considering that he had also been part of the conversation, and since Belisario and Noland were here, Margrave Kolkett had decided to join as well. Even though the celebration was ongoing, the chief and deputy court mages were also in attendance. When they’d walked in and seen just who was here, they’d looked about ready to turn and leave on the spot. I couldn’t help but laugh at the sight.

“You said that you sent invitations to anyone who was a marquess or above, right?” I began. “Well, no one here received one.”

“I... Yes,” Prince Eldred replied. “I found that out. It appears there was a problem on my end.”

“Oh my.”

Had it just been a tea party among friends, then he could have laughed it off. But if it became public knowledge that all of the people gathered here had been excluded from a party being held in honor of an imperial prince, he would be seen as a prince who looked down on the rural areas of his country. The margravial families hadn’t been invited at a time when it was essential for the imperial family to become closer to those with direct ties to the Royal Spirits. That wasn’t something people would be willing to wave off as just a mistake.

“Do you remember what we discussed?” Despite how I was speaking, I was wearing a maid outfit. Actually, for some reason, I was the only one here disguised like this. Apparently, the other ladies had been told that they didn’t have to come in disguise because I was the only one being watched, and there was a barrier around the building that would let us know if someone was approaching. But if they had such a barrier, surely I didn’t need to dress up in a disguise either. This isn’t someone’s, uh, shall we say “hobby,” is it?

“Yeah,” said Prince Eldred. “I brought the list too.”

“Thank you very much.”

“I’ll explain,” Chris cut in. “Sit down, Deir.”

“Yes, Chris.”

Did he think I was drawing too much attention to myself? Whatever the reason, he took over for me from there.

“Since Deir has avoided public gatherings for so long, she does not have many friends.”

Excuse me, dear brother? Why is this the first thing you say after taking over?

“That was why she planned a ladies’ gathering—it was in the hopes of making more friends.”

“Oh, really?” replied the prince. “That sounds rough.”

Don’t pity me. You should be much more worried about yourself right now.

“At that time, four of the ladies she invited asked for the gathering to be held on a specific day. That day happened to be the exact same day you were planning to hold your tea party. However, seven days ago, those same four girls canceled on Deir.”

“Who would dare?!” cried the prince.

“Lady Cherry, daughter of Marquess Bantock; Lady Kimberly, daughter of Marquess Cannadine; Lady Sarah, daughter of Count Cabot; and Lady Ruby, daughter of Count Konik.” Chris rattled the names off at once.

“Cherry? As in, my cousin Cherry?”

“Yes,” Chris confirmed. “We sent an invitation at the beginning of July. I believe that at that point, those girls were already aware that the invitations for your tea party would not be sent to those gathered here. Now, why would they be aware of that?”

“Because they knew what their parents had done...” the prince concluded.

Alan and father had been silently observing Prince Eldred the whole time Chris was talking to him. It was very rare for nobles outside of the central region to have an opportunity to interact with the princes and evaluate their characters. They were probably trying to get a read on the princes while they had the chance.

“All four of those young ladies are attending your tea party, yes?” Chris continued.

Prince Eldred swallowed nervously, before finally nodding. “They are.”

“Eldy, why were you planning a birthday celebration even though we’ve been restricting our gatherings?” Prince Andrew asked then, expression stern. He’d grown taller over the past year, his appearance becoming so much more mature that he exuded a crown princely aura now more than ever. I couldn’t help but think there was something sinister about him, though, maybe because of my tendency to distrust. To be fair, rulers had to be a little ruthless to survive.

“The tea party is three days from now, so it’s outside of the designated time frame,” Prince Eldred argued.

“Her Majesty said to not hold any for the rest of the year, did she not?” pressed his elder brother.

“Grandfa— Marquess Bantock said it would be fine.”

“So what you’re trying to say is that you would obey Marquess Bantock over Her Majesty? And as a result, he was the one to decide whom to invite, leading you to host a tea party with only those from his faction, despite it being your birthday.”

Prince Eldred silently crushed the list of names I’d had him bring inside his fist.

“I looked into where your retainers and aides were born.” Chris took over again.

“Your entourage of retainers is made up of an impressive number of central region nobles of the Bantock faction. It appears you had many aides and valets introduced to you by Count Dalimore—all of these are also from the Bantock faction. Surprisingly, there were also some introduced to you by Duke Rampling, yes? A few of your people have spirits. None of them have spirit beasts.”

“But they’re all people who have been with me since I was born,” Prince Eldred protested.

“Are you surprised?” scoffed his elder brother. “The Bantock faction wanted to get you on their side. The marquess would’ve surrounded you with his relatives as soon as possible.” The crown prince wasn’t even trying to hide his irritation from his brother anymore.

Having been spoiled and buttered up so much by his grandfather and his family, Prince Eldred’s pride had grown to such a level that he hadn’t been paying any attention to what was going on around him. Usually, for a child, that would be fine—seven was an age at which a kid should be allowed to be spoiled by their parents and play about as they pleased...at least, in Japan. But Prince Eldred was the son of the ruling family, the family with the most authority in the entire empire.

“Grandfather did that...? But then what about you, brother? Your retainers—”

“Allow me to introduce you,” Prince Andrew interrupted. “This is Elton, second son of Count Bliss. Their domain neighbors the March of Belisario. His earth spirit has protected me on numerous occasions.”

“Protected you?”

“I was five when I fired the retainers that grandfather provided me. Not only were they useless, but the faction of Marquess Bantock has always focused on nothing but gathering wealth to live lives of luxury. They haven’t even raised their spirits. Had they been left to their own devices, the central region would have become a dried-up desert by now. Belisario practically saved us...and after that, I suddenly began experiencing all manner of incidents.”

This was Marquess Bantock’s own grandson—the first prince. Just because his son became a hero and rose to a position of authority, that doesn’t mean he can do whatever he wants.

“This here is Gil,” continued Prince Andrew. “He’s the third son of Count Huxham. I asked someone for help in finding potential retainers who owned spirits so that I could ensure my own safety, and they introduced me to Gil. He only has two spirit beasts, but including his regular spirits, he has acquired all elements.”

He had a full house, huh? He might’ve been the first person in the court that I’d seen with all four elements, beyond my family and members of the Bureau of Magic. There were plenty if you searched beyond the central region, though.

Wait, hang on.

“Prince Andrew, I never knew someone had attempted to assassinate you,” I said.

“Because this is the first time I’ve mentioned it.”

I raised an eyebrow when the prince responded to me with his usual calm smile. “Does that mean you intended to drag me into this mess while keeping that information quiet?”

“Chris gave me enough of an earful that I never really intended to pursue marriage with you.”

The room had been quiet until then, but there was a sudden shift now, and I began to hear people whispering.

“I just wanted to see what kind of person you were and whether I could trust you as an ally.”

“I have to wonder whether Ruri will be content with such an explanation,” I said.

“I certainly won’t,” Chris chimed in.

“Neither will I,” Alan said next.

“How about we start with an explanation as to why you would do such a thing?” father demanded.

None of them were happy. Stop glaring at the prince and his retainers like that. You’re making them get defensive.

“Eldred is entirely surrounded by Marquess Bantock’s faction,” Prince Andrew said. “They intended to try and pull Deirdre in and use her as their pawn the moment she became friends with him. I obviously couldn’t let that happen, so I was gauging your response.”

“I’ll let you have that for now,” I relented.

“Are you two friends?” Prince Eldred asked sourly, but he really needed to look around. Our audience included my unhappy family, my curious friends, and a bunch of middle-aged men, all with their own political agendas.

“Do we look like friends?” Prince Andrew countered.

“We aren’t even slightly friends,” I agreed.

Crap, this is the exact kind of exchange that makes others think we’re on friendly terms!

“In any case, Prince Eldred, what do you intend to do now?” Chris asked.

“What do you mean by that?”

“Let me rephrase it for you: Do you truly wish to remain trapped in the Bantock faction, a faction of the central region which tried to assassinate the crown prince?”

Prince Eldred tensed up as he considered that question, glancing at the crown prince and then at me. Don’t look at me.

“If what my brother says is true, then I will fire all of my retainers and attendants. But it will be impossible to do immediately.”

“In fact, you shouldn’t do it all at once,” Chris pointed out. “You will become their next target if you aren’t careful.”

“Ngh...”

Up until now, Prince Eldred had been acting all high and mighty, even in front of all these adults, but upon realizing that he too was in danger, he finally showed unease for the first time since arriving.

“In that case, let us have His Highness return to his quarters immediately,” father urged.

“But why?!”

“You chased off your retainers just to come here, didn’t you? It’s dangerous for you to stay here too long. They will be observing your behavior in the lead-up to your tea party.”

Father likely pitied the prince for having to fear for his life at such a young age. He’d walked over and knelt right next to the boy, and he was speaking slowly and carefully.

“Tell them that you received complaints from us for not being invited to your party. Angrily demand to know who made the list of invitees. It may even be worth insulting us for daring to embarrass you. Please put your own safety first.”

“I’ll be fine,” Prince Eldred told him. “I’m their only remaining pawn, right? They won’t kill me so easily.”

“You’ve just received your spirits, so how about you tell your retainers that you want to learn how to raise them? You’ll be much safer with the deputy mage by your side.”

“Me? Oh, uh, yes, of course.” The deputy mage jumped when he was suddenly addressed; he’d just been silently watching from the sidelines until now.

“Um...” Lady Patricia stood up, her hands clasped in front of her chest. “Could you perhaps invite me to your tea party again?”

“Hmm, that’s a good idea,” Duke Goodfollow said, placing his hands on Lady Patricia’s shoulders. “I’ve known you boys since you were small, yet I knew nothing about any of this when I came here. We cannot possibly allow His Highness to go to a tea party surrounded by no one but the Bantock faction.”

“I will attend too. That will be all right, yes, grandfather?” Lady Monica spoke up next.

Margrave Noland nodded. “Of course. In fact, I will join you.”

Even they were joining in? Honestly, I wished they had waited until hearing what else we had to say before volunteering like that.

“Your Highness, could you prepare invitations for everyone here?” Chris interjected. “Or, well, anything will do, so long as it grants us entry. There isn’t enough time for RSVPs, and I do not believe anyone can say for certain whether they can attend right now. We all have our own itineraries we will need to see about adjusting.”

Yes! Good one, Chris.

“Okay,” Prince Eldred said with a nod. “I’ll bring them all to the Bureau of Spirit Affairs when they’re ready.”

“Yes, that will be safest.”

“Lady Patricia, Lady Monica, Lady Suzanna.” I stood up and approached the three girls sitting nearby. “I imagine it will be difficult to prepare new dresses in time for the tea party, so how about we gather and adjust our old ones together? With more old dresses, we’ll be able to make our new ones even more beautiful.”

“That sounds wonderful. We should ask everyone else to join in too,” Lady Patricia enthused.

“I can’t say for certain if I’ll attend the party, but I’d love to take part in this,” Lady Suzanna said.

“Let’s call our usual dressmakers,” Lady Monica suggested. “I’m sure they’d be willing to help.”

“We will use FairyCo’s branch store here in the capital,” I announced. “We’ll have our seamstresses assist. Also...call me Deir from now on. And if you wish, let people know that we are friends. Make it clear to them that if anything happens to you all, I’ll get truly mad.”

“You’ll protect us?” Lady Suzanna asked, sounding truly touched.

“Thank you very much,” said Lady Monica.

“If I am to call you Deir, then you may call me Patty,” Lady Patricia told me with a smile.

I wanted to protect all the girls I’d invited to my gathering, not just the ones who were here. They all had their own spirits, so they would likely be fine, but better safe than sorry.

“Can I call you Deir?” the crown prince asked with a smile.

“How about no?” I refused with a bright smile of my own. “I only let close friends and family call me that.”

“Really? Well, that’s a shame.”

If you’ve got something to say, then say it. Stop beating around the bush, you coward. Though maybe I wasn’t one to talk, given that I was hiding just as much.

“Deirdre, have you chosen my brother’s side?” Prince Eldred suddenly asked.

“His...side?”

“Uh, no, I mean...” he stammered.

Huh? Hang on, is this boy hoping to replace his brother as the next emperor?

“You’re wrong,” I said.

“What?” Prince Eldred looked confused.

Chris walked up beside me and whispered in my ear. “He’s wondering which of the princes you wish to befriend, him or his brother. More specifically, he’s asking which you find more attractive... Shall I beat him up?”

Don’t get mad in the middle of your explanation.

“This seems like the perfect time to make my stance clear,” I announced now that I understood the situation. “I’m sure everyone gathered here is curious what the girl with the backing of the Royal Spirits is thinking and just what kind of child she is.”

It wasn’t every day that you saw a little girl in a maid’s uniform standing in front of a crowd of high-ranking nobles and imperial princes, hands on her hips as she looked around at each of them. There were about thirty people in this room right now: the five families that I’d invited to my meal and who had attended the celebration party; Marquess Carlisle and Lord Douglas; Margrave Kolkett and Lord Vince; the chief and deputy court mages; the crown prince and the second prince; and all the maids, retainers, and aides gathered along the walls.

“First, as the eldest daughter of Margrave Belisario, I have left everything up to my father. Why should a girl of only six years of age have any say in her family’s affairs? I have absolutely no interest in politics, and there’s already a very talented successor to our family, so I’m allowed to do as I please.”

Hearing my voice echo through the silent room made me nervous. I was terrified, not knowing if what I was doing was the right choice, but now that I’d committed, I had to see it through to the end.

“Next, I would like to state my opinion as the person with the Royal Spirits’ backing, but before that, let me be clear about their stance. The Royal Spirits have no interest in human status, power, or wealth. They do not care who is a noble and who is a commoner. What matters to them is the person’s mana capacity, their personality, and their ideology. Their enemies are those who would hurt the spirits or their lands. Also, the Azelian Royal Spirits have vowed to eliminate anyone who tries to go against my wishes. This is important: They did not say anyone who would cause harm to me. They said anyone who would go against my wishes.”

The room suddenly filled with whispering, and the crown prince groaned as he put a hand to his forehead.

“Who are my personal enemies? Those who would dare try to harm my precious family and friends. I trust and feel positively toward you all as family friends and as people who have chosen to strive toward coexistence with the spirits. Therefore, I will not let anyone get away with harming any of you, nor will I forgive anyone who betrays our trust or tries to harm the spirits. Oh, but if anyone becomes a political enemy of Belisario, that has nothing to do with the spirits, so we’ll just take them down with the full force of Belisario like normal.”

“Does that mean the Royal Spirits will not involve themselves in the current situation?” Prince Andrew asked.

“Are you referring to what happened with the tea party invitations? I would not trouble the Royal Spirits over something like that.”

It was a shame I didn’t have my fan with me. This would’ve been the perfect time to pose just like a villainess.

“But I think that Her Imperial Majesty, who brought up the idea of marriage with the crown prince even while knowing that attempts had been made on his life, would be an example of someone who is going against my wishes. Actually, whether there had been attempts on his life or not, simply continuing to push for it when I have no interest would be the same as going against my wishes.”

My spirit guardians were terrifying, honestly. What constituted going against my wishes was so dangerously broad. If I had been a more immature child who wished to get rid of anyone I didn’t like, half the country would have turned to desert just to eliminate them. It would become even more dire if I had such thoughts about the empress.

“Your Highness Prince Andrew, you were present at the time, weren’t you? Ruri clearly said, ‘We will eliminate anyone who dares do anything that goes against your wishes. Should the empire do anything that you do not wish it to, the spirits will all leave without delay.’ If the empress acts against my wishes, isn’t that equivalent to the country acting against my wishes?”

When several of the guests hastily rose from their seats at that, father and Chris gently held out their hands.

“Deir, don’t scare everyone like that,” father scolded me.

“I apologize. They won’t dry up the empire over something this trivial. If they did, it would trouble my precious friends and family. Right?” When I flashed a small smile at the crown prince, my spirits all manifested in their beast forms, albeit in their travel size.

(Did this boy do something?)

(Shall we take him down?)

The other spirits in the room immediately clumped up together at the sides of the room.

Don’t I look more like a demon king than a fairy princess right now?

“I’m not going to do anything, okay?” I reassured everyone. “All of you come back. Don’t take defensive stances.”

“I see. So this is what you’re really like, hmm? If only you’d acted like this from the start, I would’ve changed how I interacted with you.” Even under these circumstances, the crown prince looked neither surprised nor scared. In fact, he looked almost impressed as he nodded to himself.

“From the start? What were you expecting from a four-year-old?” I asked accusingly.

“That’s not what I meant. I meant after... No, never mind.”

He’d definitely just realized how bad it would have been for my father to learn about his secret meeting with me at Belisario Castle.

“You can stop speaking so formally to me now,” he said instead. “We need to be clearer that no one should lay a hand on you. As for Her Majesty...”

“You better not try and act as if she knew nothing about the attempts on your life,” I said, dropping the politeness as he’d asked. “Saying that an empress did not realize the crown prince was almost killed is practically the same as saying that she is not fit to be empress.”

“Isn’t that a bit rude?”

“It definitely is.” I shrugged. “If you want to punish me, go ahead. But this time, I’m sticking to my stance.”

“Only this time?” he asked.

“To be precise, only for the next three days.”

After we glared at each other in silence for a while—not gazed, glared—the crown prince sighed and shook his head in surrender.

“You really are Chris’s younger sister.”

“You bet she is.”

Chris, this isn’t the time to be acting smug. Alan, meanwhile, always managed to make himself invisible in situations like this, observing everyone in the room the whole time. While Chris and I stood out, he alone remained lurking in the shadows.

“It’s getting late,” father said then. “Please return to your room, Your Highness.”

“O-Oh, yes.”

Perhaps still in shock over everything I had just said, Prince Eldred obediently nodded and stood up.

“Deputy mage, if you could,” father requested.

“Of course,” the deputy mage replied. “Let us sneak into the main building through the windows. Once you’re inside, we’ll figure something out.”

My throat was getting dry after all that talking, so while they discussed how to sneak the prince back inside, I asked Mia for some fruit juice and immediately downed it. Phew, drinks taste so much better when you’re thirsty.

“Deir, manners,” Chris scolded.

“Wha?”

When I looked around, I noticed everyone staring at me. Oh, c’mon, surely it’s fine? This is just who I am. I’m barely a noble lady.

Now that His Highness had been sent off, everyone seemed to think it was about time to make their own exits, but then Duke Powell and Chancellor Thackeray came out of an inner room. We had made them wait for far longer than intended. At the appearance of these surprising new faces, everyone suddenly realized that this discussion was far from over, all of them looking around at each other to see if anyone else had known.

“We would now like to proceed to the main topic of discussion for the night,” father announced.

Lai handed over a pile of papers to Chris. “We will now be handing out these sheets,” my brother said. “Once you’re done reading, please hand them back. We will dispose of them ourselves.”

“What are they?” someone asked.

“You’ll understand once you read it. It details everything that has happened in the central region since the current empress came to power. Those who wish to remain ignorant of this may leave.”

Not a single person left. As lords of their lands, they all had people they needed to protect; there was no way they could just ignore this. My mother sat silently in a chair at the back of the room, now gripping her handkerchief tightly in her lap. Alan was closely watching each person’s expression as they read the papers.

“This is incredible,” Duke Powell breathed. “Everything that occurred between five years ago and now is written here, even things I was unaware of.” He looked at us siblings in turn. “Who compiled this? Did you all do it together?”

“We cannot answer,” Chris stated. “What is important is whether or not what is written there is the truth.”

“It’s true,” Prince Andrew answered without hesitation as he handed his sheet to Elton.

“You’re even more talented than the rumors claimed,” Duke Powell marveled. “As His Highness said, the Belisarios are a terrifying family.”

“Even with such talented personnel and the completely unfair ace up his sleeve of the Royal Spirits’ backing, the head of the family is uninterested in gaining more power. He just wants to return to his domain and do business. Isn’t that odd?” Prince Andrew remarked.

Such a desire must seem ominous from the imperial family’s perspective. The central nobles were always so wrapped up in power struggles that they too would definitely think my father was hiding sinister intentions. But it was so much more fun staying in your own lands and just doing whatever struck your fancy.

“I’ve heard that the recent decrease in accidents and assassinations is thanks to you, Margrave Belisario,” Duke Powell said. “Citizens in the central region without their own spirits have been told to seek refuge with the Bureaus of Spirit Affairs and Magic if they are being followed or targeted, as they will undoubtedly be protected by the spirit beasts there.”

“Yes, though that has resulted in times when we have had many visitors without any important business,” father admitted.

“On top of that,” the duke continued, “it appears that people from Belisario have managed to attain key positions in the imperial court, including as the chancellor’s aide.”

“I simply introduced some suitable candidates when we were said to be lacking in manpower.”

“Oh, come now.”

Father and Duke Powell were having such a fun little conversation. You see sparks flying? I don’t.

“Now what do you intend to do?” Prince Andrew asked me point-blank.

I was to be the crown prince’s opponent, it seemed. Couldn’t he have chosen Chris? I want to have my heart healed by getting to watch the two of them interact.

“Shouldn’t that be obvious?” I shot back. “I will arrange an audience with Her Imperial Majesty three days from now. If that doesn’t seem possible, I’ll force my way into whatever meeting she’s already having.”

“Well, that’s a bit extreme.”

“I told you, didn’t I?” I shrugged. “For the next three days only, I am going to do whatever I want. I’m going to become Sherlock Holmes.”

“Who?”

“Ignore that.”

“Okay,” the prince relented. “But allow me to accompany you.”

“Anyone who wants to be there is welcome.”

“Wait.” Chris had finally stepped in, but giving a command to the crown prince here? In private was one thing, but surely he should’ve avoided such a tone in front of so many people. “I’d rather some people go to the tea party instead. Also, if anyone wants to avoid getting involved any further, this is the best time to leave. If you remain, you will be considered an accomplice.”

“I’m sure everyone here will remain,” father said.

After hearing father and Chris’s exchange, not a single person moved a muscle.

Chapter 11: Feeling like a Detective

We left it to the crown prince to ask for an audience with the empress the day after next. A mere vassal couldn’t request an imperial audience on such unreasonably short notice, and if I were to use my name to demand a meeting, it would cause an uproar in the palace. To be fair, there would be an uproar on the day of the audience anyway, but we didn’t want them to catch on to what we were doing before then.

And so, on the day of the second prince’s tea party, we headed to the audience chamber once the main nobles of the Bantock faction had almost all left for the gathering. It would be way too conspicuous if we went as one large group, so we took different paths and left at slightly different times until we were all gathered in front of the door to the audience chamber.

Our group was made up of a whole crowd of distinguished members: the crown prince; the three margravial families; the three great dukes and Lord Jean; Marquess Johannes; Marquess Carlisle; Count Bliss; Count Mylar; and each of their retainers and aides.

Alan, Patty, Lord Derrick—Patty’s older brother—Marquess Orlandi, Suzanna, Margrave Noland’s heir, Monica, Count Regan, and Irene were all attending the tea party at the moment. We’d asked the guardians who wished to attend Prince Eldred’s tea party to remain there so that they could act in the event that the Bantock faction nobles caught on to what we were doing.

With this many people gathered in front of the audience chamber, the officials and imperial guards standing by the doors would naturally get suspicious, right? So we asked everyone to try and act as normal as possible, and when the officials stared at us, clearly wondering what was going on, I put a finger to my lips and winked.

“I want to surprise mother, you see,” Prince Andrew told him with a smile. That appeared to be enough to fool them into thinking it was a positive surprise.

“Guess it’s about time we go in,” the prince said to the rest of us.

“Indeed,” father agreed. “We don’t have a great deal of time.”

“What is going on...?” Lord Jean muttered.

Lord Jean and Duke Rampling were the only two of our group with no idea what was happening, but though they looked suspicious, they seemed to have decided to observe for now.

“Excuse us!”

At my signal, a member of the Bureau of Spirit Affairs pushed the doors open without asking for permission, and the nearby officials frantically leaped forward.

“There’s still someone in there,” they warned.

“It’s fine. It’s just the chancellor, right?” I said.

“Don’t worry about it. Step down.” At the crown prince’s order, the officials nervously looked around, hoping someone would tell them what to do. But of course, there was no one around to help, and even the guards had no idea what to do when faced with such an influential crowd.

There was a good reason the imperial guard weren’t doing anything. Duke Paolo Rampling—good friends with Lord Jean—was their commander. Naming a nineteen-year-old commander of the imperial guard really felt like they’d just been trying to shut him up and keep him satisfied so he wouldn’t get involved in their affairs, didn’t it? Even so, with their commander present, the guards had to be careful, and the knights belonging to the Bantock faction seemed to all be at the tea party.

Considering that the imperial guard was made up of a bunch of young nobles accustomed to peace, none of them were able to make quick decisions, and so we very easily stepped through into the audience chamber. Chancellor Thackeray, who had been in the middle of his audience with the empress, closed his leather-bound folio, bowed to the empress, and then stepped behind me.

On either side of the audience chamber stood the ministers, the chief mage, their respective aides, and members of the imperial guard. As I walked shoulder to shoulder with the crown prince down the center of the chamber, right up to where Her Majesty sat, we had our spirits put up physical and magical barriers around us just as we’d planned. By now, barriers should also have been raised in the corridors surrounding the room to prevent anyone from leaving here or the adjoining antechamber.

Because of the second prince’s mistake, the teleportation chambers had been reserved for several hours so that the noble daughters could prepare to attend the tea party. We’d had the nobles gathered here send through their elite troops, who had manifested spirit beasts. They should be on standby within the imperial palace or at the townhouses of the Bantock faction, ready to act at any time.

“What is the meaning of this?”

Here at the end of the audience chamber, the walls were painted a deep blue, the top half and the ceiling adorned in a gaudy gold. At the top of a dais three steps high stood two black chairs with massive two-meter backrests, and upon them were seated Her Majesty and the general.

The general, dressed in his simple but formal military uniform, was a great man more than worthy of his title of hero. Seated next to him at her ease, legs crossed and looking beautifully majestic, Her Majesty was clad in a filmy pleated ankle-length dress and a large overcoat with a luxuriously embroidered collar.

They were the young and beautiful empress who had reformed the imperial court and united the country after the death of the previous emperor, and the hero who had defeated the neighboring countries which had taken advantage of the chaos following the loss of the empire’s capable leader to attempt an invasion. Had a foreign emissary stood where I was standing now in front of these two young leaders, they might have thought that the future of the empire was bright under their rule and that it wouldn’t be wise to make an enemy of these two.

“Good afternoon, Your Imperial Majesties. I stand before you today not as the daughter of Margrave Belisario, but as the fairy princess with the backing of the Royal Spirits.”

Do you understand how embarrassing it is to have to use that name myself?

While I was writhing in embarrassment internally, everyone except for the crown prince and me knelt down behind us, and my spirits manifested in their miniature forms, surrounding us protectively.

This time, for sure, I’ll act just like a villainess! Actually, wait. I was doing this for the sake of the country. That made me the heroine... Whoever called me a demon king can look forward to being weighed down with stones at the bottom of Ruri’s lake later.

“There is something I wish to discuss and several questions I wish to ask.”

Her Majesty stared at me for a while before turning to the crown prince. “What is this about, Andrew?”

“With all due respect, Your Majesty, are you sure it is wise to ignore the fairy princess’s words?”

The crown prince took a step back, his expression impressively blank. This was his way of elevating me as the focus of this gathering.

“No, they’re welcome to ignore me. There’s no time, so I’m just going to get to it. I’m studying history right now, so I’ve read books about the both of you. In them, it said that Your Majesty is incredibly talented, swiftly noticing the encroaching threat from across the borders while Azelia was in turmoil over the imperial succession and declaring yourself empress in order to remove the old-fashioned thinkers of the court and band the country together under your powerful leadership.”

My reference was Little Wiki. The history textbooks probably said something similar, though.

“However, after meeting with you several times over the years, I’ve come to view you as someone who does not talk much and leaves little impression.”

Upon hearing my unreserved opinion, the staff standing at the sides of the room immediately started muttering. Both the general and Her Majesty frowned.

“Perhaps I shouldn’t say this about myself, but I view myself as quite the troublesome person. One wrong move, and I’ll end up sentencing the empire to destruction. Usually in such a situation, the country’s leaders would try to understand what kind of person I was. But the only ones who actually tried to initiate contact with me were Lord Jean, with his weird letters, and His Highness Prince Andrew. I expected you to also send someone to our castle, but they never came.”

“Actually, there were spies from nobles across the empire, but we immediately shut them down,” father interjected.

“It isn’t that easy to enter a margrave’s stronghold,” Chris said.

The moment the two of them said that, the other margraves and marquesses who had joined us began to gaze innocently off into the distance. We were friendly now, but they had originally viewed me as something ominous.

“Anyway,” I continued, bringing us back on track, “I thought it was odd, and so I did some research.” In my head, my soundtrack was the dramatic music that played at the conclusion of a murder mystery when it came time to reveal the truth. I felt like some great detective.

“The previous emperor died when Your Majesty was only seventeen. The general was eighteen, only just about to graduate. The two of you were a very popular couple at the academy, right? But around that time, people started to voice their concerns about the partner of the princess being a mere second son of a marquess. Had the emperor been healthy, it likely would’ve posed no problem. Alternatively, had Marquess Bantock had as much power as he does now, the two of you could’ve married and formed a new ducal family with no issues.”

“What are you trying to say?” the general asked, glaring down at me.

“I’m getting to that.” The lack of hesitation in my response clearly shocked the man.

Why are you so surprised? Have I ever acted scared in front of you two? I’m not a fox borrowing the authority of a tiger; I’m a Deir borrowing the authority of the Royal Spirits.

“With the emperor’s passing, according to the established line of succession, Lord Jean held the rightful claim to the imperial throne. As a princess of the imperial family, you had two options left to you to facilitate the young emperor’s governance: marry into another country to avoid war, or marry the eldest son of a powerful noble to gain their backing. An untried second son of a marquess—who was still a student at that—would’ve been in too weak of a position. However, if you were to become empress, that would change matters. The one you wished to marry would simply need to act as your support. It would mean stealing the right to rule from your younger brother, but it would only be for five years. Once Lord Jean was ten years old, you could cede leadership to him. That was what you planned at the time, right?”

Their silence was its own answer. I would allow it, though.

“Duke Powell, if I’m saying anything wrong, please let me know,” I called over my shoulder.

“No, what you’ve said is exactly what Her Majesty confided in me as the head of the leading faction at the time,” he responded promptly.

“Duke Powell!” Her Majesty snapped. Her hands were turning white from how tightly she was gripping the arms of her chair.

Without me realizing it everyone in the room had fallen silent as they listened to my words with rapt attention.

“The general willingly fought on the front lines in order to marry the one he loved and won victory after victory. He quickly achieved great feats and became touted as a hero of Azelia. If that had been all, there would be no need for me to bring it all up again. But even after the five years had passed, you still didn’t cede leadership to Lord Jean. Why is that?”

Behind me, Margrave Noland and Margrave Kolkett were sitting cross-legged on the ground, apparently having given up on kneeling. Even Ifri seemed intent on becoming a chair for me with the way he’d been insistently poking my legs—but that would have been going a bit too far.

“Marquess Bantock just couldn’t let go of the fame that came with being the father of a hero, the authority that came with being the father-in-law of the empress, or the position of grandfather of the future ruler, which would extend his power into the next generation. And then, Prince Andrew was born. He was what, three or four years old at the time? He would’ve been at the height of his cuteness. Did Your Majesties decide that you would rather your son succeed to the title of ruler?”

So, uh, maybe a bit late to consider this, but this definitely isn’t something someone my age would say. Everyone except my family was clearly in shock over how I was speaking, but they seriously needed to get used to it already.

“He told me he was going to kill Je—”

“Ephenia!”

The general tried to stop Her Majesty from speaking, but it was too late.

“There is that too,” I nodded. “In fact, Lord Jean has suffered many attempts on his life.”

“Indeed,” the young man confirmed. “Doing as Her Majesty wished did nothing to help me in that regard. I’d struggle to count how many times my spirits have saved me.”

“I can attest to that as well,” Duke Rampling spoke up. “Throughout the time he was under house arrest, there were all manner of attempts on his life. That was how we became so painfully aware of how valuable and capable the spirits are.”

The member of the visual kei band— No, sorry, Duke Rampling had two spirits that looked like they might have already matured into spirit beasts. Worried about Lord Jean’s safety, the duke had frequently visited him while he was under house arrest in a secondary residence in a corner of the palace grounds.

“Following that, Duke Powell’s faction, who had already raised their spirits, were driven out to the countryside...because they couldn’t be killed. In fact, Count Dalimore’s faction, who hadn’t been raising their spirits, ended up having several of its members assassinated, all to force them to follow the order to develop the spirit forest. Honestly, I feel bad for the count. He’d spent so long trying to find a way to make Lord Jean emperor, yet he was ultimately betrayed and discarded.”

“Huh?” Duke Rampling turned in surprise to Lord Jean, who was looking at me with a slight smile on his face. Now this young man was creepy. Taking into account what he’d written in that letter to a four-year-old, I couldn’t read him at all, even now.

“Oh, on that topic, are Your Imperial Majesties aware that His Highness Prince Andrew has suffered multiple attempts on his life as well?” I asked.

“What?!” cried the empress.

“You jest,” growled the general.

“Why are you so surprised?” Duke Powell asked. “I told you five years ago that if you continued to let that faction have power, the central region would lose its hold on the empire and dry up.”

It was probably unavoidable, given the crown prince’s position and the current circumstances, but he was giving his parents the chilliest look right now. Five years ago, he had been just six years old, the same as I was right now. What insane talent this boy has.

“I was told to hold back for now, so I decided to confide in Duke Powell,” Prince Andrew stated.

“It was only upon meeting His Highness that I finally felt that I had found a member of the imperial family whom I could truly deem worthy of my service,” Duke Powell admitted. “Fortunately, I’d already sneaked several members of my faction into various departments of the imperial palace, so that I could serve His Highness as I had served the late emperor. I’m glad I did so, for at last, this day has arrived.”

The Powell faction supported the crown prince. I wondered if everyone who had moved into action today felt the same.

On the other hand, the Bantock faction had decided to shift their focus away from the crown prince, who wouldn’t so easily become their puppet, and toward Prince Eldred, devising a birthday tea party which would only involve their cronies so that they could try and pull him into their faction. They might have intended to try and coerce him into marrying one of their own.

“This is unbelievable...” Her Majesty breathed. “I didn’t know that Jean was under house arrest. I didn’t know about the spirit forest either, nor that attempts have been made on Andrew’s life.”

“Your Majesty, would an accurate summary of what you just said be ‘I am admitting my own incompetence’?”

“You insolent child! This is flagrant disrespect!”

The general immediately responded to my taunt, rising from his chair as several members of the imperial guard dashed toward me, but then...

(Oh my,) came a new voice. (Do you mean to tell me that there exists a human in a position to call this young lady disrespectful?)

With a menacing rumble, a column of fire shot up right in front of the general and his knights, and at that moment, I felt a hand land on my shoulder.

“You came, Suoh?” I turned to look up at the Fire King.

(It looked like you were up to something fun. Ruri was worried, you know? He really wishes you would stop charging headlong into situations like this.)

The Fire King was as handsome as always, and seeing him smile as he delivered the message Ruri had entrusted to him, I couldn’t help but notice that the two Spirit Kings seemed to be on good terms. For me, that was the greatest treat.

(I wanted to hear what they were about to say too, so I’d have preferred you didn’t interrupt.)

The floor tiles between me and the general started undulating like waves, and from them, the top of a head slowly began to appear. Then, I saw the back of the head, then the neck, and then the shoulders...

Kohaku! What kind of way to make your entrance is that?!

Back when Ruri had first appeared from the lake bed, light had gathered then shot into the sky, and from that, a handsome man had materialized. That had felt spirit-like, but this was totally different! Special effects were important! The view of her body from the back was nice, but slowly rising ominously from the ground just made her seem like a ghost or a final boss!

“Hey, Suoh... Do you not think her entrance needs some work?”

(I do.) He nodded. (It takes too long for her to appear.)

Not that part!

Naturally, I didn’t make my retort out loud, or we’d have ended up becoming a comedy trio. I chose to silently retort inside my head, and then my body suddenly relaxed without warning, and I plopped down on top of Ifri.

There were very few nobles of the imperial palace who had met the Royal Spirits. Only the imperial family, their guards and aides, and a handful of influential nobles could claim that distinction. This was even the first time for Duke Powell.

Despite her strange entrance, Kohaku still looked like a goddess, with her diaphanous, tight-fitting dress and white shawl. Suoh was no slouch either; all he was doing was standing there, and he still exuded more presence and intimidation than either the general or Her Majesty. I still hadn’t met a single person who could resist kneeling in the Royal Spirits’ presence.

The only reason my brothers and I never knelt was because we’d been told not to since we were friends, but really, we would’ve much preferred being able to kneel. Although we were used to it now, early on, we’d all found it very uncomfortable to be exempt.

“What were we talking about again?” I wondered aloud.

(The empress’s incompetence,) Suoh reminded me.

“Right...”

Suoh pulled no punches. I really wished he would stop smirking at me like that. He’s definitely enjoying himself.

(There is much I would like to say, but we shall hear you out first,) Kohaku announced. (The situation with the spirit forest has already been settled. I do not intend to needlessly revive that discussion. Please pay us no mind and continue.)

She stood with her arms crossed, looking down at the kneeling empress with disdain. Hearing the barely disguised irritation in the Spirit Queen’s voice, Her Majesty struggled to raise her head, and her hands began to tremble. I could hear her bracelets clacking against the floor.

“It finally makes sense why even though Duke Powell was against the development of the spirit forest, there was no response from Her Majesty concerning his proposal to take the refugees into his own territory,” I said, exasperated.

Duke Powell, still kneeling, nodded wearily. “I never imagined so much had been left up to other people.”

“I remember thinking it odd that no decision ever seemed to be reached,” Duke Goodfollow spoke up next. “As ruler of the empire, Her Majesty would have only needed to give the order and it would have been done, or so I thought. At that time, though, I was already being distanced, and it was impossible to arrange an audience. When His Highness Prince Andrew was born, my wife and daughter were allowed to meet him, yet I was not allowed anywhere near. I realize now that this was due to interference from Bantock.”

If even Duke Goodfollow hadn’t been granted an audience, no wonder others had just given up trying—this man was a relative, and that hadn’t been enough.

“Count Dalimore actually proposed several alternatives before presenting the forest development scheme,” Duke Powell explained. “But Her Majesty refused to approve any of them. In hindsight, I see that she wasn’t able to accept them, given that Marquess Bantock had no desire to take any of the evacuees into his faction’s territory. And so, everything fell to Count Dalimore to figure out. He had no interest in the spirits, and his brother, Marquess Trier, viewed the forest as a waste of space.”

This discussion between Duke Powell and Duke Goodfollow hadn’t been possible after the death of the previous emperor, not until recently. That was how proficient the Bantock faction was at stirring up conflict between the factions and spreading conveniently malicious rumors that they could get people to believe.

“You can’t leave, you know.”

The sudden voice from behind us immediately halted our conversation. Two civil servants had tried to leave through a side door. They both jumped at the deep sound of Count Mylar’s booming voice, trembling all the while.

Count Mylar—the father of Lady Ethel, whom I’d invited to my meal—was a man as large as a bear. His face was so frightening that babies would always cry the first time they saw him. He seriously looked like a villain. He was so strong that he was even respected by the rowdy seafarers.

But it turned out he was a doting father and a loving husband, and he was always kind to me as his daughter’s friend.

“We have barriers deployed all around us. There is no getting in or out of here.”

“Th-This is...a coup d’état...” stuttered one of the attempted escapees. “This is a rebellion.”

“What an odd accusation. Do you see anyone here being violent?”

Even Count Mylar’s smile was scary. I felt a bit bad for the civil servants trembling on the floor beneath that fierce expression.

“You appear to be misunderstanding something,” I cut in with a smile, swinging my legs where I sat atop Ifri’s back. “I do not intend to threaten Her Majesty to abdicate nor do I intend to force my idea of who should be ruler. I’m just a child. That isn’t something I should have any say in, right?”

Her Majesty was gazing at me with fear in her eyes, as if I were some creepy entity. It appeared I’d undergone a class change from cryptid to monster.

“But if you allow Marquess Bantock and his faction to do as they please, the central region will fall apart,” I told her. “It appears they’ve been dumping their work on others and doing whatever else they want, engaging in everything from fraud to collusion to bribery. The chancellor made sure to preserve the evidence of their wrongdoing that Count Dalimore had hidden.”

“What...are you?” she asked in a trembling voice.

“Excuse me?”

“What the hell are you?”

The empress stared up at me from where she knelt, her face distorted by fear, and I, a little girl, gazed down upon her with all the calm in the world—how must that look to everyone else? Did I look more like the last boss than Kohaku right now?

“Your Majesty, may I speak?” For the first time during this audience, Chris addressed the empress from where he stood behind the crown prince. “Please view Alan and Deir as if they have the same knowledge as me. We have different strengths, but you can assume that we are learned enough to not even require higher education.”

“The Belisarios are a frightening lot, aren’t they?” chimed in Prince Andrew. “That’s why I said we should leave them alone. Over these past two years, I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s best to let the Belisarios do as they please.”

Even the crown prince was sitting cross-legged on the floor now.

I see. So the reason His Highness has been so easy to talk to recently is because he had an epiphany concerning us. He’d decided to just leave us alone. Since we had no interest in gaining power, he was happy to just build a cooperative relationship with us and leave us to our own devices. I was grateful for that. He and Chris were already friends too, so the makings of it had been there from the start.

“The same as Chris?” repeated the empress faintly. “All of the Belisario children?”

It appeared that everyone was starting to see all three of us as monsters now. Chris had become famous for his precocious qualities, but honestly, I’d started to feel bad that he was being used as a point of comparison. Before too long, everything would be based on being superior to Chris, inferior to Chris, equal to Chris, worth one Chris, worth two Chrises...

“You aren’t so different, if you ask me, Your Highness,” I pointed out.

“I wouldn’t say that.” The prince shook his head. “I’d never have thought of the spirit carriages.”

“That’s a bit different. Deir has a very unique imagination and a special eye for these things.”

Come on, boys. Not here. It’s not just Her Majesty anymore—all the ministers are starting to look at me like I’m a monster now.

(Did this woman seriously believe that we Royal Spirits would choose to back a normal child?) Suoh asked, incredulous.

(I don’t intend to interfere with your human politics, but is this country really okay?) Kohaku added.

Faced with the Royal Spirits’ exasperation, Her Majesty’s men bowed their heads in embarrassment.

“I feel terribly ashamed.”

“I never imagined she was this extraordinary...”

Both Her Majesty and the general also kept their faces downturned, looking like they’d lost the will to speak.

“I am fully prepared to be hated by both of Your Imperial Majesties,” Prince Andrew said. “I am forever grateful that I have been able to grow up without doubting the love my parents have for me. As your son, I did not want to do this, but we are the imperial family. We are responsible for everyone who lives in the empire. As the crown prince of Azelia, I cannot leave the central region in its current state.”

The crown prince’s hands, resting in his lap, occasionally glowed a faint yellow. He was probably unconsciously pouring mana into his palms, and his spirits were reacting to that.

“Through discussions with Queen Kohaku, we have guaranteed that the central region will soon yield harvests matching those of the borderlands,” he continued. “However, it is undeniable that these past years of poor harvests have greatly impacted us. What do you intend to do for the central region, Your Imperial Majesty? The past two years of harvests in the provincial regions have been record-breaking, and I imagine next year will be no different. They already have sufficient stores. Even if the central region’s harvests were to improve, the other regions would have no need to trade with us.”

He was likely wondering how they’d never realized this. He looked so disappointed.

“Therefore, I must disband the Bantock faction. And then, I must ask Your Majesty to abdicate—”

“Could you hold on a second?” Lord Jean interrupted his nephew. With his lips still pulled up into a smile, he looked at Her Majesty and lightly shook his head, sighing. “It appears I’ve been deceived. I thought Your Imperial Majesties were ruling the empire far better than this. After all, I was placed under house arrest just so that you could remain as ruler.”

“Jean?” Her Majesty’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Didn’t you tell me that the chancellor— No, that Count Dalimore was behind everything?”

“I never said that,” she objected, though her voice had lost its confidence.

“Whatever the case, you never told me anything about Marquess Bantock. In fact, you hadn’t spoken to me in years when we met again two years ago.”

Her Majesty remained silent.

“And yet, the moment you learned that I had manifested spirit beasts, you suddenly came to my door and said I was free to go outside. You said you would help me. You said that we could take down our family’s enemies together.”

This situation was getting messier by the minute. If it came out next that someone had been having an affair or that some spy had been honeypotting people with his charms, I’d start to think we were in a soap opera.

“As empresses are also recognized here, my sister is the rightful successor, not me. I had heard that the rules of succession had been ignored because of gender discrimination among the nobles, but it appears that isn’t the case, is it?” Lord Jean’s chilly voice echoed through the quiet audience chamber. I wouldn’t have been surprised if barely anyone had heard him talk this much before. I hadn’t thought he’d speak up like this either, to be honest.

“In which case, I would be the rightful successor, wouldn’t I?”

Huh?! This guy wanted to be emperor all along?

“Wait... But, back then...” Margrave Kolkett sounded surprised.

Exactly. Remember what Lord Jean said to Count Dalimore back then?

“Now that you mention it, the only ones who met in the forest on that occasion were Your Imperial Majesties, Lord Jean, my family, and the two margraves, right?” Chris breathed, having come to a realization himself.

There was no way a member of the imperial family would willingly talk about how Kohaku had berated them just as hard as Count Dalimore and his ilk. Their aides and guards had likely been sworn to secrecy about that meeting. In which case, wouldn’t the people of the central region have no idea what had actually been discussed? Only the margraves knew that Lord Jean had acted coldly toward Count Dalimore, despite the man wanting Lord Jean to become emperor, and that he’d seemed to get along with the empress and the general.

“That was because my life was in danger,” Lord Jean stated.

“Jean... Why would you...?”

Ignoring Duke Paolo’s question, Lord Jean slowly stood up. “All this time, my sister has been stealing my life from me. She locked me up, forgot my existence, and left me to rot. What is wrong with me trying to get my life back?”

“Are you fit to be emperor?” Prince Andrew stood this time and turned to face Lord Jean directly. “Did you think I was so foolish as to not realize that some of the assassins sent after me were your men?”

“What a ridiculous accusation.”

The two boys, so similar with their red hair and golden eyes, glared at each other.

“Then I will stop holding back as well,” Lord Jean declared. “Among the assassins who tried to take my life, there were those sent by the general.”

“I did no such thing!” the general exclaimed.

“And how many people will believe that?”

After glancing sideways at the general, Lord Jean returned his gaze to the crown prince. Unlike the frown on Prince Andrew’s face, Lord Jean still wore a nonchalant smile.

(Stop.) Surprisingly, the one to interrupt their confrontation was Kohaku. (The tea party is becoming a bit of a troublesome affair.)

“Troublesome?”

(It appears the drinks and desserts have been laced with poison.)

Huh?! Even though Alan and the girls are there?!

“Take me there now!” I bellowed.

(Calm down. We can take everyone there at once.)

In that moment, I was truly thankful that Kohaku and Suoh had decided to join us.

Chapter 12: The Tea Party Takes Effect

Standing before the seat she had been directed to, Patricia frowned and bit her lip.

Members of the imperial family generally celebrated their birthdays with balls or soirees, but Eldred was still only seven years old. The tea party he was hosting instead was being held in the grand hall famous for its attached terrace which commanded a beautiful view of the courtyard.

The tables were lavishly decorated with flowers, and the servers all exhibited perfect etiquette. However, the seat that had been prepared for Patricia was at the table farthest from the prince, and it was very clear that it had been hastily added as an afterthought. Potted plants lined the aisle between her table and the ones in front, completely blocking her view and making it impossible to even see the prince.

Given that the number of guests had suddenly increased right before the tea party, perhaps it was inevitable there would be at least one table in such an inconvenient position, but Patricia was the daughter of a duke. Out of everyone invited, she was the guest of the highest social standing and proximity to the imperial family. She had no complaints about Margrave Belisario being treated as higher in station, and she would accept Marquess Bantock receiving precedence as the father of the general—but that was as much ground as she was willing to give.

Placing someone who would ordinarily be sitting directly next to the prince at the entrance to the hall, sectioned off from the rest of the gathering, practically screamed malice.

“Well, this isn’t pleasant.” Even Derrick, someone who was usually quite lighthearted, couldn’t hide his displeasure.

“Viscounts’ families are seated above a ducal family?” Marquess Orlandi muttered in disbelief.

His daughter, Suzanna, seated beside him, sighed behind her fan. “Well, let us wait and see what happens for now. They appear to have prepared two tables for us, but if we can fit all ten of us around one table, it may be for the best that we stick together.”

Invitations had been sent to everyone who had attended the meeting three days ago, but more than half of those people were in the audience chamber at the moment—many of their seats were empty. Cody, Margrave Noland’s heir, seated himself with a dark smile on his face. Unlike his father, he specialized in magic, but that didn’t change how hotblooded he was; he was ready to crush the Bantock faction at any time.

“Lord Alan does not appear to be here yet,” remarked Monica, Cody’s daughter, who was seated beside him. Noticing Irene’s nerves at being in such an unfamiliar environment, she’d called the girl over to talk with her. Count Regan, Irene’s father, sat down silently while clutching his stomach.

Once everyone was seated, cake stands laden with various bite-sized cakes were served while the tea was swiftly prepared. Since everyone was aware the gathering would begin with the prince’s address, no one touched their tea just yet and instead began chatting among themselves.

The prince’s table was packed with young noble ladies. The seating was very clearly intended to present possible candidates for marriage from among the daughters of the Bantock faction to him. The girls who had suddenly canceled on Deirdre all appeared to be present, but while the two marquesal daughters—who had originally been part of the Bantock faction—were seated on either side of the prince, the two daughters of counts were seated at the neighboring table.

The latter pair were provincial nobles whose parents were not part of the Bantock faction. Not only had they incurred the displeasure of Deirdre and the parents of the other girls who had been invited to Deirdre’s meal, but they had also been scolded by their own parents, and now they couldn’t even approach the prince. The anger in the glances they shot at the girls still allowed to sit by him was palpable.

However, seated far away from the head table as they were, Patricia and the rest of the nobles at her table couldn’t even see that any of that was happening. The only area visible to them was the hallway to the kitchen, so if anything, they could certainly tell that the waitstaff were busy.

“It appears His Highness has begun his speech, but I can’t hear him at all,” Marquess Orlandi grumbled.

“Honestly, it’s rather humorous how unsubtle they’re being in their attitude toward us,” Cody said.

Neither of them had expected it to be so blatant. This was practically a declaration of war.

“How about we at least enjoy our tea?” Count Regan urged in his reserved way.

Marquess Orlandi forced a smile and nodded. “As good-natured as always, I see. But you’re right. We can’t just sit and complain all day. We’ll see if anyone actually comes to greet us.”

“I’m excited to see what happens,” Cody chuckled as he took his teacup in hand.

Just as Patricia went to pick up her own...

“Patricia!”

A hand suddenly reached down and grabbed her wrist. It wasn’t a huge hand—it was clearly a child’s—but it was big enough to grip Patricia’s small arm. There was such a surprising amount of strength behind it that her whole body lost balance as she turned to look at the hand’s owner.

“Did you drink any of it?” the newcomer demanded.

It was Alan, expression panicked. Though he’d almost certainly had his auburn hair styled for the occasion, it was now so disturbed that it was starting to flop back onto his forehead. With those clear gray eyes intensely staring at her, Patricia quickly shook her head.

“And you, Derrick?!”

“Just a sip...”

“Antidote! Recovery!” At Alan’s cry, his spirit beasts immediately cast healing magic on Derrick.

“Poison?! Antidote and Recovery on my brother, quickly!” Patricia yelled at her own spirits, even though Alan’s had already healed him. Derrick’s spirits joined in as well, rendering the boy impossible to see through all the light surrounding him.

“Thanks... But I’m good now... I think my eyes are on fire...”

“Poison? Ngh!”

When Marquess Orlandi clutched his chest, his and Suzanna’s spirits immediately cast healing magic on him as well.

“Irene, cast Antidote and Recovery on everyone just in case!”

“Okay!”

Since Irene’s spirits had matured into beasts, her magic was more powerful than the others’.

Not a single person minded that Alan had forgotten to respect their titles as he gave out the orders. Everyone had caught on to the fact that there was poison in their meal.

“What is going on here?” demanded Patricia.

“I’ll explain later!” was all Alan replied. Patricia stared blankly as he dashed off, calling, “Your Highness!”

The moment she heard him call out to the prince, she came back to herself.

“Eldy?!” She quickly began to follow after him, but then Elton, the crown prince’s retainer, ran past her.

“I will go and heal the other guests immediately,” Elton said as he hurried past. “They have no spirits over there.”

Suddenly, the hall filled with the sounds of dishes shattering and heavy thuds. Cody stood up and gazed over the tops of the decorative plants before immediately sending his spirits ahead while he turned back to call, “Lord Derrick, please look after the children. They should not see what is on the other side.”

“O-Okay, got it.”

“Was the poison they were given different?” asked Marquess Carlisle.

“Yes. It appears that whatever their drinks were laced with resulted in instant death.”

It appeared that was the real reason their tables had been so cut off from the rest. Everyone on their side had spirits, and they were all attendees who hadn’t originally been invited. The Bantock faction, on the other hand, had many members who had barely tried to raise their spirits at all, and very few of them had spirits which could heal. The faction’s children had only just received their first spirits three days ago.

“In other words, the attacker’s target was the Bantock faction.”

The only men left unharmed were Marquess Carlisle, Count Regan, and Cody. They wanted to run to the prince right away, but Alan and Elton were far ahead of them. The crown prince had been worried enough for his brother that he had asked his retainer to remain here at the tea party.

“Where is the imperial guard?” Cody asked.

Count Regan quickly stood. “I’ll summon them right away.”

“Our own men should be with them.”

“Understood.”

Any retainers would be in the antechambers, as they hadn’t been permitted to join the tea party, but there should’ve been guards—including the second prince’s personal guard—stationed outside the doors to the hall. After watching Count Regan dash off, Cody ordered his spirits to search once more for anyone who could still be healed. Marquess Carlisle was reaching his limit, and Cody had used so much healing magic that even he could feel his mana drastically decreasing. And yet, there wasn’t a single person they could save.

“Perhaps I should’ve realized the futility of trying to counter a poison that acts immediately...” Cody muttered.

The situation was so gruesome that even those with battlefield experience had to resist averting their gazes. There were those who had died slumped over the table, those who had died leaning back against their chairs, hands clutching desperately at their throats, those who had died upon falling to the floor... Both men and women were among the dead, blood pouring from their mouths. The poison had acted so quickly that they had been unable to even ask for help before they had died—all they could do was groan in pain as they scratched at their throats.

If only their tables had been closer.

If only the plants hadn’t been blocking their view.

No, even then, it was questionable whether they’d have been capable of counteracting such a fast-acting drug.

“Who could possibly have done this...?” Marquess Carlisle wondered aloud.

“Marquess Bantock and Marquess Cannadine are over there,” Cody pointed out.

They were both undoubtedly dead. Though they might have been political rivals, that didn’t mean anyone gathered here had wished them to meet such ignominious ends. The abruptness of their demise had left both Cody and the marquess with a bitter taste in their mouths.

“Put up a barrier! Protect His Highness!”

Meanwhile, as Patricia ran to catch up with Alan at Prince Eldred’s side, he was already issuing concise orders to his spirits. Patricia could only feel frustration over her inability to offer any further help.

She was scared. She couldn’t understand what was happening. She didn’t know what she should do. Unaware that she was descending into a panic, she still rushed toward the prince, filled with concern as she clutched her skirts on either side to keep them out of the way.

What she heard next was the unexpected sound of metal on metal.

Two young men had thrown themselves protectively in front of the prince. They were wearing the same uniforms as the waitstaff, yet they were wielding daggers. The balls of light floating above them had to be their spirits. Facing them were three men wearing valet uniforms, all of them wielding swords. The prince’s side was very clearly at a disadvantage.

“There’s no time,” one of the attackers said.

“We need you to die before anyone can interfere!” yelled another.

A sword was raised—but it never reached its mark. It clanged against an invisible wall, sending the attacker stumbling backward.

“What was that?” the man cried.

The other men tried to thrust at the invisible wall as well, but none of them managed to make a dent. A violent shock wave then slammed into them from the side, the impact flinging them to the ground.

“Your Highness, are you safe?!”

“You’re here too, Elton?” the prince cried.

Alan and Elton’s spirit beasts surrounded the three men on the ground, blocking their escape. Upon seeing that Eldred was at last safe, Patricia wilted to the ground herself.

“You ended up coming with us, did you?” Alan, who felt no need to go any closer now that he had confirmed the prince’s safety, left Elton in charge of Eldred as he crouched down next to Patricia. “Everything’s become one hell of a mess. The only ones who survived are the prince and the young ladies who sat with him.”

Until the prince touched his food or drink, no one sitting with him was permitted to touch their own. It turned out that upholding such etiquette had saved their lives on this occasion.

“My invitation had the start time listed as an hour later and only mine,” Alan told her. “I’m glad I checked with Elton just in case.”

“Oh, I see,” she murmured. And because he’d rushed here at once, Patricia had managed to avoid drinking the poison as well. “Thank you very much.”

“Hmm? What for?” Alan cocked his head at her.

“Huh?” She cocked her own head back.

“What?”

Both of them were confused by the other’s reaction, but before anything could be cleared up, a soft light shone down, and in the next moment, everyone who should’ve been in the audience chamber was suddenly here in the hall.

“Oh, the Royal Spirits are here,” Alan muttered as he stood and drifted somewhere less conspicuous. Patricia watched him go with surprise. This was the well-loved second son of Margrave Belisario, a boy who could have boldly stood shoulder to shoulder with the prince. Why did he choose to blend in with the crowd instead?

“My brother really never changes.” An exasperated sigh came from above. When Patricia looked up, there stood Deirdre. “Are you okay, Patty? It’s all right. Everything will be okay now.”

For some reason, Patricia felt that no one else’s reassurances could have relieved her as this girl’s had. Holding back her tears, she gave Deirdre a firm nod.

Chapter 13: The Ruler’s Seat

The tea party had turned into a disaster. This wasn’t some scene from a suspenseful murder mystery—this was the aftermath of a terrorist attack. No reason could justify killing all these people. That said, I didn’t know the full extent of the damage. The shock of suddenly being faced with so many dead bodies was so intense that I couldn’t look for too long. The only reason I hadn’t collapsed to the ground was because Suoh was standing behind me, his steady hand on my shoulder. I felt safe, like I didn’t need to worry about myself. That was why I’d been able to calmly call out to Patty, and why I’d noticed Alan slinking off to the side.

Also, I had my pride to uphold. After putting on such a confident display in the audience chamber, I didn’t want people to think I cringed and cowered when things got serious. If a monster was what they saw in me, then I would remain an unfeeling monster until the end. I could hide under my covers once we got back home.

“Eldy!” Her Majesty ran up to her son the minute she teleported, but when she reached out to embrace him, the prince pulled away. “What?”

“Your Majesty, I am safe, so please do your duty.”

Honestly, I was amazed. Was this the same child that just a few days ago had been acting like a brat toward a whole group of young noble ladies? Had he realized he could no longer remain a child now that his world had fallen apart over the course of the past week?

After being rejected by not just the crown prince, but now the second prince as well, Her Majesty was rendered speechless for a moment. Then she seemed to realize how grave the current situation was and returned to the general’s side. All this time, she really had just been a naive little princess who had grown up in a bubble. That sheltered princess had nonchalantly taken up leadership of the country all because she’d wanted to wed the man she loved. It seemed like no exaggeration to say that that nonchalant decision of hers was what had led to the mass murder we were currently witnessing.

Perhaps it was rude of me to be surprised, but it turned out that the visual kei duke was a very talented man—this whole time, his young age had fooled me into thinking that he was just a figurehead. The moment we’d teleported to the hall, he’d begun issuing orders to the imperial guards to assist him and the margraves in confirming the status of the victims and caring for those who had survived.

The guards of the imperial family were all sons of central-region nobles. The previous war had been fought along the borders, so the nobles of the central region had never known real conflict. On top of that, many of them were also members of the Bantock faction. Some were in shock over the sudden loss of their families, others over their first real experience of carnage. Many of them had been rendered absolutely useless. It was a lot of work kicking the useless ones out, giving orders to those who could still function, and getting them all to cooperate with the elite troops we’d brought from our domains.

We’d had the ministers teleport here too, as witnesses. It was important for them to see with their own eyes what had happened. While I hoped no one would take it that far, it would be a pain if someone tried to argue that we had planned all of this.

The crown prince, Chris, and the older noblemen were discussing what to do next. We hadn’t finished our discussion in the audience chamber, after all.

“I wonder if they have any suspects in mind,” I mused.

(To avoid the hassle, I’ve already captured everyone working in the back.)

Hisui suddenly materialized in midair. The abrupt appearance of such a pretty lady took all the soldiers by surprise. The room went quiet as they came to a standstill, and when the others in the room turned to see what had happened, they ended up freezing as well. Those used to the Royal Spirits began to kneel, but Hisui stopped them.

“Your Sacred Majesty, it is an honor to be in your presence.” Not only Margrave Kolkett, but also his retainers and soldiers stopped to greet Hisui. It was a real show of their sportsmanlike mindsets and of how much they loved the Wind Queen.

(We have blocked their escape routes and restricted their movements. They still have the poison in their possession, so you should go apprehend them right away.) A large hand was suddenly placed on my head, and when I looked up, Ruri was there. (Honestly. There was no need for you to come here as well. I’ll send the necessary assistants, so let us move to another location.)

Out of all the Royal Spirits, it was Ruri I felt most like breaking down in front of, perhaps because he was the one I knew best. Suppressing the desire to act meek and clingy, I nodded and began to walk.

“We should leave the rest to the guards, Chris,” I said as I approached him.

“Huh?” He blinked at me.

The Royal Spirits all followed me closely—we were like a supermarket package deal right now. Hisui seemed to have really come to favor Chris after our visit to her abode, and before we knew it, she was linking arms with him.

“It appears they’ve captured everyone working in the back,” I explained.

“Oh, yeah, I heard them saying that they’d found people in possession of poison. So that was thanks to the Royal Spirits, was it?”

Everyone had been confused because the culprits hadn’t fled and they’d appeared to be acting strangely.

“If we remain here, we’ll get in the way of the men doing their jobs. Shall we move to a different room with the culprits?” I suggested.

“Hang on a moment.” Chris started to hurry off toward the crown prince but stumbled when Hisui refused to move an inch. She finally unlinked their arms when Chris explained what he was going to do, but that had certainly been a flex of Spirit Royal muscle.

(What are you doing all the way over here, Alan?) I suddenly realized I couldn’t see Kohaku anywhere—and that was when I noticed that Alan was the one being captured this time. (Everyone is about to move rooms.)

“They are?”

(Come on, let’s go over there. Wouldn’t it just be terrible if something were to happen to Deir?)

“I... I’ll go.”

So weak. You’re so weak,Alan.

“Did you not drink the tea, Alan?” I asked when he came over.

“The Belisario invitations had the start time listed an hour later,” he explained.

“Huh?”

“Plus, our seats were actually kept separate from the rest, and the poison in our tea was weaker.”

If they’d known it was so bad to make me their enemy that they’d tried to make us late, why try to poison my friends and their families at all? Had they thought it was fine because it wasn’t my own family? Or were they skeptical of how dangerous I truly was because the people of the central region had never seen me together with the Royal Spirits before?

Whatever the case, the ones behind this needed to pay. No matter what kind of scummy things the Bantock faction had done, as someone who’d grown up in Japan, I didn’t believe their crimes made it right to murder them. It was likely that among those who’d been killed were some who would’ve been sentenced to death anyway, had they been arrested and tried for their crimes. But there was a vast difference between someone being sentenced to execution after being judged by the law and someone simply being murdered.

The room we moved to was one next door to the crime scene. It was just as spacious and extravagant as the hall and furnished with round tables. Everyone who’d been in the audience chamber, the survivors of the tea party, the servers who were suspected of having laced the drinks, and the men who had attacked the second prince were all moved there—and it happened in an instant. The Royal Spirits were amazing.

Honestly, I’d have preferred it if my friends had been able to wait in a safe location, but once I thought about it, I realized there was no safer location than where their parents and the Royal Spirits were.

The Royal Spirits told everyone not to kneel and just to sit down, so the three margraves and their families sat at one table; Duke Rampling, Duke Powell, and the two princes sat at another; and Her Majesty and the general sat at yet another, just the two of them. The ministers, my friends, and their guardians all sat down as well, and then, as it came time to move the conversation forward, everyone turned to me.

The only reason I had taken charge up to this point was because I was the only one not at risk of being charged with lèse-majesté. Personally, I felt that the adults could take over now that the discussion had progressed so far. But, you see, Suoh and Ruri were standing on either side of me like my very own Dr. Watson and Mrs. Hudson. Hisui and Kohaku were seated at my table. Leaving it to anyone else in such a situation would’ve made me feel bad.

“Shall I get the conversation going, then?” I asked. No one objected—obviously. The only people looking at us like we were crazy were the ones who had been captured. “Are the waiters who protected His Highness his retainers?”

“No, they’re Duke Rampling’s men,” father explained.

I turned to the visual kei duke. I was starting to be very glad I’d had him join us and leave the guard unit’s commanding officer in charge of the crime scene. The commotion from the next room could be heard all the way in here.

“I’d received reports of suspicious activity, so I had some of my men sneak in,” he explained.

The duke was seriously incredible. He was only nineteen and yet he was a duke, commander of the imperial guard, and sharp as a tack. Why is he still single? Does he not have a fiancée? What were the women of this world even doing?

“Thank you, Paolo,” the crown prince said. “It’s thanks to you that my brother is safe.”

“No, not at all,” the duke replied. “My men were praising Elton and Alan, actually. They told me that things may have turned out much worse had it not been for their spirit beasts.”

And he was such a pleasant man too. There was no way he wasn’t the most popular man among the older girls at the academy right now.

“Who exactly are these people we have captured?” I asked.

“They were working here on orders from Count Dalimore,” Prince Andrew explained. “Most of my brother’s retainers are from the Bantock faction, while his maids and aides are a mix of Bantock and Dalimore.”

“Then am I right in thinking that you three who attacked His Highness and you all who laced the tea with poison originally worked under Count Dalimore?”

At my question, the bound men hesitated for a moment, before nodding.

“I owed him my life,” one of them said.

“As did I,” said another. “The third son of a baron has little choice but to become a knight, if he’s skilled enough for the work. If I’d messed up, I could easily have dropped down to commoner status. That man allowed me to work in his manor, and then he introduced me to a better-paying job at the palace once I had become more proficient.”

What a smart move. Make someone indebted to you, and it was easy to ask them to feed you intel. Moreover, these men who’d been desperate for any job had gotten the elite position of servant to the second prince. They’d been able to puff their chests out with pride when telling their families. It had been a win-win relationship.

“Then why did you kill so many people?” I asked.

“Do we really need to ask about that here? I’d rather we continue what we were talking about earlier,” Lord Jean grumbled unhappily. Rather than take a seat, he’d chosen to lean against the wall next to the visual kei duke.

“I’m asking because it’s related to what we were discussing earlier.” I was so tired that I couldn’t even manage a polite smile as I flatly refused him and then turned back to the men. “Please answer.”

“The Bantock faction killed many of our friends,” one of the men said. “We wanted to take revenge.”

“I see,” I said with a nod. “Were they the ones who told you not to invite the margraves?”

“Yes, so we thought it would be the perfect opportunity. We’d been told not to lay a hand on the Belisarios or anyone tied to them.”

“By whom?”

Though they’d been openly answering all of my questions up to this point, this one made them go silent.

“But you did lay a hand on them, didn’t you?” I pointed out instead. “Though it was a different kind, the tea given to my brother, my friends, and their families was laced with poison.”

“We know nothing about that! We only used one kind of poison!”

What? Then there’s more than one perpetrator here? These men were practically guaranteed to get the death sentence—there was no reason for them to lie like this now.

“Is everyone that was working with you here right now? What about the rest of the waitstaff?” I scrambled to my feet and asked the guards standing by the entrance, but they were clearly unsure. Right. Your job was to secure the premises, not apprehend the criminals. But then who should I ask?

“Anyone not part of the Dalimore faction is being kept in a different room.”

Oh my god, you are a lifesaver, Lord V-kei!

“Tell them to speed up the identification process,” Duke Paolo ordered.

“Sir!”

One of the guards dashed out, and another immediately took his place by the door. My love for this guy was increasing by the second.

“You all framed Count Dalimore, didn’t you? At the meeting with the Spirit Queen, you made everything out to be his doing and got him executed!” Realizing that he might get someone here to listen to him for once, the man who’d tried to strike His Highness down yelled out.

“We did?” I asked. “Did someone else tell you that?”

They went silent again, but I noticed one of the men sitting at the edge of the group glance over...toward Lord Jean. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who had noticed because everyone else also looked over at him, and feeling the attention, Lord Jean lazily closed an eye and turned to the side.

“Excluding those who were executed, the people present in the forest at that meeting were Her Majesty, the general, Lord Jean, the three margraves, and us Belisario children,” I told the men. “Our retainers, aides, and guards were present, but they also should have been sworn to secrecy. That means anyone could tell whatever story they wanted.”

“Whatever story they wanted?” repeated one of the captives. “Are you saying it was a lie?!”

“We heard that the margrave and the empress were in cahoots!” cried another.

“That is definitely incorrect. Honestly, I’d assume Her Majesty views us as more of a thorn in her side.”

“What is going on here...?”

The men were looking up at us in confusion and shock. Surrounded by the Royal Spirits as I was, I must’ve seemed otherworldly to them. And I was also just a child. I must have appeared untouched by the burdens of the past. That was likely the main reason their trust in me was beginning to grow.

“I actually thought it was strange myself,” I admitted. “Count Dalimore was so smart that he was able to become chancellor of the imperial court. Yet, the conversation turned toward how he was apparently harassing Her Majesty, and then he suddenly declared that Jean was the most fit to rule. I’m sure he really wasn’t interested in coexistence with the spirits, but after hearing what you and Duke Powell have to say, I’ve started to think that perhaps the count was becoming desperate. He’d ended up saddled with the most troublesome work because of his diligence, and those around him were being assassinated one after another. How does that sound?”

“I think you’re on the right track,” father said. “It appears he was periodically meeting with Lord Jean, so it seems to be true that he wanted to make him emperor. But at the meeting, Lord Jean was acting friendly with Her Majesty while acting with animosity toward the chancellor, yes?”

Even with father leading the conversation, Lord Jean did not answer. He was still looking away from us with apparent disinterest.

“Count Dalimore was not aware that Lord Jean had manifested spirit beasts at that time, correct?” Margrave Noland spoke next.

Margrave Kolkett nodded. “You’re right, I believe.”

Upon hearing that, one of the bound men stood himself up. “You tricked us! You said we just needed to use that poison! You said that His Highness was another of the Bantock faction’s lackeys!”

The man’s outburst was met with continued silence from Lord Jean.

“You said that once you became emperor, you would take in the Dalimore faction and grant us positions as civil servants within the court!”

“Oh, shut up,” Lord Jean finally snapped. “I told you that poison was effective—that’s all. I didn’t say when or on whom you should use it.”

“Jean...”

Lord Jean turned to the visual kei duke, then to us, before running a frustrated hand through his hair and letting out a sigh. “Why are you all getting so worked up about this? This is just how interfaction strife is. So what if I gave them some advice? That’s how being in the nobility works. I’ve almost been poisoned several times myself now.”

“You bastard! You deceived us!”

One of the men tried to leap for Lord Jean, but two guards immediately jumped on him and held him down.

“I did no such thing,” Lord Jean retorted. “Dalimore was competent, but he was honest to a fault, incredibly inflexible, and incapable of standing up to his brother. That was why both the Bantock faction and Her Majesty managed to use him like a pawn, work him to the bone, and then toss him aside when they no longer needed him. Ahh, he and the general are remarkably similar in that regard.”

This was a battlefield now—a serious one at that. And one that had the fate of the empire hanging in its balance. Even so, Lord Jean still wore a relaxed smile as if he were just discussing the weather. I was sure he was a very talented man. These types of people made for great emperors and nobles—anyone with political sway, really.

If Prince Eldred hadn’t come to complain to me about my lack of response to his tea party invitation, I would never have looked at Little Wiki, and I would never have leaped into action in so short a time frame. If I hadn’t acted, the Royal Spirits wouldn’t have been here. The poisoning would’ve been over before anyone had the chance to realize it was happening, the Bantock faction and Prince Eldred would be dead, and the culprit would never have been discovered. Forensic science didn’t exist in this world, after all.

Everything would’ve gone according to Lord Jean’s plan. Perhaps he had intended to kill the crown prince next. Had he succeeded, he would’ve become the next emperor despite the blood staining his hands. The Royal Spirits had no interest in the status or authority of humans. As long as no harm came to the spirits or the lands they lived in, they didn’t care who became ruler.

“You yourselves decided to take action, didn’t you?” Lord Jean told the captives. “Don’t shift the blame onto me. You got to kill so many of the Bantock faction that you so hate. Don’t you feel so much better?”

“Is that how you do things?” Andrew asked then.

Compared to Lord Jean, the crown prince wasn’t so good at hiding his emotions, and he was still a bit awkward when it came to relationships with other people. As he glared at Lord Jean now, his anger and frustration were clear.

“And what do you mean by that, hmm?” his uncle asked him.

“I mean you killing anyone who gets in your way,” demanded Andrew. “You even tried to kill Eldred, didn’t you?”

“They did.” Lord Jean indicated the men. “Not me.”

“You told them that my brother was part of the Bantock faction, didn’t you?”

“If nothing had changed, he would’ve been, no? Surrounded by Bantock retainers, he held a tea party at Marquess Bantock’s bidding, did he not?”

Yet, by the time the crown prince reached the age Lord Jean was now, he would almost definitely be far more mature. Not even I expected an unfaltering sense of justice or integrity from an emperor. The ability to be cunning, scheming, and calculating was almost certainly a necessity in such a role. There might even be situations where it was necessary to sacrifice your own citizens for the sake of the country as a whole.

Nevertheless, I still questioned Lord Jean’s choice of methods. Surely he could’ve tried something else.

“You’re a smart one, Andrew,” the crown prince’s uncle told him. “I’m sure you understand. Members of the imperial family who can be so easily manipulated are a nuisance. Emperors must have the resolve to cut down even their own family at times. If you can’t do that, you’ll become like my sister and the general.”

“I see. You do have a point,” Duke Powell calmly mused, resting his elbows on the table before him and steepling his fingers. “Then allow me to ask you this. As someone who wishes to become emperor, what is the first thing you would do upon assuming leadership?”

Lord Jean blinked at him. “What?”

“His Highness Prince Andrew stated earlier that the central region is in turmoil at the moment, correct?” Duke Powell continued. “If you were to become emperor, then we would want you to take up your duties immediately. There is a new hole in the power structure, created by the loss of the Bantock faction, so I’d like to hear how you intend to handle that.”

“I would...depose my sister and the general and arrest them for the crime of misappropriating the leadership role,” said Lord Jean. “I would fill the empty positions left by the now-dead Bantock faction members and continue governing the empire as before.”

Lord Jean had been speaking so confidently, but now, his gaze was suddenly wavering, and he was starting to show panic.

“I see. So your end goal all along was merely the throne,” I muttered. Lord Jean glared at me, making it all the more obvious I had hit the mark. “The whole time you were under house arrest, you had to watch Her Majesty and the general, who had become a hero, bask in the spotlight. That led to you wanting to sit upon the ruler’s seat yourself, right?”

“Don’t talk like you know me...”

“There is one thing I definitely do know,” I countered. “If you try to force Her Majesty and the general to abdicate without valid reason, you will not earn the support of the citizenry.”

“Of the citizenry? All I’d need to do is spread some convenient stories and that would fix that!”

Finally, Lord Jean was showing his true colors. It appeared that I’d been the object of his hatred all this time—and no wonder. I was the biggest wrench that had been thrown into his plans.

“What would you do then, huh?!” Lord Jean flung the question at the crown prince.

“Good question.” Prince Andrew had completely recovered his calm. He touched his hand to his chin in thought as he answered. “I would have Their Imperial Majesties remain as figureheads for a while. They would take the blame for the spirit forest disaster and today’s mass poisoning through abdication, but they would need time to hand over their duties to their son... Spin a story like that, and we would easily gain about three years of leeway.”

He hadn’t even hesitated to say that his own parents should become figureheads. He really was a member of the imperial family. Not that that was ever in doubt.

“Then, I’d like to split the empire up into four regions, one for each of the Royal Spirits, and then elect a representative from each region to serve as my advisor. I would govern Azelia alongside the four of them until I turned eighteen. I would ask the margraves to serve as my advisors for the provincial regions for the time being, or to recommend someone in their place. Duke Powell would be perfect for the central region. Rather than try to compete with the countryside in matters of agriculture, I believe it would be more beneficial for the central region to take advantage of our geographical position as the center of the nation and focus on becoming a trade hub. To that end, we would first need to renovate the roads to make transporting—”

“You can stop there.” No one else was stopping him, so I chose to step up.

“What? But I’m not done.”

“But you’re going to take a while, right? You sound like you could easily talk about your plans for a whole hour.”

I heard some of the older men accidentally let out chuckles. The young crown prince’s passionate discussion of the nation’s future was having a significant effect on his popularity. Raising approval ratings was another thing that those up above had to consider, after all.

“I like the idea of involving the margraves.” Duke Powell nodded approvingly.

“Indeed. I wouldn’t care for them banding together on their own, though. Please allow me to assist you as well,” Duke Goodfollow insisted.

The two dukes clearly did not mind expressing their suspicion right in front of the margraves themselves.

“Should I postpone my retirement and send Cody instead?” Margrave Noland mused.

“Wait, no, father...” Cody objected at once.

“We could have Chris act as our representative,” father suggested.

“Huh?!” Chris spluttered.

“I’m busy being the Minister of Spirit Affairs, so...”

“Then step down.”

“Oh, you’re so cruel...”

The three margraves all seemed to be in agreement with the crown prince’s idea. Chin up, father.

“Oh... So you’d rather choose Andrew after all,” Prince Eldred sighed.

“Excuse me?”

How did we get here?!

“Are arrangements being made for you to marry the crown prince?” Lord Jean asked.

“No,” I said.

“Definitely not,” said Andrew.

At yet another simultaneous denial from us both, not only Lord Jean, but also everyone else in the room appeared surprised.

Seriously, you’re pulling that sort of nonsense now, Lord Jean? You disappoint me.

“Well, since everyone seems to doubt me, allow me to state what I want from a partner,” I announced.

“What else could there be?” Lord Jean sounded surprised. Right, he doesn’t know I don’t want to marry someone from the imperial family yet.

“First, that they aren’t a member of the imperial family,” I said. “Oh, foreign royalty is also off the table. And anyone who is in the line of succession for any country.”

“What?”

“Are you serious?”

Surprised voices piped up from around the room. Why was even Prince Eldred shocked to hear this?

“The most important quality is that they have four spirits. In other words, that they have all elements.”

“They also need to be so witty that they can keep even Deir entertained for a long time,” Chris suddenly cut in. “They have to have the authority, social standing, and assets to keep her safe.”

“Chris...”

(But in that case...will she not remain single for life?)

Hang on, Ruri. You’re the one saying that?! Even though you share at least some of the responsibility for my current situation? Look, everyone’s so freaked out they can’t even comment.

“We cannot deny that at least part of the reason we partook in today’s action was to make His Highness Prince Andrew emperor,” Margrave Kolkett admitted. “I was present when you recommended Prince Andrew become crown prince, Lord Jean, so I never imagined you were after the position yourself.”

The other margraves nodded in agreement.

“Noland requests the immediate ascension of His Imperial Highness. I also clearly witnessed the exchange between Count Dalimore and Lord Jean. I cannot serve a man who could so readily use and abandon his subjects.”

“If you want to use someone as your pawn, you have to ensure no one ever notices that you were doing such a thing to begin with,” commented Duke Goodfollow. “Otherwise, it will come back to bite you in the behind later.”

“Oh my, Duke Goodfollow,” Duke Powell said. “You always know how to say such frightening things.”

“Not as well as you, Duke Powell.”

These two old men actually got along really well...

“Jean, why did you take this route?” the visual kei duke— No, sorry, Duke Rampling practically groaned as he held back his anger.

“Why? I’d been confined and then completely forgotten about. What else was I supposed to do?”

“You could’ve talked to me. I could’ve acted as a bridge between you and everyone else!”

“What do you know?! You own everything you could ever want!” Lord Jean cried out, distancing himself from Duke Rampling. “Even at the academy, everyone just watched me from afar, afraid that if they got too close to me, they’d be targeted by Her Majesty and the Bantock faction. You only came to see me when you felt like it. You received your parents’ love, you have friends, you have social standing. You probably just saw me as some pitiful child.”

“Jean?!” Duke Rampling looked stunned.

“I’m the rightful successor to the throne. My sister’s child stole that right from me—why are you trying to make him emperor? I just cleaned up the faction who kept trying to assassinate me. I had no intention of attempting to take the lives of anyone else. They did that themselves.”

There had to have been another way. Even though he had been under house arrest, Duke Rampling and Count Dalimore had been allowed to meet with him. If he’d just asked them for help in making allies, he could’ve done something like what we’d done today.

But Lord Jean hadn’t been able to trust anyone. Even now, he was standing alone.

“I—”

(Wait.) Kohaku interrupted me before I could speak. (You shouldn’t be the one to take on such a heavy burden. Leave it to the adults. Also, I refuse to acknowledge Jean as the representative for my territory.)

“B-But why...? I made sure to raise my spirits. Dalimore was the one who destroyed the forest, not me.”

It appeared he’d never imagined he would be rejected by the Spirit Queen. His expression changed as he took a few steps toward Kohaku.

(I’m aware. I have already given my punishment and forgiven the central region for their transgression. However, you heard from Dalimore that that was a spirit forest, didn’t you? You knew and yet you never stopped him. Inaction is just as much of a crime.)

“Wh-What...?”

(Spirits can talk with humans,) Kohaku continued. (In other words, they can understand human language. That was why you isolated your spirits any time you met with Count Dalimore and his associates, correct? Spirit beasts will obey their master’s commands even when separated by a slight distance. If you’re in the next room, they can hear everything you say perfectly.)

Wait. They can only hear, right? They’re not peeking into the baths, right?

(No, do not worry,) Kohaku responded to my silent question. (Normally, spirits value the commands of the humans they coexist with above all else. If we ask for them to divulge their master’s secrets without reason, they won’t disclose them so carelessly. Information pertaining to a Royal Spirit’s forest is different, however.)

When Kohaku held out her hand toward Lord Jean, his wind spirit floated onto her palm.

(Your two spirit beasts have lived with you for a long time. As you did not destroy the spirit forest directly, as you said, I will allow you to keep them. But you will never receive another spirit again. Now that I think about it... Powell, you were aware too, were you not?)

“Yes, Your Sacred Majesty...” Duke Powell straightened up in his chair as he bowed his head.

(I have heard you fought against having the forest destroyed and were banished to the provincial regions as a result. You appear to be doting on your spirit beasts too, I see.) Judging from Kohaku’s smile, she was well aware of the duke’s names for his spirits. (The question of succession is one I leave to you humans. However, Jean, I forbid you from ever approaching Arlon Falls.)

Whoever became the central representative on the emperor’s behalf would gain power among the people through their ability to visit the Spirit Queen. Their bonds with the margraves would also strengthen. Nowadays, no one would accept an emperor who was unable to visit the Spirit Queen.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, and the guard who had left earlier entered.

“What did you find out?” I asked.

With everyone’s gazes zeroed in on him, he spoke, face pale, “Two servers took their own lives at the end of the hallway with the same poison that was found on the rim of Duke Goodfollow’s cup. Um... Among their belongings was a bangle used by those of the Nicodemean faith.”

“What?!”

In other words, those of us friendly with the spirits were targeted by followers of Nicodemus?!

“And among the nobles who were killed, some had a diamond-shaped birthmark on the back of their hands!”

“They were Pendelusian?!”

“So the reason the Bantock faction had absolutely no interest in the spirits was because of ties to Pendelus...”

Does that mean that the nation and religion that view the spirits as enemies had infiltrated the faction that tried to turn the second prince into their ally? That’s terrifying.

If we hadn’t discovered this now, what kind of fate would have awaited the empire...?

“Ruri... Did you know?” I asked.

(To some extent. Since they lacked spirits, it was difficult to obtain information about them.)

(That’s why we’re here.) After lightly patting Ruri’s shoulder as he stood there looking apologetic, Suoh ruffled my hair. (Stop focusing so much on the negative.)

“So the Dalimore faction assassinated the Bantock faction, Lord Jean tried to manipulate the Dalimore faction, followers of Nicodemus tried to kill the nobles with spirits, and at some point, Pendelusians became part of the Bantock faction?”

This was all getting so complicated. How many sides were there to this struggle?

(They were at the pinnacle of power.) Kohaku shrugged. (Show even the slightest opening and someone out there will exploit it.)

(Putting aside such complicated matters, I simply don’t like a man who would try to assassinate children.)

At Hisui’s words, I gave an enthusiastic nod of agreement.

Epilogue

It had been a long day. I was exhausted, but the adults were still deep in discussion in the other room. It had been decided that the crown prince would now officially succeed to the throne, but there were still several other matters that had to be ruled on: the future of Her Majesty and the general, the punishment for Lord Jean, and how to deal with the surviving members of the Bantock faction.

We children were told we could go home early since we had my meal to attend, but after witnessing such a bloody scene, we weren’t exactly in the mood to celebrate and make merry. I’d prepared an oceanside terrace where we could eat some delicious seafood grilled right in front of us, but no one was reaching for any of it.

“Here. Eat.”

A plate clattered down in front of me. It held plump, freshly grilled shrimp seasoned with tartar sauce.

“It’s delicious. Trust me.” Douglas was proudly serving the food. Marquess Carlisle had thought we might feel a little unsafe with just us girls, so he’d told his son to join us.

“You’re allowed to eat too, you know,” Alan called out to him.

“Hey, it’s not like I was at the tea party—I’ve still got tons of energy. Don’t worry about me. They told me to stay at home ’cause I’m the eldest son, y’see, so...”

“You shouldn’t feel guilty about that.”

As my brother said, Douglas had no reason to feel guilty. It was natural for a noble family to not want to lose their eldest son. Any eldest sons who’d participated that day, other than Chris, had been adults. Even Lord Derrick was only a third son.

“I... I wasn’t there either,” Lady Karla said.

“Neither was I! Father insisted that I not go,” Lady Ethel also piped up.

Lady Karla had been devastated to hear that the girl she had introduced me to—one of the counts’ daughters who had canceled on me—had been murdered. Count Mylar was very overprotective of Lady Ethel, so in her case, it wasn’t a surprise that she hadn’t been allowed to attend. There was no need for any of them to feel guilty just because they had been somewhere safe. I’d have preferred for the other children to have been allowed to remain somewhere safe themselves.

Ugh, as the host of this gathering, I’ve gotta be the one to get a grip already!

Slapping my cheeks with my palms to psych myself up, I wolfed down the tartar-sauce-covered shrimp.

“It’s delicious!” I said. “I should be sad, but I can’t help it when it tastes this good.”

No matter what was going on in the world, humans had to eat, sleep, and keep on living. I would tenaciously cling to life without hesitation, no matter what.

“All of you should give it a try,” I encouraged them. “It’s really nice.”

“Yeah... It’s nice...” Perhaps it was because of how normal the simple act of eating delicious food felt, or maybe it was just from relief, but as Irene took a bite, tears began to stream down her face.

“Irene.” Suzanna hurriedly placed a hand on her shoulder and gently soothed her.

“I asked that girl the day before the tea party why she lied to us. She said that Deir was just so full of herself, what with having Lord Chris and Lord Alan constantly doting on her,” Lady Karla said.

I froze with my fork in the shrimp. What the hell had she wanted me to do about that? I was literally their little sister. What else were they going to do?

“Oh no. I don’t get how girls think at all,” I admitted.

“Don’t worry,” Patty said. “I don’t get it either.”

“Oh, thank you, Patty. I see why we’re friends.”

“I don’t get you sometimes either, though.”

“All right, girls. I’ve brought the salad,” Lord Derrick announced. Why was he serving food too? “I’m practically spoiled for choice with so many beautiful ladies here. Who should I converse with today?”

Oh, I see. You just want to show off for the girls, don’t you? Did you get excited when you heard how many cute girls would be here?

“Lady Suzanna, how about after this we—”

“Sorry, I’m busy right now.” She shot him down at once.

“Oh, dear sweet Lady Irene, let me comfort you too.”

“Brother, please read the room,” Patty sighed.

“You’re still cute when you frown, Patty, but it won’t make you popular with the boys.”

Damn, this boy’s got nerves of steel. Maybe that was necessary if you wanted to be popular with girls, but depending on how you looked at it, wasn’t it pretty amazing for a duke’s son to be this good-humored? If a bit annoying.

“What are you doing?” Chris walked out onto the terrace, glaring at Lord Derrick with a frigid gaze as he sat down next to me. And then with absolutely no preamble, he reported, “Her Majesty and the general will move out to a small provincial territory once they abdicate.” Such abruptness wasn’t rare when it was just my brothers and me, but he could at least consider our guests. “They won’t be treated as dukes, but as barons, and only for one generation. The baronial title can’t be passed on.”

“As barons?!”

“As the second son of a marquesal family, the general distinguished himself in the war, but then he proceeded to take the role of leadership for himself instead of ceding it to the rightful heir. He was aware of his own father’s misdeeds and yet turned a blind eye. He deserves to be stripped of all titles. However, he is still popular with the people. Whatever the case, he will remain as a figurehead for the time being, so on the surface, nothing will change for now.”

“What will happen to the Powell faction now?” Alan asked. He’d been listening to the report, completely unfazed. Did my brothers even know the definition of hospitality?

“The Bantock faction has lost most of its leaders, and evidence of corruption and misconduct has surfaced. Now that the number of nobles stationed in the central region has decreased, the Powell faction will be allowed to return. That said, Duke Powell has taken a liking to his current domain, given its exceptional silk production, but he has also long served the crown prince. Therefore, he is being granted land both in the central region and in the provinces. Excuse me—going to take one of these shrimp.”

“That’s mine,” Douglas grumbled from where he was standing next to Alan, munching away on shrimp and other shellfish.

“Chris, Douglas is technically still a guest, you know?” I scolded him. “Here, have one of mine.”

“Thank you, Deir.”

“Hey, why are you both so cold to me?” Although he was complaining, Douglas was really a good guy. I felt like I could become great friends with him.

“What happened to Lord Jean?” I asked.

“They still haven’t come to a decision. Since he was involved in an attempted assassination of the prince and the mass murder of the Bantock faction, he’ll probably be executed, but...”

“But?”

“Lord Jean’s spirit beasts have been with him for a long time, haven’t they? They asked Queen Kohaku to carry out the sentence herself, by returning them and Jean to sand.”

“I see...”

How had Lord Jean felt, hearing such a request come from his spirits?

“However, publicly, this whole incident will be treated as a terrorist attack carried out by the followers of Nicodemus. All of you should make sure to corroborate that story.”

“Is it really a good idea to let it become public knowledge that the Nicodemean faith has infiltrated the palace?” Lord Derrick asked. I was surprised to hear him get involved in this sort of conversation. So he isn’t just chasing skirts all the time.

Honestly, I was amazed that the boys were able to just chow down even after witnessing such a horrific scene. Maybe they were trying to put on a brave face for us girls, but even that was incredible.

“It’s better than having to say that the younger brother of the empress just poisoned a whole party’s worth of people all to eliminate a rival faction. We can use this incident to ban the faith within the empire. You know how we were holding our discussion in a separate room? There were several Bantock guards nearby, but they weren’t privy to what we discussed. They did see the bodies of the Nicodemeans who had committed suicide, though, so rumors are already spreading that they were the ones behind all of this.”

The Way of Nicodemus was the national religion of Pendelus, right? In other words, this whole incident was tied to them in some way. Looks like Little Wiki isn’t getting a break anytime soon.

“Oh, just look at me. Now my hands are shaking,” Lady Monica muttered under her breath, holding down her right hand with her left.

It wasn’t just her. All of us were struggling to get any more food down our throats.

“All right!” I declared, raising my right hand into the air. “Rather than try to force this down, I say it’s time we ate sweets. I have a really fluffy carpet specially rolled out in a separate room just for today, so let’s set up a whole bunch of cushions, get comfy, and eat some yummy sweets while we have a good cry!” At my enthusiastic declaration, the girls all stood up at once, as if they’d been waiting for this moment.

“I’m going to take home what I haven’t finished,” said Irene.

“Sorry, but we’ll be leaving first,” Patty called to the boys.

“I’ll have something to eat tomorrow morning,” said Monica with a smile.

The boys watched in stunned silence as we all left for the other room.

Unfortunately, one night of crying wouldn’t be enough to heal the mental scars of that day. It had been a traumatic experience. In which case, if it ever got to be too much for any of us again, we would all just meet back up and have more delicious food together. A woman’s source of happiness was surely the same whether here or back in Japan. Then I’ll get stronger and more beautiful, and then...

I would fall in love!

I really will, you know? I’m not going to stay single forever.

The shadow of Nicodemus loomed dangerously overhead, but I had the Royal Spirits on my side.

Deirdre’s adventure is only just beginning!

Irene: A Turning Point

Watching my lady-in-waiting arrange my hair and apply my makeup before an outing always left me feeling depressed. Most girls in the central region with red hair had a slightly wavy texture that looked gorgeous even without tying it up, but my hair was unusually straight, always lying flat and looking unkempt. My face was so plain that only my red eyes really stood out.

I was jealous of people like Suzanna, with her beautiful platinum-colored hair. She was the daughter of a marquess, so our social standing was already entirely different, and she was renowned for her beauty. She had a distinctively kind-looking face with large blue eyes that dipped downward at the outer corners. Even though at nine years old she was the same age as me, she looked so much more mature, and it made her extremely popular. But because she was so straightforward and dependable, I was relieved we would be going to the academy together next year.

It was a shame we would be in different dorms. I was the daughter of a count with only farmland to our name, so there was no dorm for our domain. Although Suzanna and I were both nobility, our difference in political standing was vast. There was a huge gulf between a count and a marquess, margrave, or duke. Dukes were relatives of the imperial family, and marquesses and margraves were permitted to maintain armies. Plus, all three ranks bestowed the right to request the granting of other noble titles by Her Majesty, and due to the vast territories they held, they would use this right to entrust some of their lands to others.

Right now, however, the margravial family of Kolkett had no children close to the princes in age, and since the highest-ranking noble who served them was a viscount, they had no children who could attend the classes or salons only permitted to high-ranking nobility. As a result, they were unable to build connections at the academy—where the princes and the children of high-ranking nobility gathered—that could be useful in the future. My family had a working relationship with the margravial family of Kolkett, and the family of Count Rahner were their relatives. And so, Kolkett was asking us to stay in their dorm.

Suzanna was the daughter of a marquess, and since they had their own domain, they had their own dorm. She had invited me to join her, but her father was friends with Margrave Kolkett, so it likely wouldn’t be possible.

Actually, now that I thought about it, Lord Deryl was Count Rahner’s son. He was the boy that had been glued to Lady Deirdre’s side, wasn’t he? He’d never shut up if he knew I was friends with her, and that just sounded annoying.

Margrave Kolkett had asked me to become friends with Lady Deirdre back then, and I’d tried to have a conversation with her during the meal the day before they went to visit Queen Hisui, but she had been completely surrounded by boys the whole time; it had been impossible to talk to her.

Then, while I had been beating myself up about that, I’d suddenly received an invitation to Lady Deirdre’s meal. Father had danced a little jig from joy, if I wasn’t mistaken. Our estate boasted a great size, but the only view outside the window was a carpet of green, and horses and cattle munching away at the grass. I had thought it must be some mistake that our humble country estate had received an invitation from a young lady as distinguished as Lady Deirdre, someone whose family ranked even above a duke’s. But after all the rude things that Prince Eldred had said yesterday, my nerves had completely vanished, and thankfully, I’d been able to talk to everyone without fear.

The only topic I could really get enthusiastic about that was relevant to the fairy princess was the fact that I had three spirit beasts. Unfortunately, I had no fire spirit, but I’d made sure to raise the ones I did have properly. Our land was filled with more cows than people, so it seemed logical to assume we had a lot of spirits. After all, spirits tended to gather around places with lots of nature, right? And we had nothing but nature.

That had been my first time going to the palace, so I’d been so tired when I returned that I’d gone straight to sleep. But it seemed everyone had been having some very difficult conversations while I had been in bed. Father had been out late with Margrave Kolkett, but early this morning, he’d woken me up, face pale, and told me I must go to the branch store of FairyCo in the capital right away. Mother and I were now rushing to get ready.

The revelations hadn’t stopped there—it turned out that I had been invited to the second prince’s tea party too. How did some country bumpkins like us get invited to a prince’s birthday party?

“And you’re ready,” said my attendant. “Now, you must hurry and go. Your lady mother is waiting for you.”

“Are they sure I’ve been invited as well?”

I would be the only count’s daughter there. Everyone else would be of marquesal rank or higher.

“Irene, we have an arranged time to use the teleportation array, so let us hurry,” mother urged me.

Our family boasted a long history, so the fact that our manor had its own teleportation array was something we could be proud of. I’d never seen it used this many times in one day, though.

“Do we really need to bring so much with us?” I asked.

“I’ve been told that both FairyCo and several famous shops from the capital will be sending seamstresses to adjust our clothes all at once,” mother explained. “After all, it would be far too difficult for them to make new dresses from scratch in two days, right?”

Is there no option to not attend the tea party? I feel like I’m getting wrapped up in something big.

We teleported to the smallest teleportation chamber in the palace. Never mind the size, though—apparently, this place had been reserved exclusively for Margrave Belisario’s use for several hours. The idea of renting out one of the three teleportation chambers in the imperial palace was so baffling that I could barely comprehend it.

“Lady Regan and Lady Irene?” The person who addressed us as we entered the antechamber was a slender young man with blue hair and glasses. “Please forgive us calling you out here with such little advance notice. I am Nick Spencer of FairyCo. I have come to collect you under Lady Deirdre’s orders.”

FairyCo was a logistics company founded by Margrave Belisario’s family. Their spirit carriages were already lucrative enough, but then they’d gone on to develop their own brand of underwear that could be worn in place of a corset. On top of that, they’d even opened a café in the capital where one could enjoy Belisario tea with desserts that could not be eaten anywhere else. We’d been invited to the branch shop connected to that café.

Since this young man was permitted to be here, it was likely he was a noble as well. I’d heard most visitors to the store were nobles, so if the employees hadn’t also been nobles, they’d have had no idea what the correct etiquette was. He smoothly swooped in to take our luggage from the maid and set off briskly and gracefully.

“It will take about ten minutes by spirit carriage to reach the store,” he told us as we followed after.

“All right.”

“Nick, hang on a second.”

Lord Nick stopped and turned around when someone in the bustling hallway called his name.

“Ah, Lord Elton,” Lord Nick said. “Thank you for all your assistance.”

Prince Andrew’s retainer, whom I’d met at the celebratory party yesterday, came striding up. He had hair of a similar platinum color to the Belisarios’—perhaps they were of the same ethnic group, given that they were neighbors. His eyes were a deep green, and even though having a position by the crown prince’s side made him the elite of the elite, he never held himself with arrogance; he always had a very gentle air about him. His earth and water spirits fluttered about by his side, and there were always dimples in his cheeks when he smiled. I shouldn’t have been thinking this about someone older, but I couldn’t help but view him as rather cute.

“Could you give this to Chris?” Lord Elton asked.

“Of course,” replied Lord Nick.

“Thanks.” And then he noticed mother and me. “Oh, Lady Regan, Lady Irene. I forgot you were visiting FairyCo. Excuse my intrusion.”

How did he know? Had Lord Elton also been at the meeting last night?

“No, not at all,” mother reassured him. “Was that all you needed?”

“Yes, my lady. Do be careful—spirit carriages are quite fast.”

After exchanging a few words with my mother, Lord Elton gave a small nod in farewell and then looked at me.

I take back what I said. His cuteness must have been my imagination. His eyes are so sharp.

I quietly gave a small nod and began to walk past, but then—

“Lady Irene.”

He called out to me. I stopped and turned, and he was right there next to me.

Whoa, he’s so tall. He was around the same age as Prince Andrew, wasn’t he? That meant he mustn’t have been that much older than me, yet he seemed so grown-up.

“You will be going to the dinner as well, yes?”

“Yes, that is my intention.” I would be attending Prince Eldred’s tea party in the afternoon, going to Lady Deirdre’s meal in the evening, and then staying over in Belisario. I was excited to see the castle there.

“My younger sister, Elda, will be joining as well. Please look out for her. I’ve heard there will be only three daughters of counts there.”

“I feel just as relieved knowing there will be other girls of similar standing attending the meal. I look forward to meeting her.”

His face became so kind when he spoke about his sister. It was natural that everyone wore different faces at different times, but I wondered how I looked to those around me.

“Have you ever been to Belisario before?” he asked.

“No, it’ll be my first time.”

“It’s a wonderful place,” Lord Elton told me. “The view from the castle of the town and the ocean below is beautiful.”

“The ocean?!” I cried. “I completely forgot they were by the sea. It’ll be my first time seeing that as well.”

That reminder suddenly made me so excited. That’s right. I’ll get to see the sea!

“I’m glad you’ll get the opportunity, then,” he said. “Please look forward to it.”

My reaction to talk of the ocean had made him smile—perhaps he found it a little funny. His dimples really were cute.

I wish I had a big brother like this.

“Irene.”

I watched Lord Elton go in a daze and then jumped when I was suddenly addressed. When I turned to look, Lord Nick and my mother were standing quite a ways farther down the hallway. I quickly caught up with them, my face red with embarrassment. For some reason, mother looked happy.

“This way,” said Lord Nick.

The spirit carriage that had been prepared for us was quite large. The crest of Belisario and the logo of FairyCo were emblazoned on the side of it. Once Lord Nick escorted us inside, I saw that it was rather spacious, with comfortable seats. It felt like entering a room inside a building.

“Lord Elton is a wonderful boy, isn’t he?” mother remarked.

“Yes. He’s completely different from my brother.”

My brother was two years older than me, and he was obsessed with cows. I remembered one occasion when he and father had a long conversation about how changing the cows’ feed altered the taste of their milk. When Lady Deirdre visited the Kolkett estate, his opinion had been, “She’s cute, but she’s nothing special...” My parents had immediately begun to fear that he would never find a partner or that perhaps he preferred men. But the moment he’d learned that Lady Deirdre had developed cheesecake with the chefs of FairyCo, his eyes had immediately lit up as he became determined to sell our milk to her.

Mother sighed. “Why does that boy only have cows on his mind? Well, I suppose him taking a liking to them will aid our business, so in that regard, it’s a great help, but...”

“That doesn’t mean he can just try and push his milk sales in front of noble young ladies,” I pointed out.

“Absolutely. Wait, no, that wasn’t what I wanted to talk about. I was talking about Lord Elton.”

Lord Elton? Did mother also think his dimples were wonderful? Wait, huh?

“Mother, we’re already beyond the palace grounds.”

“What?” She stared out the window. “When did we start moving?”

The spirit carriage didn’t shake at all. Before I knew it, we were out of the palace grounds and into the city. While they were used here and there these days, spirit carriages were still rare enough that we became the center of attention as we trundled down the city streets.

“This is the branch store? It’s so lavish.” I’d thought that all shops would have entrances right on the street, but it seemed the capital worked differently. Here, you went through a gate to a big space with a fountain in the center where carriages lined up in front of the building. There was also a path to one side for people who came on foot. “It’s so crowded too.”

Our spirit carriage passed right by the line of horse-drawn carriages and proceeded to the side of the building. There was a parking space for carriages there too. The magnificent doors to the building opened, and someone stepped out.

“Rex, could you carry their belongings, please?” Lord Nick called out to the young man.

“Of course. Let them right through to the back. The measuring has already started.”

As our carriage had stopped on a side street, customers were peeking at us from the corner of the building. I must admit, I felt a sense of superiority as I was politely assisted off the carriage by Lord Nick and escorted inside. But beyond that, my hands were trembling because I had no idea why things had turned out this way.

“Watch your step here. It’s okay. Everyone’s going to be in the room with you,” Lord Nick kindly tried to reassure me after noticing my trembling. But the ones waiting for me were ducal daughters and Belisario’s fairy princess.

This was bizarre. This wasn’t the sort of treatment that matched someone who spent her days gazing at livestock.

“This way.”

“This is...the branch store?” I unconsciously muttered in amazement. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Lord Nick put a hand to his mouth to hold back a laugh.

“This store is actually more luxurious than the main store,” he explained. “The main store is designed to suit a summer resort, with white as the base color and accents of blue and orange.”

“Oh, I see. Is that where you usually are, Lord Nick?”

“No, I am usually situated in our headquarters located in an annex within Belisario Castle. That location isn’t just for trade—we handle planning and product development there too, so it’s three times larger than even this store.”

That would have made it even larger than our manor. Was the Belisarios’ castle as large as the imperial palace?

“This is the area reserved for invited guests.”

Beyond a heavy door lay a world far more luxurious than my own. The high ceiling was painted with a starry sky and illuminated by small magic crystal lamps placed near the tops of the walls. The floor was covered by an intricately woven carpet.

“Welcome, everyone!”

At the end of a hallway, Lady Deirdre, her beautiful hair left untied, welcomed us with arms outstretched. Though the deep green of her dress would usually have been too dark for a child, the sheer brightness of the glimmering silver hair flowing down her chest made the color look absolutely gorgeous on her. I was jealous.

“Nick, Rex, boys aren’t allowed beyond this point, so leave their things here, please. Gemma, carry them inside. Now, come, come.”

Lady Deirdre took my hand and tugged me into a different large room. Sunlight streamed through the huge, arched windows, brightening the room even without any artificial lighting. Several mannequins dressed in regal dresses were lined up inside.

“Miss Aurelia, we now have everyone,” Lady Deirdre reported.

“Oh my, what another adorable pair,” one of the seamstresses marveled. “This job really has been so worth it.”

“My lady, is it really all right for us to cut this dress?” another seamstress asked.

“Cut it right up!” she enthusiastically approved.

Some people were taking measurements, others were unpacking the dresses everyone had brought and sorting them into colors, and yet others were sewing right here on the spot. They’d gathered this many people just for us?!

Everyone’s mothers were gracefully drinking tea and enjoying a nice chat nearby. My mother had told me she was really motivated to take advantage of this chance to make friends and form new connections.

I felt relieved upon seeing a familiar face in Suzanna and rushed over to her. A seamstress was holding up different kinds of lace against her body.

“Irene, did you come here by spirit carriage?” she asked when I approached.

“Suzanna, um, is it really okay for me to be here?”

“Of course it is,” she answered at once. “Oh, I see... You’re too busy worrying about being from a count’s family again, aren’t you? Look, Lady Ethel of House Mylar and Lady Elda of House Bliss are right over there.”

Lady Elda? Lord Elton’s younger sister? Given what he’d said earlier, he might not have been aware that his sister was here. He was living in the capital as the crown prince’s retainer.

“Lady Irene? Count Regan’s daughter?”

The girl who very excitedly ran up to me had red hair, so it seemed natural to assume that this was Lady Ethel. She was a young lady with slanted eyes and the gorgeous wavy red hair that I so envied.

“Thank goodness,” she breathed out in relief. “I don’t know anyone else here other than Lady Karla, and I had no idea what I was going to do if there were only ladies of ducal rank present.”

“I was nervous for the exact same reason,” I admitted.

“I think you would get along with Deir, though, Lady Ethel,” came a new voice.

Walking up to us side by side with Lady Deirdre came a slender young lady with beautiful golden hair. Her eyes seemed to resemble Lord Elton’s. Ah, and she had dimples when she smiled too.

“I agree,” Lady Deirdre said, smiling around the circle. “The speed at which you walked just now was far from ordinary. Oh, right. Please, all of you just call me Deir from now on.”

Right, father had told me that. For our safety, we were to call her Lady Deir. I’d heard that high-ranking noble ladies were often at risk of harm, but did that really apply to me too?

“You really do have such beautiful eyes,” Lady Elda suddenly said.

“Excuse me?”

My eyes widened in surprise as Lady Elda suddenly peered into my face. This girl’s skin was very smooth, by the way. Since she had an oval face, a small nose, and big eyes, she looked a lot younger than everyone else here. But her eyes resembled Lord Elton’s greatly, and she gave the impression of a very studious and intelligent young lady.

“Your red eyes,” she clarified. “They’re so mystical.”

“Oh no, that’s not true. I wish I had the blue of your eyes, Lady Elda...”

“My brother spoke to me about meeting all of you at yesterday’s celebration party,” Lady Elda continued. “He said that there was another young lady apart from us that was also the child of a count, so he hoped he’d be able to get the chance to talk to you. ‘She was a wonderful young lady with very beautiful red eyes,’ he told me.”

“Oh my.”

“Elton’s actually quite a shy boy, isn’t he?” Lady Deir remarked.

I felt my face go bright red. It was flaming hot. I’d never thought I would be complimented because of the eyes I so hated. Suzanna was giving me teasing jabs with her elbow, nearly knocking me over.

“Okay, you’re up next. Quick, take your clothes off.” The work never stopped even as we stood chatting, and before I could say a word, I was whisked away by some of the older ladies and swiftly stripped of my dress.

“Such beautiful hair,” one of the ladies was saying. “It’s so silky smooth. Why not curl this part here to add some volume and then add a small flower accessory?”

“You look very mature, so I think a darker color would suit you,” said another.

“How about this?” Lady Deir asked as she brought over a dress of royal purple fabric with silver embroidery. “We could cut this bit here and add some white lace.”

“That sounds wonderful. But is it really okay?” one of the seamstresses asked.

“It’s fine,” Lady Deir said. “It’s one of my mother’s old dresses.”

What?! A dress from Lady Belisario herself?!

“Pa-Pa-Pardon?” I squeaked.

“Papa?”

“You absolutely cannot use that,” I objected. “Not for someone of my status.”

“But it’ll suit you,” Lady Deir countered. “They’re going to make three dresses for everyone. We’ll make a dress for the tea party first, and then we’ll deliver the rest once they’re ready.”

What is going on here? They were cutting up a dress far more expensive than any I owned right in front of my eyes...

Lady Deir immediately moved on. “Ethel, how would you feel about this one?”

“I won’t even be attending the tea party, and I already had a dress made for me,” Lady Ethel replied.

“Then you can have one more,” said Lady Deir. “You’ll outgrow your dresses before you know it anyway.”

“Whose is that?”

“Patty’s.”

“Lady Patricia’s dress?!” Lady Ethel turned pale at being handed a ducal daughter’s dress.

Yeah, it really is nice to have someone in the same boat as you. It helped me calm down.

Once all the fitting was done, we sat down for some tea and cheesecake and had a chat.

Lady Monica had such beautiful honey-blonde hair, and she was so pretty that she looked like a doll. She also seemed a bit concerned about how tall she was despite being younger than Suzanna and me, but I really didn’t think she was that much bigger.

“Is it really that strange? Both of Their Highnesses are quite tall, given who their father is, and so is Lord Alan,” Suzanna reassured her gently, a hand to her cheek. Having my longtime friend here was such a relief.

“Exactly. Many of the boys are already very tall, so I don’t think you need to worry yourself over it,” Lady Ethel added.

“Um... By the way, what are you doing, exactly?” I asked. For the past while, Lady Ethel had been standing behind me, braiding and then unbraiding my hair over and over.

“I can’t help it,” she replied. “Your hair is just so easy to play with. It’s really pretty. Duke Rampling has hair just as straight. I’ve always envied it.”

“The lord duke? Yesterday was the first time I’d been to the palace, so...”

“I’d also only caught a glimpse of him before, when we went to stay at Marquess Johannes’s domain over the summer,” Lady Ethel said. “I talked with Karla then too about how jealous I was of his hair.”

“Ethel, you’re talking casually again,” Lady Deir pointed out.

“Oh...”

“I’ve decided. I’ll definitely get along well with you, Lady Ethel,” she declared. Lady Ethel forced a tight, nervous smile onto her face when Lady Deir gripped her arm warmly. Lady Deir didn’t seem to have any self-awareness of the fact, but while “fairy princess” might have just been a nickname, we really saw her as something akin to an actual princess.

“Lady Irene, Nick told me that you spoke with Elton at the palace earlier.”

Lady Elda and Lady Karla both looked surprised at Lady Deir’s statement.

“Oh my. My brother finally tried to approach you?” Lady Elda asked.

“He’s a lot more forward than he looks sometimes,” pointed out Lady Karla. “How else would he have become His Highness’s retainer?”

House Johannes, which Lady Karla belonged to, and House Bliss, which Lady Elda and Lord Elton belonged to, were in neighboring domains, I believed. Such dark green hair was rather rare in Azelia, so I remembered seeing Lady Karla occasionally at tea parties. I was delighted to finally become acquainted with her properly like this, but could it be that Lady Karla and Lord Elton were close?

“What? Um...did I do something I wasn’t supposed to?” I couldn’t help but turn pale.

“No, not at all,” Lady Karla assured me.

“Oh, good.”

“However,” she added, “while there is no reason to fear Lord Elton, given that he is a wonderful young man serving as the retainer of the crown prince and is also Lady Elda’s older brother and a close family friend, you should be careful of any other men who try to get close to you.”

“Huh?”

“Lady Karla, Irene does not think very highly of herself and seems to view herself as nothing but a country bumpkin, so she is lacking in self-awareness.” Suzanna appeared to have understood what Lady Karla was implying and was regarding me with exasperation. “Look over there.” She pointed at the table where our parents were. “Becoming friends with just one person here is enough to give you the chance to become friends with everyone at that table, you know?”

“Yes, exactly,” Lady Deir chimed in. “We’re forming the strongest army of mama bears in the country.”

“Mama bears?”

I didn’t fully get it, but I did get it. Even though our family were rural nobility, becoming friends with high-ranking noble girls could lead to me becoming acquainted with their parents—the lords of their domains.

“N-No, really, why am I here?”

I understood Lady Ethel’s presence, given that her family owned the most fertile land at the southernmost point of the empire, and I understood Lady Elda, given that their family was close to influential nobles. But what about me?

“Well, because of your milk and butter, of course,” Lady Deir declared matter-of-factly.

“What?”

“Lady Deir, you shouldn’t be so direct,” Lady Karla admonished her.

Lady Deir tilted her head in confusion. “But it’s the truth. FairyCo would love to become closer with the Regans, not just for trade, but to jointly develop new products too.”

Was I dreaming? Would father be so overjoyed when I told him that he’d collapse from happiness?

“So? What did you think of him, Lady Irene?” Lady Patricia’s eyes were sparkling brightly as she sought a response from me. The one I’d always thought was so beautiful and strong-willed that I’d never be able to get anywhere near her now seemed so much more endearing. She seemed excited by discussions of love.

Wait, love? She didn’t even say that. Why am I assuming such things?

“I’m not sure what to say.”

“My brother is awfully plain,” Lady Elda said with a knowing nod.

“Um, Lord Elton had a message to pass on to Lord Chris,” I said. “That was it. He wasn’t there for me or anything.”

“Oh my, but your face is bright red.” Suzanna gleefully poked my cheeks. We’d spoken a lot about boys flirting with her—this topic being brought up in relation to me was a first, though.

“It’s because you’re all teasing her so much,” said Lady Deir.

“I’m not teasing,” Lady Ethel countered. “If you do not mind, Lady Irene, perhaps I, or Lady Deir, or even Lady Elda could tell Lord Elton that you were overjoyed to hear that he likes your eyes. He’ll definitely make his move after that. There’s no better opportunity than this.”

Was it that serious? Lady Karla and Lady Elda were both staring at me so intensely. It was kind of scary.

“That’s true. You’re both of the same social status, you’re friends with his sister, and since Lord Elton lives in the central region, it would be a positive for him to have a red-haired wife.”

Even Suzanna was encouraging it now? I whipped my head from side to side. “Isn’t this the kind of thing you talk about once you start attending school?” I desperately asked. “I’m still only nine.”

“The most wonderful gentlemen will quickly be accounted for,” Lady Monica pointed out.

“Personally, I hope the princes decide on their partners soon,” said Lady Karla. “If they don’t, my parents will never listen to me.”

“I agree,” said Lady Patricia with a nod.

Now that I think about it, everyone here has the potential to become empress, huh?

“Just tell me if you aren’t interested in my brother, okay?” Lady Elda said. “You have so many good qualities that you will likely have many potential suitors, so the sooner you can secure an engagement, the better.”

“No, really, we just briefly ran into each other,” I assured her.

“I will leave it at that then.”

Lady Elda is as adorable as she is terrifying. She just takes the conversation and runs with it if you aren’t careful.

“Irene, everyone here is wonderful, but don’t treat them like the spoiled, airheaded young ladies that you usually find,” Suzanna warned me. “They’re high-ranking nobles and personally selected by the fairy princess. You might find yourself swept up in their ways before you know it.”

“Oh, come now, Lady Suzanna,” Lady Elda objected. “We’d never treat our friends like that.”

“Exactly,” chimed in Lady Patricia. “We’ll make sure to discuss things with her just as we did now.”

“But Elton’s so uncommunicative...”

“Lady Deir, I don’t understand what you’re trying to say.”

All lives have a turning point, and that day was undoubtedly mine.

Two days later, after an incident that shook the whole empire, my father was appointed to a surprising role, rumors spread that the eight of us girls were close, and I became far more famous.

I never could have imagined back then that I would one day long for those old days spent gazing at cattle.

The New Chancellor: A Pain in the Stomach

The imperial palace had been filled with restless energy all day—it was impossible for anyone to stay still. I knew the reason: The Belisarios would be visiting the palace today for a tea party with Her Imperial Majesty.

Margrave Belisario had been appointed as the minister of the newly formed Bureau of Spirit Affairs. Previously, requests for spirit lectures would go directly to the March of Belisario, and then the children would be sent out. All of it now went through the new division.

Had things been left as they were, the number of noble houses indebted to Belisario would have only continued increasing. Even now, the Belisarios’ authority and power were at the level of a ducal family’s. It was far too dangerous to allow a margravial family with connections to neighboring countries to have so much sway. However, due to the existence of the fairy princess, it was practically impossible for anyone to put in a word of complaint.

That said, both the lord and lady of Belisario seemed to be taking it all in stride, handling everything without much changing their attitudes. The margravial couple were renowned for their beauty and were all the more popular for it, but they had been attending far fewer soirees as of late. Their recently established logistics company was doing well, and even Lady Belisario was enthusiastically contributing to the business.

“Chancellor Thackeray,” someone called out from behind me—I recognized him from his voice alone.

I turned around to look at my deputy, Viscount Heyward. “Ah, of course. You were born in Belisario, weren’t you?”

“Yes, my lord,” he said. “I’ve come to see the rumored princess my family can’t stop talking about.”

“There’s quite the crowd here to see her.”

“It’s laughable how those in possession of spirit beasts are trying so hard to flaunt them.”

Many citizens of the central region had acquired spirits before the debacle with the forest. I had also already acquired two spirits from the forest near my home, and I had always taken great care of them. However, until Belisario’s fairy princess had informed the masses that spirits required mana from their masters to grow, a great number of spirits had been neglected and had started to fade—if they hadn’t already faded completely. The majority of those who had materialized spirit beasts either worked in a job that required the use of magic or had been born with large mana capacities and had managed to keep their spirits because of that; it was not as though they were the only ones taking good care of them, yet they all acted so full of themselves.

“I have heard that in Belisario, the people are warned to keep their spirit beasts at a smaller size, as they can block the paths if they remain too large,” Heyward said. “It is polite over there to only have them take a bigger size in designated areas or outdoors, and even then, only up to the size of a cat.”

“Are there that many spirit beasts over there?” I asked.

“I would say it’s rarer to find a Belisario noble who doesn’t have a spirit,” he explained. “It’s now a given that knights and soldiers have several. There are even commoners who have their own.”

But...does this not mean that a difference in even military strength is starting to show now? Much of the central nobility seem to hardly view this as a threat since up to now, Belisario has primarily been known for their naval forces, but this is not good at all.

As a result of the arrest of all of Chancellor Dalimore’s aides and assistants following his fall from power, I—someone who had avoided involvement with the man due to being from a different faction—had been thrust into his former position. But surely there were better choices than me? My recent hair loss was almost certainly due to the stressful work.

There were three teleportation chambers in the palace. One of those had been completely reserved for the margrave and his family for the moment. The red lamp that announced their arrival switched on, and people started frantically going in and out of the one open side of the large, double-doored entrance; they must have gone to report to Her Majesty that the Belisarios had arrived.

Then, after about five minutes had passed, two knights wearing the same garb—most likely the Belisarios’ bodyguards—took up positions on either side of the doors and thrust their sheathed blades against the floor, their hands resting on the hilts. The next moment, their swords were enveloped in a red light while their bodies were shrouded in yellow and blue lights. The crowd in the hall audibly marveled at the sight. Given that both knights had wind spirits fluttering by their shoulders, they must’ve been omnielemental spirit wielders, with three sword spirits apiece.

“Heyward,” I called out. “Is that a regular sight over in Belisario?”

“Of course not. They’ve almost certainly selected the best of the best for this visit. How could there possibly be that many people with four spirits?”

Maybe that was true for now, at least, but those numbers would only increase.

The next two figures to appear were the margrave and his wife. Lady Belisario, wearing a simple dress suited to an occasion as small as a private tea party, was so beautiful that it was hard to believe she was a mother to three children. Meanwhile, Lord Belisario had long been a target of admiration for the ladies. Could they be any more blessed? Why did they need to pile up so much good fortune?

The next to appear was...their second son, perhaps? I believed his name was Alan. I’d heard he was eight years old, but he was already such a tall boy. He might even have been taller than their elder son. His short auburn hair was the same color as the previous margrave of Belisario’s. The boy also had a water spirit floating by his shoulder. As he stepped forward to avoid getting in the way of his brother and sister, his body was suddenly enveloped in yellow and green lights while his sword was enveloped in a red light, similar to the guards’...

Wait. He has a sword?

“Chancellor, it appears the margrave wishes to speak to you,” Heyward pointed out.

When I looked up, the margrave was indeed gazing over at me with an expression of extreme chagrin.

“I must apologize, Chancellor,” were his first words.

“No, pay it no mind. What is the problem?”

“This is my children’s first time visiting the palace, and already there are this many people gathered to see them. The spirits are acting of their own accord to try and protect them.”

They can act without orders?!

“Our guards did not intend to put on such a display,” he continued, “but there are no doubt people in the crowd with negative feelings toward us. The spirits are sensitive enough to detect such animosity.”

So that wasn’t done on purpose. I had almost started to think that such displays were the norm for their bodyguards.

“It appears the massive crowd is putting the spirits on edge. Increase security and hold them back so no incidents occur,” I ordered my aides and the soldiers standing nearby.

“Yes, sir.”

There were already three rows of people lined up against the walls and watching with intense curiosity, but the hall we stood in now was a large atrium, open to the third story—many more people were peeking down from the upper floors. Their behavior was clearly abnormal. It was easy to see why the spirits would move to protect their masters.

“Chris and Deir are explaining the situation to their spirits right now,” Margrave Belisario said.

“Father,” the man’s son called as he walked up to us.

“Oh, Alan. Did they sort things out?”

“They will manifest in their travel sizes. If they remain in their spirit forms, there is a risk that they may abruptly manifest and attack if someone approaches too suddenly.”

“What a mess,” the margrave sighed. “I didn’t expect so many people to gather.”

The fairy princess beloved by the Royal Spirits had never once shown herself in public before. The rumors about her had been spreading for more than two years now—it was a given that many would want to see her for themselves. Most who had come to observe were either nobles who wanted to use their spirit beasts as a way to get close to the Belisario family, or valets and ladies-in-waiting who had come at the behest of their masters.

While the crowd had been calm at first, upon seeing the light encasing the guards—and believing it a practiced display—everyone had become far more excited...and then Alan had appeared right after. They’d reacted as though a famous actor had just taken the stage.

A large number of imperial guards arrived and lined up in front of the onlookers to prevent them from approaching the margravial family. With that, everything finally calmed down, and Alan returned to the other side of the doors before coming back out again.

“Hang on! Stop that. I’m gonna trip over you!”

When we all followed his gaze, everyone in the hall instantly relaxed.

Four kittens had come scampering out, playing between Alan’s feet as he tried to walk. When he stopped moving, they sat down and began grooming themselves.

“Are those...?”

“They’re Chris’s spirit beasts,” the margrave told me. “They take the form of cats in their travel size, but they’re actually wild animals larger than cows.”

In front of me now were a black-and-white-striped cat, a spotted brown one, a pure black one, and a reddish-brown one—and I was to believe they were all ferocious beasts? Were all spirit beasts like this?

“Um, what is that flying black cat with the small wings?” I asked.

“My daughter’s wind spirit.”

“I see...”

“That fenrir covered in flames and that white, snakelike creature are also both my daughter’s,” the margrave added.

“I have never seen that snakelike creature before, nor have I seen that spirit beast that came out last.”

“That is a qilin,” Belisario said. “The one that looks like a snake is something called an Eastern dragon. My daughter said she saw them in a book that one of the Royal Spirits showed her.”

“Fascinating.”

I had no idea how to feel about all of this anymore. They called these “travel-sized,” but that fenrir-like beast was so big it could easily have held all of the other spirit beasts on its back.

“The largest one is the Eastern dragon,” the margrave told me. “They’re so long they could completely cover the ceiling of this hall.”

“Please, my lord, do not allow it to get any bigger than it is.”

“There is no need for you to speak formally to me, Lord Chancellor,” the margrave suddenly urged. “I am the younger between us.”

Oh no, don’t do that. Having him talk formally to me was terrifying.

I could feel my stomach starting to ache.

The remaining two Belisario children were so beautiful that it was hard to believe they were human. I’d frequently heard that Chris was exceptionally handsome—people often said that he looked exactly like one would expect from a combination of his father’s and his mother’s beauty. But remembering that he was a prodigy on top of that made me truly begin to question what was going on in the Belisario lineage.

The rumored fairy princess was the female version of that. She had platinum blonde hair and large purple eyes. It was no wonder she was beloved by the Royal Spirits.

Though...her face was entirely blank. Even a doll would have been more expressive than she was right now. I would have expected a child to be more tense and nervous, or maybe bashful—anything along those lines. Her gaze was turned slightly upward as if she were looking afar or seeing something that no one else could see. She wasn’t looking at the crowd that had gathered at all.

“I will show them the way, Chancellor.”

And then, to top it all off, the crown prince himself graced us with his presence. I had my own thoughts about him coming all this way for one of his subjects, but he must have viewed this as the perfect opportunity to publicly show the good relations between the Belisarios and the imperial family.

I would gladly have taken my leave.

“Do you have any stomach medicine?” I quietly inquired, turning to my deputy at my side.

“No, but I would like some as well,” Heyward muttered back.

Let’s just hole up in our office for a while.

I’d never imagined I would ever miss the smell of a backlog of paper and ink.

Andrew: A Secret He Would Never Tell

I rested my elbows on the balcony railing and gazed out at the distant sea. At some point, this balcony had become a place reserved especially for me, and every time I visited Belisario, this was always where I was led first.

Three years had passed since the mass poisoning of the Bantock faction. Having finished dealing with the aftermath, the empress and the general no longer resided in the capital. Yet, I still found myself permanently hypervigilant within the palace grounds.

For six years, I’d had people after my life. Never mind me, my retainers must have been completely worn out from the strain of trying to keep me safe. Had Duke Powell not managed to sneak trusted relatives in among my bodyguards, or if Margrave Belisario hadn’t ended up remaining in the imperial palace after he’d been appointed minister of the Bureau of Spirit Affairs, either Gil, Elton, or I—perhaps even all three of us—would’ve been dead.

The Bureau of Spirit Affairs had gathered spirit owners from all across the empire, so it had become common knowledge among the nobles targeted by the Bantock faction that they could flee to the bureau for safety.

Even now, the only ones I could truly trust beyond my own retainers were Duke Powell and the Belisarios. Duke Powell was willing to dedicate the rest of his life to making me ruler and rebuilding the empire from the ground up. Meanwhile, the Belisarios had absolutely no interest in gaining more power. The continued prosperity of the empire was a boon to them, and my ensuring that as the future emperor was the most convenient option for them.

Both sides wanted me to become emperor, yet their stances were practically complete opposites.

I was beginning to believe that the Belisarios were highly favored by the gods. The rate at which they birthed one extraordinary talent after another was just odd. The fairy princess was the culmination of that. As a result, their reputation among their citizens was immensely positive. Among them were those whose loyalty to the margrave was absolute, and many of said loyalists were gathered within these walls—I might have been the crown prince, but I was an outsider here.

When Chris told the staff that it was okay to leave me be, they really did leave me be. Given that they made sure I had tea and cakes before they did, though, it seemed safe to assume that they at least liked me.

I could faintly hear the waves and smell the salty ocean water.

The first time I’d seen the sea was when we’d visited Belisario after the Water King had first appeared. The powerful sun and the dry wind had been in stark contrast to the faraway capital, and I had been moved by the view of the endless ocean I’d glimpsed on my way to the lake.

The little girl I’d seen peeking out at me from behind her father had left just as much of an impression. It hadn’t been so bad for me—I’d met Chris several times, so I’d already prepared myself for her to be just as adorable—but the sight of her had been a huge shock for Eldy; he’d just stood there staring blankly at her for a while.

The silver hair falling over her forehead and cheeks had looked so fluffy and soft, and her hand had been so tiny compared to her father’s that I remembered feeling surprised. Her cherubic face had seemed like the definition of cuteness, but what had stood out even more than that were her purple eyes. When something caught her interest or when she was concentrating, she ended up blinking far less. Whenever she stared at me like that, it felt as though she were seeing right through me. It was unnerving.

Her appearance was so flawless and otherworldly that, even now, a part of me couldn’t help but suspect that she might actually be the child of a Royal Spirit and that was the real reason she had their backing.

“You’re back again?” Chris had suddenly appeared out of nowhere, and that was the first thing he’d said to me.

“You could stand to be a little nicer to me sometimes, you know.” If any of my men had been present, they would definitely have chewed him out.

But this was what the Belisarios were like.

“Did something happen?” he asked.

“Nope.”

“You liar. Let me guess: The central nobles are whining about how they’re being treated again. Those insolent wretches thought themselves so important because of how long they’d lived near the capital. I wish they’d hurry up and realize that they’re all spineless cowards who couldn’t even stand up to the Bantock faction.”

His face was so pretty, yet such cold words always came out of it. His voice had become quite husky when it had broken, so it had ended up sounding even colder.

“Huh? Someone already made you cream puffs? I can’t believe we even had pancakes prepared just in case you were hungry. You get spoiled way too much here.”

“Chris, I’m the crown prince.”

“Yeah, well, the crown prince shouldn’t be eating pancakes.”

Despite all his complaining, Chris still sat down next to me, and his valets immediately set the table. When I noticed there were three place settings, including my own, I looked around, and Alan immediately appeared on the balcony with a paper bag in hand.

“Oh, so there are sweets,” he remarked. “Dana made a bunch of cookies, but I guess we didn’t need them.”

“We could afford to have something other than sweets,” Chris grumbled.

Have you ever considered that your people are trying to be considerate out of concern for how cold you both are to me?

“Hey, Deir’s over there,” Alan said, pointing at one of the flowerbeds in the courtyard. “She’d probably join us if we asked, right?”

I never knew she had an interest in flowers.

“She said she wants to add flowers to the packaging design of the new desserts, so she might be doing some research,” Chris explained.

Now that Deir was old enough to be entering school next year, she’d grown quite tall. Any time her platinum-colored hair blew about in the breeze, it would sparkle in the light of the sun. It was tempting to say that she looked divine, but right now, she was just a kid crouching down by a flowerbed and playing in the mud.

It was normal in Belisario to keep spirit beasts materialized in a smaller form, so her own beasts were gazing at the ground alongside her. The spirit beasts of her valets and bodyguards had also materialized and were frolicking or sleeping in the grass. It was such a peaceful sight.

“Deir’s really starting to look like mother,” Chris remarked.

“Father will be sad if you don’t say she looks like him,” Alan warned.

“It’s fine.” Chris shrugged. “She’s cute either way.”

The brothers also had all four of their spirit beasts out, so the balcony was starting to feel a little cramped. Alan’s spirit beasts were all small and remained in the air, so they didn’t really get in the way, but Chris’s spirit beasts and my water one were all cats, and just like real cats, they were play-fighting with each other. My great eagle spirit was perched on the railing, looking down at the rest.

There were already a lot more spirit beasts in the central region than before, but we were far from reaching the numbers present in the rural areas. There had been a time when I’d wondered if things would’ve been different had we become friends with the Belisarios sooner, but through discussions with Duke Powell, I’d come to the conclusion that it likely wouldn’t have been possible...

There were several reasons we were unable to trust the Belisarios, the biggest being that mother and Lady Nadia were friends. They’d known each other since they were children and had even attended school together.

Apparently, Lady Nadia had fallen in love with the margrave shortly before mother and father had begun dating. Perhaps they had discussed their love lives with each other and confided in one another about their worries. Mother had viewed Lady Nadia as a precious friend with whom she had spent the happy days before the deaths of her parents.

It was impossible to predict how Lady Nadia and her beloved margrave would react once they learned that I’d been getting close to Duke Powell, that I was attempting to oust the Bantock faction, and that I was willing to make my parents abdicate if they got in the way of my plans.

What would Lady Nadia put first: her precious friend or the country?

“The empire will not survive without you gaining the support of all of the margraves,” Duke Powell advised, yet even he was unable to make a decision when the time came to approach the Belisarios.

And then, a sudden turning point arrived. About a year after Count Dalimore’s fall from grace, I happened to overhear a conversation between mother and Lady Nadia.

In order to ensure my meetings with Duke Powell remained secret, I always used a room deep within the imperial palace which only a handful of high-ranking nobles were permitted to enter. It was close to a corridor connecting two buildings, which made it easy to get into directly from outside. It was a narrow room located in such a remote corner of the building that its existence had been practically forgotten.

“Is there really no way for you to bring Lady Deirdre to the palace?”

My retainers and I exchanged a look after suddenly hearing a voice from the gardens outside, and then we crouched down by the window to listen in.

“I already told you that August has determined that she should not attend tea parties until she is at least six years old.”

“Surely a tea party hosted by the imperial family should be given a special exception?”

“A tea party hosted by Your Majesty? The Bantock faction already despises my presence at those occasions, and now you’re telling me my daughter should attend?”

It was a shock to hear. Lady Nadia was responding to my mother with barely repressed anger and refusing to back down.

“You are naturally permitted to attend as well,” mother said.

“I refuse.”

“But why?”

“Why? I take great issue with how the Bantock faction does things. We told you that the central region will fall into ruin if they are allowed to remain in power, didn’t we? Why would I even think of letting my daughter come into contact with them?”

From the volume of their voices, they seemed to be some distance apart, and I was so desperate to see what was going on that I couldn’t help but peek outside. Elton and Gil copied me—we must have looked like a trio of idiots if anyone could see us from outside. Actually, we must have looked like idiots from any angle.

Mother and Lady Nadia were talking beneath the large tree in the garden, with no servants nearby.

“I won’t let them participate,” mother offered.

“Every time you try to invite us, I make sure to ask Deir if she would like to join, and every time, she has refused. She has stated that she will not come to the imperial palace, so it is impossible.”

Lady Nadia’s two fairy spirit beasts were flying around the pair. Maybe they’d noticed we were eavesdropping.

“Then...what about her marrying into—” mother tried.

“Absolutely not.”

I turned to Gil without thinking. I saw Elton trying to hold back his laughter, and it was then that I finally understood what a formidable woman Lady Nadia was. Once I considered it, I realized she was the mother of those three children. Of course she wouldn’t be normal.

“Nadia!” mother cried.

“How do you think August will react when he learns that you tried to summon Deir to the palace against my wishes? What will the children do? Or will you simply apprehend me? That would be tantamount to declaring war on Belisario.”

“We’re friends, aren’t we?”

“Oh my, what a surprise.” Lady Nadia’s voice had turned frigidly sharp. “To think you still view me as a friend, Your Majesty. If so, then why do you still refuse to take what I say seriously?”

Even I was aware of the ways which the central nobility had found to antagonize Lady Nadia in their jealousy of her relationship with mother.

And mother had been choosing to turn a blind eye to all of it.

Had she really believed that by pretending not to see or hear anything—neither the actions of the Bantock faction nor my desperate pleas—and carrying on as if everything were normal, those illusory peaceful days would continue? Or was she aware that the end was fast approaching and had decided to ignore even that?

“I will protect my children,” Lady Nadia declared. “If that means I must be thrown into the dungeons, then so be it. But do not forget: I will never let Deir anywhere near the Bantock faction.”

Had Deir heard that her mother had been arrested, she would’ve used the power of the Royal Spirits without hesitation. Margrave Belisario would also have certainly called upon the margravial and ducal families he had grown closer to recently to ally with him.

The reason mother stopped trying to invite Deir to her tea parties after that was no doubt because she had finally realized that if she picked a fight with the Belisarios now, the ultimate losers would be the imperial family.

When Duke Powell arrived on time for our meeting, I told him what I had just heard, and he frowned. “In other words, Belisario is aware of the actions of the central nobility, but he is choosing to let them be.”

Margrave Belisario had begun working as a minister of the imperial court—there was no way he was unaware of what was occurring. And yet, for some reason, he’d done nothing about it. Despite knowing that a rift had formed between mother and Lady Nadia, we were still unable to trust the Belisarios...

Now, of course, we understood. Belisario simply had no interest in the fate of the central region. They wouldn’t refuse to cooperate with a ruler who was working to make the empire prosper, but they weren’t so invested in the imperial family that they would assist a ruler who sat on their hands all the time. Even if the empire were to fall apart, they would just become independent or form a republic with the other margraves. Belisario possessed the economic and military might to stand as its own nation—and the reason for that was because the central nobility were so caught up in finding ways to line their own pockets that they never gave the provincial regions so much as a second thought...

“While Queen Kohaku remains in the central region, I would think that Belisario would at least prefer the continued survival of the empire, but...would that man ever consider taking control himself?”

Back then, we didn’t have a clear image of the kind of man Margrave Belisario was or how he thought. Before becoming Minister of Spirit Affairs, he’d generally remained in his own domain, only making appearances in the imperial capital during the formal winter social season.

On one side, we had a duke chased out to the provinces, unable to visit the imperial palace, and on the other a margrave who returned to his domain the second he got a day off. Never mind having contact, they’d only glimpsed each other a handful of times. It would’ve been absurd to expect Duke Powell to trust the margrave with so little interaction.

“Her Sacred Majesty is angered not just by Dalimore, but by Her Imperial Majesty as well, yes?” Duke Powell asked me, as confirmation.

“Most likely,” I said.

“If we do not wish to turn the Belisarios into our enemies, then we have no choice but to ally with them, and yet...”

At that time, my only image of Deir was the one I’d formed back when I’d sneaked into Belisario Castle. With a look that couldn’t even slightly have been attributed to a child, she’d stared straight at me and firmly stated her opinion. She’d been so unnatural for a girl of her age that I had almost wanted to praise myself for managing to keep my composure until the end.

“Belisario has the fairy princess,” I muttered. “They have Chris and Alan as well.”

“While the fairy princess may be extraordinary, the other two are just children, are they not?”

“Duke Powell, there is not a single normal child in that family,” Elton told him. “Replacing ten central nobles with one Chris would completely change how smoothly our work in the palace progresses. Well, if the boy himself were motivated to do it, that is.”

Duke Powell didn’t even laugh at Elton’s words—he simply tensed up.

The number one reason we were unable to come to a decision as to whether or not to ally with Belisario was because it was filled with unpredictable prodigies. They were such a quirky bunch as well. Everything else felt minor in comparison to those two points.

If the central nobility so much as attempted to start an uprising, Queen Kohaku would immediately crush them in her anger. In order to solve that problem, I took a whole year to understand each member of the Belisarios and form a decent enough bond with them...

“If you aren’t going to eat that, I’ll take it.”

An arm stretched out to the plate right in front of me.

“I’m going to eat it,” I said.

“I’ll give you a cookie,” Alan offered.

“I don’t need them. They were given to you, so you should eat them.”

“Awww maaaaan.”

It seemed I’d managed to get closer to the Belisario brothers, but I felt a little conflicted over the fact that Alan had started to feel more like my younger brother than Eldy at times. Ever since that day, Eldy had been avoiding me out of consideration, so we’d been seeing each other less and less.

“Oh right, I see that the girls Deir invited to her meal have been getting along well with her,” I remarked.

“Where’d that come from?” Chris asked, narrowing his eyes. “You’re right, though. They quite often come to the castle to visit.”

“Sometimes they all come by to have a sleepover,” Alan added. “Anytime they have one of those gatherings, though, a bunch of people start saying they want to come too. It’s annoying having to chase them off.”

If I were to rank the most powerful families in the empire right now and select the top seven unmarried daughters of those families, all of them would come from Deir’s friend group. Part of it was because getting close to Deir automatically raised the power a family had, but it was still amazing that Deir had chosen those girls to invite to her meal three years ago, even when the Bantock faction still had power.

“Ah, I see. You’ll need to start considering your possible romantic partners soon, won’t you?” Chris concluded.

“Won’t you as well?” I fired back.

“If you don’t decide, then the rest of us can’t either. If it came out that we got close to your beloved, we could get killed.”

You liar. I knew Chris well enough to know that he would just bluntly declare that the girl was his.

“I’ve already decided mine,” Alan muttered, his face that usual blank slate.

“Huh?!”

“Since when?! Who is it?!”

“That’s a secret.”

Although Alan looked different from the other Belisarios, he was the one most like his father in personality. Margrave Belisario could be so aloof that it was hard to get a read on him, while what made Alan impossible to read was the way that he seemed able to completely vanish from a conversation, but they were remarkably alike in the way they stepped back during crucial moments to observe the whole picture.

Compared to them, Chris and Deir were very clearly two crazy individuals. Both their appearances and actions were out of this world, quite literally.

“A fiancée, huh?” I mused. “Honestly, I’ve been so stupidly busy that I’ve barely even thought about it.”

“Why are you here if you’re so busy?” Chris snarked.

“At least let me relax sometimes.”

“Whoa! The crown prince is back!” Deir suddenly shouted from down below.

These siblings really knew no restraint. They always spoke so casually, right to my face.

“What are you eating toda— Bwah?!”

After waving her hand excitedly up at me, Deir had perched herself on Ifri’s back and flown up to us. She’d probably been trying to make a cool landing, but she had completely messed up, tripping over the balcony instead and falling face first onto the table beside us.

Oof, that didn’t sound good.

“Deir?! Are you okay? Are you hur— Ow, that’s bright!”

Chris had immediately run over, but Deir’s spirit beasts had quickly cast their healing magic. Chris’s, Alan’s, and even my spirit beasts all joined in too. They rarely got a chance to use magic, so they seemed to be enjoying themselves.

“Why did you not hold your hands out? Who even lands on their face?” I asked in exasperation.

“Ow... Or not ow. Wow, that feels weird. Alan, is my nose still there?” Deir asked, holding her nose.

“Your forehead and nose are perfectly fine,” he reassured her.

“You’re still as adorable as always,” Chris felt the need to comment.

Deir really needed to take better care of her face. Even though girls the world over would die for a face like hers, she always fell straight onto it without a second thought and sometimes used it to make some ridiculous expressions. Why did the gods give someone with an appearance befitting the title of the fairy princess the personality of an old man?

“That’s why I told you to be careful.” Gemma, Deir’s bodyguard and valet, gracefully landed on the balcony and helped Deir’s brothers lower her from the table.

“The pancakes look delicious,” was Deir’s next comment.

“Yes, yes. I’ll go ask for some, so sit down and behave,” Gemma sighed.

“Deir, were you staring at the ground earlier?” I asked her.

“The ground?”

When she tilted her head to the side and put her hand to her mouth, she looked adorable. She was so cute that Chris gave her a head pat without thinking.

But what was inside was another matter entirely. I felt sorry for all the men who would be fooled by her exterior in the future.

“Ohhh! The gardeners were digging holes to plant some new flowers.”

No matter how cute she was, I couldn’t help but view her as some nonhuman creature right now. Some new species called “Deirdre.” A rare species even. How else would a six-year-old girl have managed to command the empire’s most powerful figures, force the empress and her general to abdicate from the throne, and even make them kneel before her?

I would acknowledge that the Royal Spirits had played a significant role, but even then, not a single complaint had arisen from the remaining central nobles, and the surviving Bantock faction members were showing no signs of taking revenge, most likely because this terribly cute little girl had just changed the course of history without so much as batting an eye. Hadn’t she been just a little too calm at that crime scene too? Even though tons of people had just died?

Maybe she had been putting on a front, but the ability to do that at all required its own level of fortitude.

“They said that since Belisario has a large spirit population, the soil is rich,” Deir said then. “I saw a worm that was thiiiiiiiiiiss big!”

I could only blink at her.

“Wow, so is that why you were staring at the ground?” Alan asked.

“Deir?” She turned to look at her older brother when he called her name. “If you touched the worm, make sure you wash your hands before eating any of the food.”

“It’s okay, Chris. I just used healing and cleansing magic.”

“Still, give your hands a wipe.”

Duke Powell, I would like to report that those Belisario children we so feared are pretty much always this silly.

“But I didn’t touch it,” Deir whined. “I just poked it ’cause I was curious how it felt...”

“That’s the same as touching it!”

“When I tried to look at it more closely, Gemma stopped me.”

“Good job, Gemma.”

What really bothered me was that now that this girl was nine years old, five years after our secret meeting, she’d become a little more mature and a lot more adorable. Why would they give such cuteness to the one girl in this world most likely to waste it?

“What’s up, Andy?” Chris asked with a frown. “You’re making an odd face.”

“I’m starting to worry for this girl’s future...”

“Her future?” Chris repeated. “It’s still a bit too early for her to be thinking about that!”

“I’m not talking about marriage. Calm yourself.”

“You’re not after her, are you?”

“Nope.”

I was glad she had asked me to become her older brother back then. I couldn’t imagine a future where Deir lived at the palace as a well-behaved princess consort. She would absolutely wreak havoc.

“I would never be able to go out with a lady who would touch worms, and I doubt Deir would touch worms in front of the man she had her eye on either.”

I was greeted by silence.

Why did they go quiet?

“Worms are off-limits, huh? I see.” Chris nodded. “But they’re important for the fields.”

“You won’t be doing farmwork, though, will you? You’re not talking about worms in front of other ladies, are you?”

“Of course not,” said Alan. “They’d probably get scared.”

Well, at least they understood that much. The standards were on the floor by this point, though.

“But it’s fine. There isn’t anyone I have my eye on right now anyway,” Deir declared.

“Well... You are still young,” I remarked.

“Yes, exactly. You’re still young,” Chris quickly agreed.

She’s a good kid. She was kind and treasured her friends and family. She was friendly, easy to talk to, and most importantly, clever. But is this really how a girl is supposed to act?

“You’re here again, Your Highness?” A new voice spoke then. It appeared my free time was over. Anytime I went missing, Elton and Gil knew to immediately contact Belisario.

“It seems I must be on my way,” I said.

“You need to make sure you rest,” Deir scolded. “Eat too. I feel like I said this exact thing to someone else before...”

If I could return to the past, I’d like to go back to the day I’d first been captivated by the sea. I’d want to tell myself—whose heart had fluttered under that large watchful gaze as I spoke with Chris—and my brother—who’d been watching the fairy princess in a daze—that this girl was no good. That even all these years later, I had no idea whether she was human.

Deir was a noble lady herself. She knew how to put up a facade. She knew it was better to stay silent than to speak out of turn. I wanted to tell my past self that she was neither shy nor quiet. If I had known that then, perhaps I would’ve stayed calm during my conversation with Deir when I’d visited Belisario by myself, and I’d have asked them to become my allies sooner.

But I hadn’t known, and I hadn’t been able to see through to her true nature.

I’ll never tell anyone this for the rest of my life.

It had been a momentary lapse in judgment. I wanted to pretend it had never happened. She was a good kid, and very adorable, and someone absolutely vital to the empire, but I still would never admit it.

I would never admit that both of Azelia’s princes’ first love had been the same girl.

“Is something wrong, Your Highness?”

“No, I just appear to have eaten too many pancakes.”

Yet, despite that, I was sure Deir would remain someone special to me from here on out. Even if my feelings for her were not romantic, her inhuman qualities would remain seared upon my memory for the rest of my life.

Who would she pick as her partner to build a family with?

If possible, I hoped she would be able to find someone who could love her in all her eccentricity.

Afterword

From the release of volume 1 back on March 10th until now in mid-April when I find myself writing the afterword for this volume, the world has changed dramatically. I would like to thank everyone involved in the publication of this book and who has picked up this book even in the middle of all of this.

It is thanks to everyone’s support that volume 3 and a manga serialization have been confirmed. Getting my story published was a big enough surprise, but I never would’ve imagined it would get a manga adaptation too. Fujiazuki-sensei made such a cute character design for Deir, yet we’ll now see her throwing up after using all her mana and falling flat on her face everywhere she goes in manga form. For better or worse, her outrageous antics will be all the more powerful. I’m both looking forward to it and nervous about it at the same time.

Talking about character design, my image of Suoh—featured on this volume’s cover—was originally much more of a hot-blooded type. But when I saw what Fujiazuki-sensei had come up with, I realized that that was what I really wanted. My image immediately swapped from hot-blooded to someone who seems frivolous at first glance, but is really kind and righteous. The Deir in my head is screaming at me, “You want to see this Suoh and Ruri lined up side by side, don’t you?!” Fujiazuki-sensei is amazing.

Now that everyone has no choice but to stay cooped up in their homes every day, we’re forced to see nothing but gloomy news on the TV all the time. Many of you must be feeling stressed. I’ve been an indoor type since I was young, so as long as I have a PC connected to the internet, I can survive never going outside. Just meeting with friends is like a special event for me, so I’m someone who actually prefers having at least one day a week where I don’t go outside at all. That’s why it surprised me when I heard that there were those who fell ill because they had to work from home.

Among my friends, there are some who get up at the same time they would have if they were going to the office, have a shower, and get changed before starting their work. That kind of structure might be what helps them swap their brains to working mode. Besides, maintaining a consistent daily routine should make it much easier to return to regular working life once everything goes back to normal.

I’m fortunate enough as a part-time writer to be able to maintain a routine not too different to my usual. My hobbies are games and writing novels, and my workplace is within walking distance, so my life isn’t much different to Deir’s in her past life. The clothes I wear to bed and upon waking up are pretty much the same as before, and when the mood strikes, I just sit in front of my PC all day. There are days I just can’t write at all, and before I know it, it’s evening.

I’d better make sure I get in enough exercise so I don’t turn out like Deir... I should, but, uh...

What will the world be like when this is published in June? The day has come when a sentence like this that sounds like it came straight out of a novel can be said in all seriousness. I hope things are at least better and everyone can enjoy summer without any worries.

At the very least, I hope that reading this book helped you find a little bit of joy.