Chapter 204 – Spring When the Snow Melts (2)

“The banquet starts tomorrow. A decision must be made by then.”

In the middle of the night, the kingdom’s ministers gathered in a small annex and were holding a meeting until late at night.
It was a place where everyone gathered, including the royalists who supported the royal family, the anti-royalists who were now considerably weakened, as well as the great nobles of the north who supported the alliance and the senior members of Lion & Iron.

“Roshiar’s power has now grown to the point where it cannot be touched.”
“Just like right after the Great War, two of the Archdukes fell, but Roshoar actually gained a second unique magic.”
“To even marry that man… “If this continues, even the throne may be in jeopardy.”

The Count of Saxony lit a cigarette and looked at a woman.
Her blonde hair, as if melted by the warm spring sunlight, stands out especially in her dark conference room.
It was the princess of Fenheim, dozing with her eyes half closed.

The unity of the nobles gathered here was so strong that even she, who hated her cigarette smoke, could not carelessly point out Saxony’s attitude.
This may be because they consider Lewis to be that much of a danger to them.

“What are your thoughts, princess?”

A friendly attitude, as if convinced that you are no exception.
But in Erzébet’s mind, all she wanted to do was fall into bed and enjoy her good night’s sleep.
Louis threatens the throne?
It was nonsense.

If he wanted the throne, he wouldn’t have quietly entered that room.
Threatening myself as a princess… No, he probably just drew his sword to head to her throne.
But–

“Yes… Well, that might be possible.”
“Also… !!”
“You are right.”

Erzsebet also agreed that Rocheard’s power had grown too much.
Two Grand Dukes.
Esther’s Blue Rose Knights suffered relatively less damage than the private armies of the royal family and nobles deployed to the Western Front.
Louis was welcomed as a member of the family, and even the Demon World, which had just been conquered, borders the county.
It is already an established fact that Rochear’s territory will expand further upwards.
The anxiety of those gathered here was about which direction the window that extended all the way would face next.

“The best solution is to branch out Rochear.”
“Split the roots…” … “There is a possibility.”
“Wasn’t there a rumor going around that the Ice and Snow Sisters didn’t get along very well?”
“But it’s impossible to use your hands directly…”

This is also because of Lewis.
The nobles of the royal capital who do not know much about him think that Louis is almost a blood-soaked murder weapon.
He cut off the head of the Demon King, destroyed the capital of the Holy Kingdom, and defeated two of the Grand Dukes. There is no need to further explain his majesty even to those who do not know him.
Erzsebet knew very well the playful and goofy side that was revealed behind him and the rough-and-tumble side that was unscrupulous when it came to a woman’s embrace, but——

“Then it would be better to resolve it gently.”

This also didn’t need to be mentioned.
Because she too was afraid to see him angry.

“Is there a good way?”
“What… “Marriage or something?”
“Also… “That would be nice.”

Of course, I was referring to Lewis.
Even if the ministers told him what positions the women in line in front of him were, they wouldn’t believe him.
I didn’t become a person of Rochear in the first place.
Rochear was his.
However, the ministers who were crouching with their noses pressed against the narrow table seemed to have misunderstood what she meant.

“This is a problem that will be completely solved once Lord Esther finds a new home.”
“There remains an ice and snowman in Rochear, but not the frost-footed jailer who fought against the demons.”
“More than anything, it has been rumored that its off-white color is beautiful even before the Great War, so there will be as many nobles looking for a chance at this banquet as there are stars in the night sky.”
“Huh… ?”
“Why are you doing this, princess?”

As she tried to come to her senses by gently pressing her eyes shut, Erzsebet was dumbfounded by the gaze of everyone gathered in one place.
At what point did the story diverge?

“I think the plan suggested by the princess is the most peaceful and wise.”
“As long as Lord Esther agrees, Sir Lewis will not be dissatisfied either.”
“Ah, um… That is…”
“?”

Only then did Erzsebet realize what they were mistaken about.
No, it wasn’t a mistake to begin with.
According to common sense, marrying two women from the same family at the same time was absolutely impossible according to the laws of the kingdom and conventional wisdom.

The reality is that Esther has a quite deep relationship with Louis.
If you look at that fact alone, it was perfect logic.

“…”
“It will be difficult to achieve results in a short period of time.”
“But it’s important not to give up.”

As the princess of Fenheim, she could not tell the truth to her ministers.

“Oh, by the way, among the Academy graduates this year, wasn’t the eldest son of Count Clove assigned to the Inspector General’s Office?”
“I’m sure his name is William Clove…” …”

She ran away, leaving behind a meeting that lasted until dawn.

***

The world is very small.
A similar thought occurred to me as I looked at the faces of nobles packed into the banquet hall of a luxurious building.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Have we seen each other somewhere?”
“Well…”
“I heard, you are a great knight who defeated the Demon King. “My name is Mary of the Canope family.”
“Ah yes.”

Large-scale banquets held in the royal capital were the best social gatherings for nobles.
Even though I heard that the academy’s new semester had started, I often saw students showing up in the cafeteria.
After casually saying hello to a young lady I had met in front of the aquatic park one day, I went looking for my old colleagues, avoiding Katreya, who kept clinging to me.
Whivlett stood looking out her window as if she had no interest in the banquet, while Nova was scooping up cake.

“Nova, what about the others?”
“Almost there.”

When I got closer and asked, Nova glanced in the same direction as Hubblet and even made fun of her fork.

“What is it…”
“I meant ice and snowball.”
“… Thank you.”

The shaman, who read my thoughts as I was worried that something was wrong with Esther, smiled wryly.
I’m glad we’re almost there.
At least it means that she didn’t have any problems in the process of removing her inherent magic and getting her heart back.

And at the same time, her heart was pounding.
I was looking forward to seeing what Esther would show after regaining her emotions.
An action that mimics emotions that are only occasionally shown.
She was the one who melted my heart just like her sorrow.

Should I greet you as soon as I see you?
Or should I laugh out loud?

The moment I nervously turned my gaze to the flock of ice ducks outside the window migrating north to avoid the continent’s spring, the noise in the banquet hall suddenly stopped.
Afterwards, the palace secretary’s loud voice rang out and the symphony orchestra’s hands became busy.

“His Majesty King Paul III of Penheim and the treasure of the kingdom, Princess Erzsebet, are entering!!”

The King, fully dressed and with her hair shiny, and Herzhebet with dark circles appeared in her second-floor salon.
All of the nobles stopped what they were doing and knelt down, and I also did the same after noticing it.

“Everyone came together well on this happy day. “Lift your head up.”

The King, who had nothing of his own, came forward and made a few public remarks, and then proceeded to list out the boring history of Penheim and the history of the struggle.
Just as his knees were starting to go numb, he raised his glass and shouted, looking straight at me, saying, “Enjoy the festival.”

“The group of demons driven by evil and those blinded by twisted lines were the only ones who failed to achieve their ambition in the name of justice!!”

With everyone in the banquet hall looking at us, the King called my name in a relieved tone, as if he had finally relieved a great burden from his heart.

“The ancient ancestors called those who carry out justice with swords warriors. Louis Brunhart! “I will give all this glory to you, the successor to that name!!”

Clap clap clap clap!!
Clap clap clap clap!!

The beautiful sound of glasses clinking was heard along with thunderous applause.
I bowed slightly and emptied the glass in my hand.
As the orchestra’s performance changed and the nobles’ conversation resumed, a servant directly under the royal family approached me.

“His Majesty from the second floor is calling.”
“All together?”
“No, it’s just Louis.”
“Come back, Louis.”

I followed him, leaving Hublett and Nova behind, and found Erzsebet and the King sitting at a table upstairs overlooking the banquet hall.
As I sat down without paying attention to the food in front of me, he poured me a drink and asked.

“Is there anything else you wish for as a reward for this war? “Except for the Academy site you mentioned last time.”
“…”

As I was lost in thought, Erzsebet spoke clearly, perhaps because she was worried that a strange request might come out.

‘Later.’

He said he would take care of everything if I told him separately.
Whether I answer now or think about it for a few more days, the result will be the same anyway.

Actually, I didn’t want anything more than what I asked for last time.
If you really have to ask, what is the level of ownership of the holy sword?
Since I lost the trust, my life is in danger without it.

“Well, thank you, but I don’t really…”

Just as I was about to shake my head, I suddenly heard a murmur from the first floor.

— Hey, that lady…
— Tue, welcome. Count Rocheire.
— Rochear? Then… Ice and snowball?
– Oh my god…

Again, again.

The sound of footsteps that suggests a constant, elegant appearance.
But there is no cold to come with it.

Again, again, again, again.

The nobles’ conversation gradually quiets down, and even the King and Erzsebet turn their heads.
I also put down my glass and looked at the front door.
There was a beautiful snow plum blossom blooming that created a harmony among the numerous ladies of noble families who were finely powdered and lavishly decorated.

“…”
“Hmm, meet Ice and Snowball.”
“Welcome. “Thank you for your hard work in coming this far.”

Instead of the uniform and cape she always wore, she wore a plain dress with little decoration or exposure.
Rochear’s emblem is also not visible.
Esther looked as expressionless as the hands reaching out around her.
Only his eyes were busy blinking as he scanned the faces of the noble men who had gathered around him.

“Was it that popular?”
“You never appeared in social circles during the war. “Except when I was very young, today would be the first time.”
“…”
“Louis?”

I asked Erzsebet, who sensed a little ominous energy.

“There is one thing I wish for.”
“Hmm? You can’t believe it…”
“Please amend the kingdom’s laws a little. “I don’t need anything else.”

There is no law anywhere in the world to marry twice into the same family even when the spouse is not dead.
Wasn’t Esther also aware of that fact, which is why he suggested the affair in the first place?
But now I had that strength and audacity.
Above all, I didn’t want to leave my woman among the aristocratic people down there.

“As long as we don’t have the same bloodline, we can make it possible for people to get married even if it is a family-like relationship.”
“Now, wait a minute, Louis! The law cannot be changed arbitrarily like that! If you make a mistake, the entire kingdom will be ruined… !”

Either way.
I stood up without listening to Erzsebet’s shout until the end.
This is the end of what I want.
Then there would be no reason to stay here anymore.

I walked down the stairs to the banquet hall where people were gathered.
Several nobles made eye contact with me, bowed their heads slightly, and stepped back.
When Esther finally arrived in front of her, those around her looked at her and me in turn with surprised expressions.
The relationship between my brother-in-law and my brother-in-law was evident because of the close distance and long eye contact, which seemed complicated in my mind.

“Esther.”

I lightly bowed her waist, called her name, and held out her hand.
There was no need for fancy rhetoric or idioms.
She responded to me by simply calling her name, lightly holding her hand and pinching the hem of her dress.
He then cast a glance at the King upstairs and responded with a girlish smile, the first one he showed after coming here.

“Yes, sir.”