Chapter 207: The Wang Temple

…… Means that this was the first time for Lord Wilk to leave his own territory his.It was a long way from Quardenze to Levios, was n't it?

Yes, it was. Yes, but I found it much closer than I expected.

That's good to know.

After finishing the meal and leaving the dining room, Prince Dunkel and I were chatting as we walked down the corridor.

My father is scheduled to meet with King Levios until the Grand Duke of Mirendorva ascends to the castle. I think they are going to have a meeting beforehand to discuss where the drop-off will be.

I, on the other hand, will be done with sightseeing after this.

I think we should leave the difficult discussions to each other's fathers and take the afternoon to see the sights as a way to relax. I'm not used to give tours of the castle myself, and I might be rude in some way.

Can't we loosen up a bit on the elbow conversation? We are not here to meet with other heads of state, and this is not an official meeting, just a tour of the castle, so why don't we cut each other some slack?

I decided to agree with Prince Dunkel's suggestion, which was very well timed indeed.

Thank you very much. I've been looking forward to it so much that I'm afraid I'm going to get carried away and not thank you.

I called out the name of the civil official who was acting as secretary, Quardenze, and raised one hand several times in a gesture.

It is like a promise that even if there are some broken statements, I will write them down and not rattle them off later.

It is an aristocrat who can't read the air to keep up a tense conversation like a Tsubagami at all hours of the day. Aristocratic communication is to tighten where there is a squeeze and loosen where there is a loosening.

In addition, since the record of the statement itself has been kept all along, the current gesture is nothing more than a mutual confirmation ritual.

Prince Dunkel looks at me and asks with a sarcastic grin, like a boy playing a prank.

'So, was it still a long way to the royal capital?

I was so far away that I wanted to go home on the way there.

So the prince and I laughed at each other.

The prince and I laughed at each other. It was interesting to see how the tension was torn out of us as we asked the same question again and answered honestly in response.

Of course, it would be difficult to say yes when asked if Quardenze and Levios were far.

I heard you say that this is the first time you have been outside of the territory of Kuordenze.

What does that mean?

While I was thinking about my reply, the prince said, “I went to the territory of Spierzeig.

I thought you had just been to Spiaseik territory.”

A joke, he said, written on his face his.

Well, sure enough, I had been to the castle in Laishlief, Spierzeik.

I see, this was a blind spot. I was out of the territory on the way there and in the territory on the way back.

“Oops, I hope that won't be the case on this trip.

I hope this trip won't be like that. This time it will be a peaceful trip.

I'm glad to hear that. But you have suddenly disturbed the peace.

The prince shrugged his shoulders as if to say, “I'm in trouble,” And his pose he was amusing in an American way.

He was right, the non-peaceful one came charging at us, and that's why we are here today. Our peaceful journey is already over.

We're in trouble with each other.

The laughter between me and the prince echoed well in the corridor.

……But even so.

The actual “I'm not a fan of the way you do it,” He said, “But I'm not a fan of the way you do it. He must have a lot of confidence in his own speaking ability.

In fact, the atmosphere here was not bad at all. In fact, the atmosphere here was not bad at all; in fact, there was even an air of openness. I feel that he is much more skillful at closing the distance between us than the Quardenze nobles we met with in Karahanasso.

They are less wary of nobles they have never met before,……, Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that they are used to it.

The first thing to do is to make sure that you have a good understanding of what you are doing and how to do it.

However, he is dealing with me, a legitimate son of the Marquise of Quardenze, a major noble family in the kingdom, so there must be a part of me that he has to pay attention to. Same ease with all the nobles.

It is possible that he is kicking the feet of the weaker nobles behind the scenes.

Levios Castle is said to have been built on a small hill that existed in the center of the basin.

The site is said to be reasonably large because the top was carved down to make it flat.

The buildings consist of 30% of the main body of Levi's Castle, 30% of various annexes and facilities built for different purposes, and the remaining 40% of gardens.

To move from the castle zone to the facility zone where the royal mausoleum is located, it is necessary to walk through the gardens. There was a covered corridor to avoid problems even on rainy days.

Enjoying the plants and trees in the garden from the corridor, the prince and I walked slowly.

“Whoa, that's……”

Yes, it is. It is the Wang Temple.

As we rounded the corner of the corridor, Prince Dunkel pointed to the building in front of us.

There was a white building shining brightly in the sunlight.

It is beautiful.

The exterior of the mausoleum is designed to look like a hemisphere attached to the top of a cylinder.

I did not notice it from afar, but as I got closer, I realized that the building had no exterior walls and was made entirely of columns.

If those very thick columns were made thinner, it would probably look like an antique birdcage.

As might be expected, the stone used seems to be all marble.

I finally realized, after checking it up close, that there was almost no marble pattern, which is a characteristic of marble. The white stone with few patterns in its natural state without processing is a very high quality product on the continent of Eluo.

I wondered if the mausoleum had been built with only the finest stone because it was a small building.

However, I had a dark image of a leader who spent a huge amount of money on his own tomb. The first king Levios was a surprisingly small-time guy,……, But the second generation may have been the one who made it. The second generation was a stupid king with the worst reputation who caused infighting with the Millendorva family, so it's no wonder he spent so much money on the mausoleum.

I regretted that I should have done more research on the royal mausoleum before coming.

I had planned to rent some books from the Levios family library before the socializing started, but I had no idea that I would be going up to the castle so soon.

At what appeared to be the entrance to the royal mausoleum, the Levios family members were lined up in an orderly fashion.

I think it is a consideration for us that they are all slave ancestors.

Welcome to our home.

The old woman who stepped forward gave a short greeting and explained that she would be acting as an interpreter, which I accepted.

She seemed to be a servant who had spent most of her life at Reyvos Castle, and she seemed to be the perfect person for this tour of the castle.

The old woman led me and the prince into the royal mausoleum.

The space, made of piled up massive stones, was filled with an indescribable silence. The sound of my footsteps echoing in the silence was pleasant to listen to.

Perhaps it was the sacredness of the place where the souls of the dead are worshiped, or perhaps it was the fact that the building was not physically closed to the outside world, but there was a strange air of being cut off from it.

The central part of the mausoleum was pillar-less. The contrast of the black shadows of the pillars reflected on the white floor was beautiful.

In the center was a large pedestal as tall as my chest, and on top of the pedestal sat a stone slab the size of a tatami mat, illuminated by the sun.

The only things placed in the luxurious royal mausoleum were the pedestal and the stone slab.

The name of the first Levios king, Levios Delippos, and a picture of flowers and grasses were engraved on the stone slab. When I looked up at the ceiling, I saw no roof there, but the blue sky and the sun.

The Eluo continental culture is that, namely, the Holy High Society of the Church of Xes.

The dead are scattered to the world as ashes, and the souls freed from their bodies are eventually taken up by a greater being. This is the Zesuit view of life and death, and the view of life and death on the continent of Eluo.

Apparently, even the Levios family, which advocated de-priesthood, could not leave its underlying values.

Basically, statues of real people are not made on the Eluo continent.

The reason for this is simple: the idea is that if a statue is left with a likeness of a person, the soul that should have been liberated will reside in it, and it will not be able to be successfully integrated into the greater being.

The first King Levios would say, “I don't give a damn about the customs of the Zethusian High Priesthood! And he bequeathed a statue of himself at the level of the terracotta army.

So, if the soul can be interpreted as having been liberated or transformed, there is no problem with making it into a statue. As Cynthia mentioned, there are a number of statues of spirits being made in the Holy City.

And since there is no particular aversion to making statues of non-existent people or animals, there are dolls for girls to play with, and the skills of artists who make their living from sculpture is also reasonably high.

That is why the Eluo continentals are more or less repellent to having statues of themselves made.

Curiously, portraits are allowed. Perhaps it is because they do not like the fact that the human form exists in three dimensions.

And perhaps because of this, the portraits on the El O continent are very flat. There is no sense of three-dimensionality in the paintings, and the shadows are not well expressed. Perhaps it was thought that elaborate and realistic paintings could be inhabited by souls.

I was thinking about such things in a daze as I stood in front of the stone slab, facing the deceased in a posture of reverence.

“Wilk-dono, may I ask you to write this down for me?”

A ledger?”

Next to Prince Dunkel, an old woman was standing with a sketchbook.

The old woman spread the record book on the pedestal and opened it to a blank page.

I ask every time you visit,” She said.

Apparently, the double-page spread is reserved as it is for my writing space.

May I see a few other pages?

Yes, of course.

It is not good to have a blank page suddenly opened and be told, “Yes, please write down your name.

As a former Japanese, I am curious about how other people write on the page.

'Ha ha. Please wait.'

At the prince's instruction, the old lady moves the record book back one page with a leisurely motion. There, she found a signature in a very habitual handwriting.

On the left page is the date, and on the right page is the name and family name. The date was hard to make out since it was only the month and day, but it would normally be this year.

The date was easy to read, but the name was really confusing. The signature, which must have been the result of a violent dance of the brush, seems to be a code.

Here is the signature: ……

Lord Aterahan Crone signed …… Oops.”

At my interruption, the old woman who unfolded the page looked faintly surprised. But I quickly erased the look, apologized for the overlap in my remarks, and replied that she was right.

This was lucky.

It had been a topic of conversation that Aterahan Croune, who had retired and disappeared from the public stage, would be attending this year's King's Landing social, so naturally, she had already learned about Lord Croune's signature. To appeal his knowledge in an unexpected way.

Not many aristocrats remember the signature, so after this, I'll keep quiet and act as if I know it all.

The day after the Marquise of Aterahan arrived in the capital, Lord Croune came to pay his respects.I heard that he always comes here at least once when he comes to the capital.

As the prince said this, he was giving some instructions with his finger on his.

Then Levios, who was waiting in the back of the room, suddenly brought out an old book, placed it on a pedestal, and opened its pages.

This is the first record book that was made when the Wang Mausoleum was built.

On the first page of the old record book was the date and the signature of “Atelahan Krone, head of the Atelahan family,” Written in a more graceful brushstroke than the signature we had seen earlier. Day, but no year, but since the title was “Head of the Aterahan family,” It must be a very old record book.

Still, it is strange that a member of the Aterahan family is the first in line at the royal mausoleum. Do the relatives of the Levios family not write the record book?

My question seemed to have been anticipated, and the prince spun his words in a flowing manner.

'All the building materials for the King's Mausoleum were provided by the Aterahan family, by Lord Croune.

It is said that the stone from the Aterahan region is of very good quality.

That was new to me.So this is a place that is very dear to his heart.

The construction of Levios Castle was completed about 90 years ago, and of course, the construction started earlier than that.

The Aterahan family was greatly shaken by the diplomacy of Levios during that period. The Aterahan region, which had almost been unified, was about to be divided once again between the elder brother Osimnia, who insisted on a hostile line, and the younger sister Croune , who was aiming for a cooperative line.

Under such circumstances, it would be difficult for even the first king to obtain stone from Aterahan. We do not know when the royal mausoleum was built, but it must have been at least after the founding of the kingdom. In that case, the Aterahan family has already been under the dictatorship of Croune, so it would be easy for them to provide the stone materials.

There is a clear difference in the quality of stone between the royal castle and the royal mausoleum, but it is too early to simply assume that one side was stingy.

The quality of the stones is clearly different between the Wangcheng and the Wangmiao. Because of this, the Aterahans were the first to visit this place.

As if to match the prince's line, the official flipped forward only one page. There, along with the date, was a signature with the title “Next head of the Aterahan family” Written on it.

The handwriting is also danced around so that it is hard to read, but it is probably the name of the previous head of the Aterahan family. From the date, it seems that he had visited the shrine together with Lord Croune.

I feel the weight of history when I think about the fact that the previous generation of the Aterahan family has long since retired and I am not even sure if they are still alive or dead.

As I watched, the civil official slowly moved on to the next page.

This many nobles are cooperating in the kingdom, isn't it amazing…… I feel as if I am being told so, or rather, I think I am telling you so.

This system of registration must itself be part of the royal family's authority-building.

I feel like it was the first king who thought of it.I don't think it was the second king who came up with this idea.

Please add a page to the history of the kingdom, Wilk-dono.

That's a good thing to say. I picked up my brush and turned to the record book to make my entry.

Looking at the way other people were writing, there seemed to be no particular format.

I decided to write “Commemoration of the first visit on May 12” On the left page and “Quardenze Wilk, next head of the Marquise of Quardenze” On the right page, even though I was in a tourist mood. Deciding whether to make him the next head of the Kuordenze family or the next head of the Marquise of Kuordenze. Well, since I was here for a royal social event as a member of the kingdom's nobility, it was safer to put “Marquise” On the title.

But still, I feel a strange pressure when I see a lot of people writing these kinds of letters.

The best way to get a good idea of ​​what to expect from the event is to read the article. I think I wrote beautifully on ……. I hope it's not stained.

'By the way, don't you have the tablet of the kings of all time?

'That's in Corbovia. It is the mausoleum of the first king.

I had to admit that some kings would look less dignified if they were lined up in a row.

I asked questions to the prince and the old lady about the mausoleum and asked them to explain the parts I was interested in.

And then a little time passed.

Then, after a little time had passed, the civil official Levios came in from outside the mausoleum and spoke to Prince Dunkel.

Oh, this is a problem.

The prince's tone of voice was as troubled as his words his.

I asked him, thinking that he must not be in trouble.

What can I do for you?

'It seems that a member of the family has just come to visit us here …… And I'm sorry to have shown you this in an ill-mannered way. Perhaps the warning had not been given.

How could it not have been out, this was definitely a setup.

I almost let out a sigh, but I had to go along with this charade.

No, I hope you don't mind.”

The prince thanked me, and with a sharp look on his face, he gave instructions to the civilian officials.He was posing as if he wanted me to turn him away.

Of course, there was no need for me to yield.

The No. 2s of the Levios and Quardenze families are here.The only time I would have to give up is when the head of another family comes to visit.And since I have permission from King Levios to worship here now, I can use that as a basis to refuse eviction or entry.

The only exception would be if a member of the Levios family who had inadvertently bumped into me proposed to worship with me as a way of greeting me.

The Levios civil official, who has returned from outdoors once again, is whispering to the prince. The prince, who accepted it with a troubled look, looks at me.

Wilk-dono.”

There he is.

I told him to return to his room her as his sister her had come to pay her respects her……. I thought I would take this opportunity to pay my respects to her.

I see, it's your sister.

I won't say I don't want to see her.

After all, she is a princess. If he could make the acquaintance of the princess of Levios Brando, then all the better.

That's something I can't wish for.

A short time after I gave my permission, a woman entered with a number of servants in tow.

She said a few words of thanks to the prince, then gracefully unfolded her bright blue dress and looked at me.

Please forgive my rudeness in addressing you so abruptly. I am Levios Alina, son of Levios Lugain. Please make my acquaintance.

The introductions were made in a simple style, as if to show that this was an informal meeting.

I am Quardenze Wilk. It is important to have respect for your …… Ancestors, and I don't mean any disrespect.”

Levios Alina is a half-brother and sister to Prince Dunkel, who is a princess born from the belly of his legitimate wife.

Since the legitimate wife was taken from a proper noble family, she has the best bloodline of all the princesses held by the Levios family.

But…….

'You are very kind. It is a great pleasure for me to meet the next head of the Marquise of Quardenze.

She must have been about 16 or 17 years old.

Her behavior is graceful and perfect for a princess of the Levios family.Her confident demeanor gives the impression that she is slightly arrogant, but this is acceptable without any problem.

However, …….

I, too, am fortunate to meet the proud princess of the Levios royal family.

'Uh-huh. Thank you.'

But…….

But her appearance she was not to my liking.

The makeup is highly skilled, and at a quick glance, she looks like a beautiful woman, but when you look at her with a sober mind, you realize that her face is actually quite unfortunate. Rather, it was as if the material was not good enough, so they used costumes, ornaments, and makeup to create an ideal appearance.

And that ideal is the ideal from a woman's point of view, not a man's. There are probably some men who would like this type of girl. With the opposite sex. It is like the difference between idols favored by men and models favored by women.

In a sense, Princess Alina, who puts a lot of effort into her makeup, has done a good job of self-analysis. If she is well groomed, her face will look that good unless she is very bad looking. Can look beautiful if she only has an air of beauty about her.

In a sense, it is like soy sauce.

No matter how bad the food tastes, you can eat it by pouring soy sauce all over it.

Thank you for meeting the beautiful butterflies of Levios.

Well…

A girl may be ugly as a child, but by the time she reaches adulthood, she may have transformed into a beautiful woman.But Princess Alina is already this age, there will be no change of trajectory in the future.She has no future.

I was talking to only men today, so I was so happy that I became light-mouthed.

Oh, my, you're very good at that.

I observed Princess Alina, who was smiling in a cute, rolling smile, as we continued chatting.

The hair gene of King Levios is strong, Princess Allyna also has silver hair.Her long hair, which reached down to her waist, reflected the light and shone lustrously.

The blue of her dress is a blue ground.Her silver hair was adored with pearls, which were probably intended to represent the white color of purity.In other words, it was inspired by the theme color of the Levios family.

The coordination is too much of an all-out effort.

This is a diplomatic outfit to be used at the most critical moment. I am in awe of the guts of the man who can claim that he came to the shrine by chance.

I was relieved to see that he is much more of a gentleman than I had heard about him from ……. He seems to have shown the dignity of a historic aristocratic family.”

Who are you comparing him to?

'It's the same for me.Princess Alina's graceful behaviorHer made me feel the dignity of a royal family.She is indeed the proud princess of the Levios family.

The history of the Levios family is not as long as that of the Quardenze family, but it is reasonably long. Family.

The actual fact that the princess Alina went out of her way to tell me that the Levios family has a long history, I am sure that she is expecting me to praise her back like this. As we exchanged words, I felt that she was proud I can read the air, so I'll give her a proper pat on the back.

Princess Alina was smiling with satisfaction.

If I get along with her here, she may introduce me to other princesses at the social gathering tomorrow. If possible, I would like her to mention, “Lord Quardenze Wilk is a very wonderful man! I hope they will mention it to him.” You will start out with a positive liability factor.

It is very interesting to talk with someone who knows what nobility is all about. It's true, the same great nobility can be found in the East and the West, but there's a big difference.

Alina.”

Princess Aliyna laughed a small laugh as if to pass over Prince Dunkel's rebuke.

She doesn't like the Mirendorva family very much.

But, well, it is not hard to understand why she does not like the Mirendorva family. From her point of view, the Mirendorva family is nothing more than an offshoot of the Levios family. Have a big face. It's even more so if you know how much Orcian is in love with her.

Perhaps that's why Princess Alina was so friendly to me. I think she was feeling sympathy with me on her own, thinking that we can understand each other as two great nobles with a long history.

If I were a commoner reincarnated as a blessed child and a nobleman who started his own family by himself,……, I am sure this princess would have disliked me. 'That's why I don't like people who have risen from the ashes. Do you think that your lowly status makes you an equal to this straw, the rightful heir to the blood of Levios? And look around at the female nobles around him to ridicule them. She was so perfect for the villain that even the first name of Princess Alina in the image in my brain changed on its own.

If she were a beautiful woman of my liking, I would have had a straight erection from the situation of humiliating the high-handed princess, but …… Things don't always go so well in this world.

The most important thing to remember is that you can get a good look at the girl's body and the way she looks and feels…… I felt deeply that being young is a great weapon by itself.

I was so impressed by the fact that she was so young.I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to get a good deal on this.It would be a nuisance to take up so much of your time.

Oh, I beg your pardon, brother.”

Then Princess Aliyna looks at me and says goodbye. I was so happy to see her.

I thank you for taking time out of your precious time, Wilk-dono.

No, it was a pleasure to talk with you. I hope we will have the opportunity to meet again tomorrow.

Yes, I look forward to it.

With her dress her fluttering softly, the princess left elegantly to the end.

The princess left the house in a very elegant manner without paying any visit to the shrine, even though she came in with the intention of visiting.

However, I had a good impression of her because she was friendly to me during the chatting.Except for her face her.

After the princess left, I continued my tour of the royal mausoleum for a little while longer.

It seemed like there was nothing to see, but there was more to see than I had expected.

After that, I went to the collection room of the Levios family's art collection and visited a museum that collected historical materials related to the founding of the kingdom.

The royal library we visited on the way to the museum had a large collection of books, many of which were not available in Kuordentse, and I even reserved some of them for borrowing.

As expected, there were not many people who wanted to borrow books, so they would deliver them to the Quardenze residence tomorrow.

It is a wonderful library, that they can deliver the books immediately after the reservation. This may be a story from a previous life, but when I became a working adult and went to a big-city public library for the first time, I was surprised to find that the number of reservations was extraordinary. I remember that when I casually tried to make a reservation through the library's system, I was astonished to find that there were 300 items on the waiting list. Were people who made reservations when there were 299 reservations on the waiting list.Even if one person borrows the film for two weeks, it will be 10 years before it arrives.It was a grand reservation plan.I remember going home in shock.

Anyway, I enjoyed sightseeing in the castle as much as I could.

The old lady seemed to be in charge of explaining not only the royal mausoleum but the whole castle, and she followed me everywhere.

After touring the castle, we took a break at a pavilion in the garden.

It was interesting to see the garden, which had a different atmosphere from that of New Nellie Castle. There were many unfamiliar plants and flowers, but I wondered if they were common in the eastern part of the continent.

After confirming that the Levios family servant had brewed tea, Prince Dunkel opened his mouth.

How have you been? I haven't been able to go around everything yet.

That's mainly because I stay longer at each establishment. We had a lot to talk about, and the tour of the castle that I had probably originally envisioned was not progressing as well as I had hoped.

However, I think it is better to fully enjoy each place rather than just going around for the time being like a stamp rally.

I would have liked to start my castle tour in the morning,” He said. Well, time flies when you're having fun.

I am glad you enjoyed yourself.”

The prince, the civil servant Levios standing around him, and the old lady smile at each other.

For a while, the prince and I enjoyed a cup of tea, discussing the places we had visited today and inquiring about the gardens and the flowers and plants.

As our chitchat grew more and more broken, Prince Dunkel whispered to me, “I'm sure that by now, you've had a good time in Mirendorva.

I suppose the Grand Duke of Mirendorva must have arrived at the castle by now.

About this time?

Yes, about now.

I had not heard that he would be coming to the castle immediately in the afternoon, but even so, it was too late. However, from the way the prince spoke, I could also tell that this late arrival was on schedule.

It was quite some time before the prince and I finished our dinner, started sightseeing, and took a break here and now. It was too long time to have a preliminary meeting about the fallout from the Orcian riots.

In other words, my father and King Levios may have had some kind of important meeting.

As you may have guessed, my father has requested a meeting with the Marquis of Quardenze separately from this matter.

That would also keep Father very busy.”

Well, my father will handle it well.

You trust the Marquess of Kuardenze, don't you?

Yes, He makes it easy for me as his son.

My father is dependable. I think the danger level would be higher if I were present.

I envy you that. If it is easy, it means that Wilk and the Marquis of Quardenze have a heart-to-heart relationship. I don't get along that well with my father.

“Oh.”

I can't say, “I know,” And it would be deliberate to say, “I didn't know.

He is a prince who says things that are difficult to comment on.

I am not sure if you want to hear about my problems or not.

The prince raised his right arm above the elbow. Then, the Levios' civil servants took a step backward, their footsteps making a sound.

It was a sign that they wanted to have a private conversation with the prince's attendants.

I thought about taking the easy way out, but it would be difficult to make up a reason to refuse.

Considering the way things were going, the conversation was probably about the secret meeting between King Levios and his father.I am a little curious about it.

Yes.

I also gave instructions with my fingertips so that I could get through to the Quardenze civil official.

He took a step back, Levios saw it and took a step back, and then he took another step back, and then he took another step back.

When the civil servants were far enough away, Prince Dunkel said in a small voice.

'I am sorry about Aliina. It was my father's idea to bring Wilk here once, if he is as he behaved in Karahanasso.

Prince, you are too frank.

I'm afraid I'm going to be caught up in this and say things that I shouldn't.

Well, I thought it might be something like that. First of all, I'd like to show you around the royal mausoleum. ……At the end of the dinner, King Levios said something like that, is that the watch word?

I am sure you know. I'm not sure what to say, but please keep it to yourself, because my father is very picky.”

The prince laughed lightly, as if throwing downhaha.

'Apart from this incident, didn't the Marquis of Quardenze also expect some of this? He said, “Since the Levios family has the unmarried Alina, he might try to make a connection with the Quardenze family.”

It would be a strange story not to expect that much.

The prince nodded his head and said that he had already anticipated this.

I am sure you have seen that it is not likely to happen. If the Quardenze family only sends Alina, the child of his regular wife, as a bride, it will give people the impression that the Levios family has given in. In other words , it could look as if the Levios family, whose prestige has declined, used their daughter to flatter them.”

I did not reply, but my father had already considered the concerns expressed by Prince Dunkel.

Perhaps taking my silence as an affirmation, the prince continues.

But it would be difficult to have a mutual engagement. Princess Fanny of the Quardenze family is ten years old, is she not? The difference in age between me and her is nearly ten, which is not a good age difference. Only male child of the current king, Levios Lugain.

It is said that nobles tend to have better relationships with men and women who are close in age; a difference of five or six years is not that unusual, but if they are 10 years apart and have not known each other since childhood, there is a certain amount of risk involved. The risk is, of course, the risk of not being able to procreate with one's own wife, which is the most dangerous risk for an aristocratic family and one that should be avoided.

Should they really take that risk and enter into a marriage?

I think it is a good idea. But it might be a good idea to have a meeting between Alina and Lord Wilk just in case something happens.

For example, if the Levios family's prestige were to decline even more than it is now, and the Quardenze family were to put their trust in the Levios family. The conversation if they have a face to face meeting in advance.

However, my father thought at the time of New Nelly's departure that the Levios family would not assume such a negative development. Therefore, he said that he would not meet with Princess Aliyna individually, but would only greet her lightly at social gatherings.

However, the threat from the east, the Orcians, had made an early impression in King's Landing. Perhaps it was only natural that he reconsidered the idea of ​​having him meet Princess Aliina for insurance purposes.

My father had also mentioned that the princess might be at the luncheon when we left this morning. What did come out, though, was the Wang Mausoleum.

I think …… And I think this is what he was thinking in the grand scheme of things.”

The prince spoke eloquently, but were these the thoughts of King Levios? Or is he imagining my father's thoughts?

Whatever the case, there is no need or obligation for me to speak my father's thoughts openly here and now. I'll just say what I think of it.

I feel sorry for Princess Alina, the younger sister who is being pushed around by …….

And most of all, I feel most sorry for me, the one who is being used as an engagement partner without my permission.

Pity?”

Prince Dunkel then showed an expression as if he had been caught off guard.I think his surprise came out as it was, and it was honest and without acting.

What is it?”

'No,…………I thought that Lord Wilk was kind to his sister.'

Saying this, Prince Dunkel sipped at his cup of tea to hide his expression his.He was not taking his mouth away from the cup, as if he was putting together some thoughts.

What on earth is he thinking? He shouldn't have said anything too strange,……

I had no choice but to drink a cup of tea along with the prince.

I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to get to know the prince better.

Yes, she is my little sister. She is a lovely sister.

When comparing me and the prince, the biggest difference in superiority may not be the magic power, but the sister power.

The most important thing to remember is that the best way to get the most out of your money is to be a good sport. I am sure she must be cute as a panting girl too.

I will make Fanny happy, that is my brother's duty.My father has already given his consent to him, and even if the magical beast Elsinia appears, I will never give in.

Just thinking about what will happen after New Nelly's return makes my face grin and my crotch harden. I feel as if I'm going to burst out with a mixture of magical power and disgusting feelings.

If I do that here and now, he might make a mistake me for having feelings for Prince Dunkel. You do it either

I see…….”

Prince Dunkel then placed the cup on the saucer.

But still, what on earth does the prince want to do?I can't see where he wants to put the story.It is hard to believe that he is only exposing his rebellion against his fatherhis,and it is a mystery .

The conclusion I just mentioned is actually incorrect.

So this is where we start.

The change in the tone of his voice to a grave one shows that he was trying to switch our attention.

What does it mean that this conclusion, an insurance policy in case of emergency, is incorrect? I expected that my father and I would do the same, and I thought that was the most likely scenario.

'If we had come to the same conclusion, it would not have helped. We are missing a couple of pieces of information that we need to make a decision.

Two?

'Yes, one of them should have been discussed with the Marquis of Quardenze by my father during our tour of the castle. The first of these is the future policy of the kingdom, the political plan, to put it simply. ..Ah, what was spoken was my father's political philosophy, so it is not my idea. I hope you will take that into consideration when you speak to the Marquis of Quardenze this evening.

Are you going to assert that the policies of the current generation differ from those of the next generation?

Is the disagreement between father and son the root cause of political conflict? No one from the MIZUMI hand has reported anything about this.

I understand. I will assume that King Levios' conception has been discussed.

It would not be a simple discussion of political ideas. If it was, my father would have taken it into consideration.

Was it a story related to the rumors of the invasion of St. Navempos, or was it a national policy that looked even further ahead?

If the future of the kingdom is to be considered from a long-term perspective, the diplomatic element of intermarriage, which links noble families with noble families, will be very much involved. May be natural for the conclusion to change to something completely different.

And one more thing: …… I am sorry, but I cannot tell you this. If I am not careful, the Marquis of Quardenze might protest.

…… So you want me to ask my father?”

I don't know. I have not heard whether my father will talk to the Marquis of Quardenze directly about this.

I have n't heard, and I don't want to hear.The tone of his voice he was so full of hatred that such thoughts could be heard.

The prince's magical power was shaking minutely.The magic inside him was trembling due to his strong emotionshis.I can't tell what kind of emotion he is feeling specifically,but from his tone of voicehis,I'm pretty sure it's anger.

Ah, I thought again, I knew that parents and children don't get along.

But why did he go to the trouble of exorcising me and telling me this?

Is it that there are actually two factions within the Levios family, the current Lugain faction and the next Dunkel faction, and they want me to become a Dunkel faction?

Frankly, seeing an irritated person doesn't give me a good impression. In fact, it's enough to make me feel bad that I'm being shown being angry without my permission.

'Most likely, the marquis would understand immediately.

I see.

The reason why the response has become so soft is probably because I've been paying too much attention to the wavering of that hatred and have tuned in to it.

Let's try not to catch the prince in too much of a magical sense.

So, how does getting those two pieces of information to make a decision change your conclusion?”

To calm my mind, I dared to speak the words from me.

But it was a bad idea.

My father is thinking of arranging a mutual engagement between the Levios and Quardenze families.

What?

“Lord Wilke has taken Alina as his lawful wife…….”

Huh?

“I take Princess Fanny to be my lawful wife…….”

Huh?

“My father has prepared a proposal that will satisfy the Marquis of Quardenze…….

It's leaking out.

I'm not sure what to do with the money.

Prince Dunkel rises from his chair with a mighty thump.

The sound of an empty cup falling to the ground and breaking can be heard somewhere in the distance.