Erdene was dreaming.
In her dream, she was only nine years old.
At that age, Erdene was the first among the royal family to put away her wooden sword and practice swordsmanship with her master with a real sword.
[Master! I can now fight while standing on a horse!]
Young Erdene, who had been sparring with her master, was sitting on a running horse at some point.
She raised both legs up onto the horse’s back as it accelerated, and straightened her body as if performing a dangerous acrobatic feat.
No. A part of her consciousness thought.
She couldn’t do this when she was nine. She became capable of this when she was twelve.
[Erdene!]
[Father!]
Erdene’s small body flew through the air. The sword she was holding in her hand had disappeared somewhere.
Erdene, who had settled lightly like a bird in the broad arms of her father, laughed as she touched the Emperor's crown that no one dared touch.
[You are indeed my daughter. With such spirit at such a young age, there will be nothing you cannot do in the future.]
[Father! I will become the Empress of Hirschsten, right?]
[Of course, Erdene. Do you know what your name means? It means the nine jewels. Gold, silver, coral, pearl, turquoise, lapis lazuli, mother-of-pearl, steel, and copper. They are all precious, beautiful, and strong. My daughter, who has no shame in her glorious name.]
[Father, I will become a great Empress like you. I will become a strong and wise Empress and continue the glory of Hirschsten for many years.]
[Of course! Of course, you should do that.]
The officials who were watching along with the two burst into joyful laughter.
How happy...
In her dream, young Erdene felt it very clearly.
This was true happiness.
If she looked more closely, it was so clear and vivid that she could even figure out the color and shape of happiness.
Erdene, who had been awakened from a light sleep by the clanking sound of wheels, opened her eyes.
It took her some time to realize that she had been dreaming.
The unfamiliar maid who had been in the same carriage as her, who had been serving her, was sleeping, leaning against the window, oblivious to the world.
She was a cute child with slightly swarthy skin under her loose headdress, but she was very quiet.
She didn’t know if she was scared or if it was her natural personality, but Erdene didn’t ask or pay attention.
She was in the carriage heading to Vetor.
Even though she had come by the quick route, she had been in the carriage for four whole days.
Accustomed to always galloping on horseback, the carriage’s speed felt ridiculously slow, and it was difficult for her to get used to it.
The unpaved road continued endlessly after crossing the border between the empire and the inland, making the journey uneasy.
To Erdene, it felt like more than a thousand years, but the coachman and other porters thought differently.
They all agreed that it was unbelievable that it had only taken four days to get here from the empire’s border.
That was because Erdene didn't have to spread out her mat and eat at every mealtime, drink tea once an hour, wash herself, or not stop the carriage. After all, she felt motion sickness.
She ate only a small amount of the dry rations she had brought separately, and she skipped meals as if she were on a hunger strike.
Of course, Erdene did not go on a hunger strike to vent her discontent. Why would she express her discontent in such a cute way as fasting when she had something to complain about?
‘I won’t have to eat this anymore.’
Erdene simply liked the dry rations.
The carriage seemed to slow down, then suddenly stopped as if it had hit a rock.
The girl who had been in a deep sleep only then came to her senses with a start, and there was still a trace of drool on the corner of her mouth.
Erdene considered telling her that but decided not to.
The official who had accompanied Erdene to manage the group and attend to her opened the door and said,
“Your Highness, we have arrived at the border of Vetor. Please get out and transfer to another carriage.”
“Why don’t we continue riding this carriage?”
The official looked dumbfounded for a moment before speaking seriously.
“This is a travel carriage. Isn’t it too shabby for Your Highness to ride in?”
It was a matter of little interest, but Erdene answered with a short sigh and got out of the carriage.
In fact, what he said wasn’t wrong.
She was once the heir to the imperial throne.
It wasn’t like that now, but she was still a Princess who had come to marry the King of a country.
She had no intention of looking down on him with her unsuitable attire and appearance.
There was a makeshift barracks in the middle of the forest. Outside, two women who seemed to be noblewomen were standing, both of whom were taller than Erdene.
In fact, Erdene was not that tall compared to her outstanding fighting skills.
Those who only heard of her through rumors thought that Erdene was taller and fiercer than the average man as if she had two more heads...
In reality, her physique was ordinary, and she even looked slightly petite when she took off her armor.
The two noblewomen looked momentarily surprised at Erdene, forgot to greet her, and only later bowed. When Erdene entered the barracks, the two followed her.
Judging from the fact that nothing was prepared, it was clear that they had come out just to greet her.
Of the two ladies, the older one had a picky personality, just by looking at her facial features.
The younger one had a plump, round face that gave her a cute impression.
If she had applied the blush a little lighter, it would have been much better, but... Erdene didn’t say anything this time either.
“Nice to meet you, Your Highness. It must have been hard to travel so far. I am More Wickes of the House of Wickes. My husband is the Viscount Wickes. This is Marchioness Lacey Fiddlers.”
“It is an honor to meet you, Your Highness.”
The Marchioness Fiddlers said stiffly. Erdene immediately realized that she was very uncomfortable with her.
“It is nice to meet you.”
When Erdene finally gave a short answer after a long time, Viscountess Wickes looked noticeably relieved.
But the Marchioness Fiddlers moved her eyes back and forth, looking Erdene up and down.
Then she suddenly said,
“You’re smaller than I thought, Your Highness. Thank goodness.”
Did those words please Erdene?
Of course not.
Erdene, who had been looking away indifferently, looked straight up at her.
“What’s fortunate, Marchioness?”
Lacey, or Marchioness Fiddlers, lifted her pointed chin slightly and looked down at Erdene.
If someone had looked at her like that in Hirschsten—especially in the barracks—they would have lost their necks before they could even look back...
“Can’t you hear me?”
Viscountess More Wickes hurriedly stepped between them.
“Marchioness, Your Highness is asking you a question, so you must answer. Oh, by the way. You said you’ve been having trouble hearing lately, and now you’re doing it again?”
The Marchioness Fiddler’s beaked nose twitched slightly.
“My ears are fine, More. It’s just that I’m not fluent in the Northern accent. I just didn’t quite understand what Her Highness the Princess was saying.”
Then she made a very slow bow.
“Please forgive me, Your Highness the Princess.”
Erdene snorted inwardly.
‘This old woman is trying to break my spirit.’
She had fully expected this. It was not right to have a foreign woman in their royal court...
It wasn’t because Vetor was conservative. It was the same in any country. But she was the heir to the imperial throne.
Even now that she was no longer the one and only Princess of Hirschsten.
Erdene’s pride in her homeland and her position was immense.
If Marchioness Fiddler had realized this sooner, her later years might have been very different.
The Viscountess fidgeted again.
“I heard that Your Highness the Princess was a very fierce person on the battlefield. The nobles of Vetor stayed up all night listening to Your Highness the Princess’s bravery! That’s why there were rumors that Your Highness the Princess was very tall and physically fit. But now that I see you in person, I realize that all the rumors were false. You were such a lovely person! Your skin was as white as snow and your blue eyes were so beautiful.”
However, Erdene still stared at Lacey Fiddler, despite More Wickes’ desperate efforts.
“Regardless, you still haven’t answered my question. What on earth is the reason why I’m ‘smaller than you think’?”
More gave up on joining in and just looked at Lacey and Erdene.
Lacey Fiddler lowered the corners of her mouth even more solemnly and said.
“I just said this because I thought about the time when you would stand next to His Majesty. As the Queen of Vetor, you will often attend official functions with His Majesty, but if the Princess is too tall, it will diminish His Majesty’s prestige. In that sense, I said it was fortunate, and there was no other intention.”
At that age, Erdene was the first among the royal family to put away her wooden sword and practice swordsmanship with her master with a real sword.
[Master! I can now fight while standing on a horse!]
Young Erdene, who had been sparring with her master, was sitting on a running horse at some point.
She raised both legs up onto the horse’s back as it accelerated, and straightened her body as if performing a dangerous acrobatic feat.
No. A part of her consciousness thought.
She couldn’t do this when she was nine. She became capable of this when she was twelve.
[Erdene!]
[Father!]
Erdene’s small body flew through the air. The sword she was holding in her hand had disappeared somewhere.
Erdene, who had settled lightly like a bird in the broad arms of her father, laughed as she touched the Emperor's crown that no one dared touch.
[You are indeed my daughter. With such spirit at such a young age, there will be nothing you cannot do in the future.]
[Father! I will become the Empress of Hirschsten, right?]
[Of course, Erdene. Do you know what your name means? It means the nine jewels. Gold, silver, coral, pearl, turquoise, lapis lazuli, mother-of-pearl, steel, and copper. They are all precious, beautiful, and strong. My daughter, who has no shame in her glorious name.]
[Father, I will become a great Empress like you. I will become a strong and wise Empress and continue the glory of Hirschsten for many years.]
[Of course! Of course, you should do that.]
The officials who were watching along with the two burst into joyful laughter.
How happy...
In her dream, young Erdene felt it very clearly.
This was true happiness.
If she looked more closely, it was so clear and vivid that she could even figure out the color and shape of happiness.
***
Erdene, who had been awakened from a light sleep by the clanking sound of wheels, opened her eyes.
It took her some time to realize that she had been dreaming.
The unfamiliar maid who had been in the same carriage as her, who had been serving her, was sleeping, leaning against the window, oblivious to the world.
She was a cute child with slightly swarthy skin under her loose headdress, but she was very quiet.
She didn’t know if she was scared or if it was her natural personality, but Erdene didn’t ask or pay attention.
She was in the carriage heading to Vetor.
Even though she had come by the quick route, she had been in the carriage for four whole days.
Accustomed to always galloping on horseback, the carriage’s speed felt ridiculously slow, and it was difficult for her to get used to it.
The unpaved road continued endlessly after crossing the border between the empire and the inland, making the journey uneasy.
To Erdene, it felt like more than a thousand years, but the coachman and other porters thought differently.
They all agreed that it was unbelievable that it had only taken four days to get here from the empire’s border.
That was because Erdene didn't have to spread out her mat and eat at every mealtime, drink tea once an hour, wash herself, or not stop the carriage. After all, she felt motion sickness.
She ate only a small amount of the dry rations she had brought separately, and she skipped meals as if she were on a hunger strike.
Of course, Erdene did not go on a hunger strike to vent her discontent. Why would she express her discontent in such a cute way as fasting when she had something to complain about?
‘I won’t have to eat this anymore.’
Erdene simply liked the dry rations.
The carriage seemed to slow down, then suddenly stopped as if it had hit a rock.
The girl who had been in a deep sleep only then came to her senses with a start, and there was still a trace of drool on the corner of her mouth.
Erdene considered telling her that but decided not to.
The official who had accompanied Erdene to manage the group and attend to her opened the door and said,
“Your Highness, we have arrived at the border of Vetor. Please get out and transfer to another carriage.”
“Why don’t we continue riding this carriage?”
The official looked dumbfounded for a moment before speaking seriously.
“This is a travel carriage. Isn’t it too shabby for Your Highness to ride in?”
It was a matter of little interest, but Erdene answered with a short sigh and got out of the carriage.
In fact, what he said wasn’t wrong.
She was once the heir to the imperial throne.
It wasn’t like that now, but she was still a Princess who had come to marry the King of a country.
She had no intention of looking down on him with her unsuitable attire and appearance.
There was a makeshift barracks in the middle of the forest. Outside, two women who seemed to be noblewomen were standing, both of whom were taller than Erdene.
In fact, Erdene was not that tall compared to her outstanding fighting skills.
Those who only heard of her through rumors thought that Erdene was taller and fiercer than the average man as if she had two more heads...
In reality, her physique was ordinary, and she even looked slightly petite when she took off her armor.
The two noblewomen looked momentarily surprised at Erdene, forgot to greet her, and only later bowed. When Erdene entered the barracks, the two followed her.
Judging from the fact that nothing was prepared, it was clear that they had come out just to greet her.
Of the two ladies, the older one had a picky personality, just by looking at her facial features.
The younger one had a plump, round face that gave her a cute impression.
If she had applied the blush a little lighter, it would have been much better, but... Erdene didn’t say anything this time either.
“Nice to meet you, Your Highness. It must have been hard to travel so far. I am More Wickes of the House of Wickes. My husband is the Viscount Wickes. This is Marchioness Lacey Fiddlers.”
“It is an honor to meet you, Your Highness.”
The Marchioness Fiddlers said stiffly. Erdene immediately realized that she was very uncomfortable with her.
“It is nice to meet you.”
When Erdene finally gave a short answer after a long time, Viscountess Wickes looked noticeably relieved.
But the Marchioness Fiddlers moved her eyes back and forth, looking Erdene up and down.
Then she suddenly said,
“You’re smaller than I thought, Your Highness. Thank goodness.”
Did those words please Erdene?
Of course not.
Erdene, who had been looking away indifferently, looked straight up at her.
“What’s fortunate, Marchioness?”
Lacey, or Marchioness Fiddlers, lifted her pointed chin slightly and looked down at Erdene.
If someone had looked at her like that in Hirschsten—especially in the barracks—they would have lost their necks before they could even look back...
“Can’t you hear me?”
Viscountess More Wickes hurriedly stepped between them.
“Marchioness, Your Highness is asking you a question, so you must answer. Oh, by the way. You said you’ve been having trouble hearing lately, and now you’re doing it again?”
The Marchioness Fiddler’s beaked nose twitched slightly.
“My ears are fine, More. It’s just that I’m not fluent in the Northern accent. I just didn’t quite understand what Her Highness the Princess was saying.”
Then she made a very slow bow.
“Please forgive me, Your Highness the Princess.”
Erdene snorted inwardly.
‘This old woman is trying to break my spirit.’
She had fully expected this. It was not right to have a foreign woman in their royal court...
It wasn’t because Vetor was conservative. It was the same in any country. But she was the heir to the imperial throne.
Even now that she was no longer the one and only Princess of Hirschsten.
Erdene’s pride in her homeland and her position was immense.
If Marchioness Fiddler had realized this sooner, her later years might have been very different.
The Viscountess fidgeted again.
“I heard that Your Highness the Princess was a very fierce person on the battlefield. The nobles of Vetor stayed up all night listening to Your Highness the Princess’s bravery! That’s why there were rumors that Your Highness the Princess was very tall and physically fit. But now that I see you in person, I realize that all the rumors were false. You were such a lovely person! Your skin was as white as snow and your blue eyes were so beautiful.”
However, Erdene still stared at Lacey Fiddler, despite More Wickes’ desperate efforts.
“Regardless, you still haven’t answered my question. What on earth is the reason why I’m ‘smaller than you think’?”
More gave up on joining in and just looked at Lacey and Erdene.
Lacey Fiddler lowered the corners of her mouth even more solemnly and said.
“I just said this because I thought about the time when you would stand next to His Majesty. As the Queen of Vetor, you will often attend official functions with His Majesty, but if the Princess is too tall, it will diminish His Majesty’s prestige. In that sense, I said it was fortunate, and there was no other intention.”
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