A loud noise was heard from outside. At first, it was heard from afar, but it was getting closer and closer. Now it was right in front of the main building.
Voices were shouting, grumbling, and seemingly inadvertent curses coming out of a thick wooden door.
Looking at the situation that was going on, it seemed that this was not something that usually happened in the palace. People's expressions began to show confusion.
“What on earth is this in a place that should be solemn...”
Count Osbord sighed with an expression that seemed as if the world had come crashing down. His small eyes kept glancing at His Majesty the Emperor, and it seemed as if he was cowering in fear of being blamed for this situation.
Despite all this commotion, the Emperor just looked at me intently.
I looked puzzled, then suddenly realized something.
The sound of the shouting sounded somewhat familiar. I gestured with a face full of emotion.
“Wait, wait!”
Almost as if I were shouting, Count Osbord nodded to the knights.
I hurried down to the podium and desperately grabbed Sir Enoch from between the knights.
“I think you are the one I have been waiting for.”
“What is that...”
The knights stood still as if they were surprised by the Princess, who suddenly jumped down. If I moved recklessly and got swept away, it would be a big problem.
Because of that, the attention focused on me became more intense.
I turned my back on the people and winked at Enoch.
“That’s why I think you’re the person I’ve been waiting for.”
“...”
“Open the door.”
It was difficult to speak in detail because of the eyes that were watching my every action. However, Lord Enoch had a strange expression on his face as if he understood.
As I released Enoch, the surrounding knights split left and right in the direction he was walking. The heavy wooden door finally opened.
“...”
The gatekeepers who had been guarding the main temple like an iron wall retreated awkwardly when someone came out from inside.
In the meantime, a person was pushed forward as if he had been vomited out. His hair and clothes were a mess, as if he had been rolling around in the mud, but I recognized him at a glance.
It was Cesare. My old teacher and the strategist who was demoted for condoning an assassination attempt during the first competition.
“This guy insisted on seeing Her Highness the Princess...”
“But he said he couldn’t tell me his purpose, and he had a mark that His Highness had given him so that I couldn’t completely force him to stop him...”
“Even if I tell him to wait until the competition is over, I just can’t...”
The guards stammered excuses. No one seemed to identify Cesare with the lofty strategist of the Duke of Ashkabad.
That makes sense. If it weren't for me calling Cesare, I wouldn't have recognized him.
“Greetings to Her Highness the Princess.”
Cesare's voice was barely a whisper, but it echoed throughout the magnificent hall and was heard by all.
Enoch accepted it. Everyone in the main hall would have known what it was at a glance because they had seen it when Veronica had presented the box earlier.
Yes, it was the very box that the Emperor had given to the contenders, and that I had left with Rosetta.
“Your Highness, this.”
Enoch knelt down at my feet and supported the box with both hands. I accepted it with a somewhat heavy heart.
This is what Rosetta said. My decision was right. I answered her question correctly.
“The Princess must answer now.”
I laughed a little because the Emperor had such an obviously happy expression on his face.
My expression wouldn't have been much different. I couldn't tell which came first: the relief of not having to show my poor appearance, the sense of accomplishment, or the overwhelming satisfaction.
I put the box down on the velvet cushion that the attendant was holding.
“Then, I will submit this.”
As before, the attendant opened the box and held it up for everyone to see. The Emperor leaned forward slightly, as if he was interested.
The Emperor must have known this since he had already been informed of it, but the others seemed bewildered. There must have been only a translucent white stone inside the box.
Count Osbord stammered and opened his mouth.
“Your Highness. What the heck is this...”
If the Emperor had not been here, it seemed as if jeers would have erupted at any moment. Even Duke Kairak had a crooked smile on his thin lips, as if he was certain of victory.
But the next moment, all those expressions were filled with shock.
“This is the blue opal of ancient Belcruz, the stone of Oidos. I submit this as the result of the competition.”
An eerie silence fell over the main hall, but soon it began to change into a tumultuous roar.
It was similar to when Veronica submitted the Belcruz sapphire, but a little bigger and more intense. Before they could argue about its authenticity, I took the first step.
“Your Majesty, bring the box this way.”
I poured some water into the box. I didn't have to wait long. Rosetta would have sent me a stone that had been sufficiently heated by the sun.
As I expected, it wasn't long before a blue glow began to slowly creep into the Capitol.
“This is really...!”
“The Stone of Oidos?”
“Bartivesa’s? Oh my God!”
Sighs of disbelief, amazement, and words of excitement poured over me.
The blue light that the opal emitted was so dark and intense that it felt like the main temple had sunk into the deep sea in an instant.
It must have been an impressive moment for everyone, seeing even the Emperor look surprised.
I looked from right to left as if observing everyone's faces.
“I went to the area of ‘Old Belcruz’ through special information and found the Stone of Oidos there.”
I opened my mouth again at a moment when the excitement of the crowd had reached a moderate level.
“It was the local indigenous people who told me about the existence of this stone. Instead of giving me access to this mine, they set three conditions for their survival.”
I opened my palm and folded my fingers one by one.
“First, we will guarantee them autonomy for the next ten years. Second, we will provide them with specialized training in mining and processing.”
Before folding the last third finger, I had to take a deep breath.
“The third and final one, I will strike them off the Admiral’s list.”
The admiration gradually grew into a murmur. Being on the admiral's list meant they were pirates.
No matter how many times Count Osbord swung his gavel, this time no one kept quiet. Finally, the Emperor, unable to bear it any longer, dragged a few people out of the main assembly hall, and the commotion finally died down.
The Emperor was handed a single shining opal, turned it around and looked at it, then opened his mouth.
“Since they have set conditions so rashly, I guess there will be a price to pay for me.”
“In return, they have agreed to offer all the opals they have produced from the mines for the next ten years to Your Majesty.”
I bent down and answered.
Up to this point, His Majesty had been informed in advance through Dmitry. After the ten years of autonomy had expired, there was even a plan to become dependent on Baron Lotte’s lands.
The plan that I had been building up on my own was gradually refined through Dmitry and Cesare. It was so that it could be implemented right away without any problems.
“The Princess should submit the relevant materials in detail before the Privy Council meeting the day after tomorrow. The Privy Council will review them closely.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Aside from that, it is commendable that you brought back the unexpected Oidos Stone. It is a fitting result.”
The Emperor's expression as he spoke seemed overly satisfied.
This is really a big deal. How can you be so biased? I rolled my eyes and ended up laughing helplessly.
Count Osbord had just opened his mouth to respond to the Emperor's gesture, which seemed to urge him to proceed quickly.
“Then let’s start voting now...”
“I can’t admit it.”
It was a low, hissing voice, like a snake raising its head. I knew at once who the voice belonged to. It was the Duke of Kairak.
He rose from his seat with great grace.
“First of all, the question is whether the stone is real or whether some trick was used on the fake stone.”
He said this, pointing to the dead opal with light.
Although the official name is Oidos Stone, it was clearly an opal, a type of gemstone. It even has a history of being said to have magical powers.
It was one thing to dismiss him as a rock, but...
“Are you saying that I just used some trick to make the stone glow falsely?”
He twisted his thin lips. Every time the Duke opened his mouth, his thin tongue seemed to flicker like a snake.
“How could I dare to doubt Your Highness?”
“...”
“Your Highness, if you are so naive, those pirates may have fooled you. The relic of Bartivesa. It sounds good, but in the end, there is no way to know whether it contains magical value or not.”
He was really cunning. With just a few words, he could have struck down the value of the Oidos Stone.
The eyes of several of the thin-eared examiners were seen narrowing in suspicion. This time, he turned to His Majesty the Emperor.
“And secondly. The end of the contest was declared by Count Osbord. How can you accept the goods delivered after that as the result of a fair contest?”
“...”
“Even the way the items were delivered... Even if they were members of the royal family, there has never been a time since the founding of the empire when such a commotion was caused in the main temple. The punishment for that is...”
"Duke."
The one who cut off the words firmly was the Emperor. His eyes were twinkling with amusement, but his gaze was sharp as if sharpening a knife.
It was a face I had never seen before. Not even at the first, the very first moment I saw it. The Emperor opened his mouth.
“Are you now daring to speak of punishment against the royal family?”
Voices were shouting, grumbling, and seemingly inadvertent curses coming out of a thick wooden door.
Looking at the situation that was going on, it seemed that this was not something that usually happened in the palace. People's expressions began to show confusion.
“What on earth is this in a place that should be solemn...”
Count Osbord sighed with an expression that seemed as if the world had come crashing down. His small eyes kept glancing at His Majesty the Emperor, and it seemed as if he was cowering in fear of being blamed for this situation.
Despite all this commotion, the Emperor just looked at me intently.
I looked puzzled, then suddenly realized something.
The sound of the shouting sounded somewhat familiar. I gestured with a face full of emotion.
“Wait, wait!”
Almost as if I were shouting, Count Osbord nodded to the knights.
I hurried down to the podium and desperately grabbed Sir Enoch from between the knights.
“I think you are the one I have been waiting for.”
“What is that...”
The knights stood still as if they were surprised by the Princess, who suddenly jumped down. If I moved recklessly and got swept away, it would be a big problem.
Because of that, the attention focused on me became more intense.
I turned my back on the people and winked at Enoch.
“That’s why I think you’re the person I’ve been waiting for.”
“...”
“Open the door.”
It was difficult to speak in detail because of the eyes that were watching my every action. However, Lord Enoch had a strange expression on his face as if he understood.
As I released Enoch, the surrounding knights split left and right in the direction he was walking. The heavy wooden door finally opened.
“...”
The gatekeepers who had been guarding the main temple like an iron wall retreated awkwardly when someone came out from inside.
In the meantime, a person was pushed forward as if he had been vomited out. His hair and clothes were a mess, as if he had been rolling around in the mud, but I recognized him at a glance.
It was Cesare. My old teacher and the strategist who was demoted for condoning an assassination attempt during the first competition.
“This guy insisted on seeing Her Highness the Princess...”
“But he said he couldn’t tell me his purpose, and he had a mark that His Highness had given him so that I couldn’t completely force him to stop him...”
“Even if I tell him to wait until the competition is over, I just can’t...”
The guards stammered excuses. No one seemed to identify Cesare with the lofty strategist of the Duke of Ashkabad.
That makes sense. If it weren't for me calling Cesare, I wouldn't have recognized him.
“Greetings to Her Highness the Princess.”
Cesare's voice was barely a whisper, but it echoed throughout the magnificent hall and was heard by all.
Enoch accepted it. Everyone in the main hall would have known what it was at a glance because they had seen it when Veronica had presented the box earlier.
Yes, it was the very box that the Emperor had given to the contenders, and that I had left with Rosetta.
“Your Highness, this.”
Enoch knelt down at my feet and supported the box with both hands. I accepted it with a somewhat heavy heart.
This is what Rosetta said. My decision was right. I answered her question correctly.
“The Princess must answer now.”
I laughed a little because the Emperor had such an obviously happy expression on his face.
My expression wouldn't have been much different. I couldn't tell which came first: the relief of not having to show my poor appearance, the sense of accomplishment, or the overwhelming satisfaction.
I put the box down on the velvet cushion that the attendant was holding.
“Then, I will submit this.”
As before, the attendant opened the box and held it up for everyone to see. The Emperor leaned forward slightly, as if he was interested.
The Emperor must have known this since he had already been informed of it, but the others seemed bewildered. There must have been only a translucent white stone inside the box.
Count Osbord stammered and opened his mouth.
“Your Highness. What the heck is this...”
If the Emperor had not been here, it seemed as if jeers would have erupted at any moment. Even Duke Kairak had a crooked smile on his thin lips, as if he was certain of victory.
But the next moment, all those expressions were filled with shock.
“This is the blue opal of ancient Belcruz, the stone of Oidos. I submit this as the result of the competition.”
***
An eerie silence fell over the main hall, but soon it began to change into a tumultuous roar.
It was similar to when Veronica submitted the Belcruz sapphire, but a little bigger and more intense. Before they could argue about its authenticity, I took the first step.
“Your Majesty, bring the box this way.”
I poured some water into the box. I didn't have to wait long. Rosetta would have sent me a stone that had been sufficiently heated by the sun.
As I expected, it wasn't long before a blue glow began to slowly creep into the Capitol.
“This is really...!”
“The Stone of Oidos?”
“Bartivesa’s? Oh my God!”
Sighs of disbelief, amazement, and words of excitement poured over me.
The blue light that the opal emitted was so dark and intense that it felt like the main temple had sunk into the deep sea in an instant.
It must have been an impressive moment for everyone, seeing even the Emperor look surprised.
I looked from right to left as if observing everyone's faces.
“I went to the area of ‘Old Belcruz’ through special information and found the Stone of Oidos there.”
I opened my mouth again at a moment when the excitement of the crowd had reached a moderate level.
“It was the local indigenous people who told me about the existence of this stone. Instead of giving me access to this mine, they set three conditions for their survival.”
I opened my palm and folded my fingers one by one.
“First, we will guarantee them autonomy for the next ten years. Second, we will provide them with specialized training in mining and processing.”
Before folding the last third finger, I had to take a deep breath.
“The third and final one, I will strike them off the Admiral’s list.”
The admiration gradually grew into a murmur. Being on the admiral's list meant they were pirates.
No matter how many times Count Osbord swung his gavel, this time no one kept quiet. Finally, the Emperor, unable to bear it any longer, dragged a few people out of the main assembly hall, and the commotion finally died down.
The Emperor was handed a single shining opal, turned it around and looked at it, then opened his mouth.
“Since they have set conditions so rashly, I guess there will be a price to pay for me.”
“In return, they have agreed to offer all the opals they have produced from the mines for the next ten years to Your Majesty.”
I bent down and answered.
Up to this point, His Majesty had been informed in advance through Dmitry. After the ten years of autonomy had expired, there was even a plan to become dependent on Baron Lotte’s lands.
The plan that I had been building up on my own was gradually refined through Dmitry and Cesare. It was so that it could be implemented right away without any problems.
“The Princess should submit the relevant materials in detail before the Privy Council meeting the day after tomorrow. The Privy Council will review them closely.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Aside from that, it is commendable that you brought back the unexpected Oidos Stone. It is a fitting result.”
The Emperor's expression as he spoke seemed overly satisfied.
This is really a big deal. How can you be so biased? I rolled my eyes and ended up laughing helplessly.
Count Osbord had just opened his mouth to respond to the Emperor's gesture, which seemed to urge him to proceed quickly.
“Then let’s start voting now...”
“I can’t admit it.”
It was a low, hissing voice, like a snake raising its head. I knew at once who the voice belonged to. It was the Duke of Kairak.
He rose from his seat with great grace.
“First of all, the question is whether the stone is real or whether some trick was used on the fake stone.”
He said this, pointing to the dead opal with light.
Although the official name is Oidos Stone, it was clearly an opal, a type of gemstone. It even has a history of being said to have magical powers.
It was one thing to dismiss him as a rock, but...
“Are you saying that I just used some trick to make the stone glow falsely?”
He twisted his thin lips. Every time the Duke opened his mouth, his thin tongue seemed to flicker like a snake.
“How could I dare to doubt Your Highness?”
“...”
“Your Highness, if you are so naive, those pirates may have fooled you. The relic of Bartivesa. It sounds good, but in the end, there is no way to know whether it contains magical value or not.”
He was really cunning. With just a few words, he could have struck down the value of the Oidos Stone.
The eyes of several of the thin-eared examiners were seen narrowing in suspicion. This time, he turned to His Majesty the Emperor.
“And secondly. The end of the contest was declared by Count Osbord. How can you accept the goods delivered after that as the result of a fair contest?”
“...”
“Even the way the items were delivered... Even if they were members of the royal family, there has never been a time since the founding of the empire when such a commotion was caused in the main temple. The punishment for that is...”
"Duke."
The one who cut off the words firmly was the Emperor. His eyes were twinkling with amusement, but his gaze was sharp as if sharpening a knife.
It was a face I had never seen before. Not even at the first, the very first moment I saw it. The Emperor opened his mouth.
“Are you now daring to speak of punishment against the royal family?”
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