Prince Calvain suddenly walked to the window, rising from the sofa.
Princess Jasper set down her teacup, relieved, but watched Prince Calvain's back as he abruptly headed toward the window.
"A hoisting pigeon."
Prince Calvain looked back at her, holding a dove on his finger.
"A hoisting pigeon? Where did you send it?"
"I don't know. You'll know if you look at the letter it brought."
He quickly untied the letter tied to the pigeon's leg and unfolded it.
"...This."
Prince Calvain's brow furrowed as he read, and after finishing the letter, his entire face contorted.
What could it possibly be?
Princess Jasper sat on the sofa, carefully observing his profile.
"Damn it."
Concern settled over Prince Calvain's face.
"What the hell is going on?"
Unable to bear it any longer, Princess Jasper rose from the sofa and approached Prince Calvain.
“The wyverns are back in the Valley of Death.”
“That was expected.”
“Yes, of course it was expected...”
Judging by the expression on Prince Calvain’s face, it seemed that there was a problem with the wyverns.
“Is that what the letter said?”
“No. It says that the wyvern lord has appeared.”
“...Huh?! So does that mean there is someone who can control the wyverns?”
“Yes.”
Prince Calvain nodded with a worried expression.
“Does the letter say who the wyvern lord is?”
“It doesn’t say, but it seems like the sender knows.”
“!”
Prince Jasper’s face showed disbelief.
“Is there really a wyvern lord like the letter says?”
“It’s hard to believe, but it’s too important to dismiss as nonsense.”
Prince Calvain was right.
If the wyvern lord exists, the continent will fall into great chaos.
While adult wyverns cannot be tamed, baby wyverns are known to be relatively easy to tame by wizards and high-ranking knights.
A single tamed wyvern possesses the fighting power of dozens, if not hundreds, of knights.
Therefore, a nation that possesses a baby wyvern not only prevents other nations from invading, but also gains the opportunity to unite the continent. For this reason, three years ago, a war broke out between the northern and southern continents over the possession of the baby wyverns. Ironically, the wyverns fled to other habitats during the war.
Ultimately, the war ended with only human bloodshed in their home, the Valley of Death, ending in a ceasefire.
It was a peaceful and fruitless war for both the northern and southern continents.
Later, when the wyverns returned to the Valley of Death, each nation held a continental hunting competition to monitor each other's movements.
However, an unexpected ambush appeared midway through the competition, and the hunting competition, which began in the northern continent, was unable to continue to the southern continent.
The Allied forces of the Principality of Aklatto and Tanya Island had detained and then released each nation's distinguished guests in the monastery, leaving the nations with no opportunity to exchange or learn about each other's wyvern-related information.
It would have been better if not all nations possessed wyverns.
However, if one nation monopolized the wyverns, the other nations' positions would inevitably become extremely precarious.
If the Wyvern Lord truly existed, and if he had ambitions to unite the continent, then... this was a truly emergency situation.
"They wouldn't have relayed this news to just us. They must have sent carrier pigeons to other nations, especially the southern continent."
If the letter was true, they couldn't just sit back and do nothing.
They had to do something.
Either wage war again, or kill the Wyvern Lord.
"It could be a lie. Is there a name on it that sent the carrier pigeon?"
"Oh, yes,"
Prince Calvain replied, folding the letter and putting it in his pocket.
"Who is it?! Can you trust him?"
"I don't know if I can trust him, but he's not someone I can ignore."
The upcoming coronation ceremony was a headache in many ways.
Prince Calvain let out a hollow laugh and pressed his fingertips to his temple.
"Who is that? Is he... Prince Norton?"
"Oh, you have firm shoulders."
The question was laced with a hint of anticipation, but Rosie couldn't readily answer and muttered.
“I thought we’d gone too far,”
Melanie smirked teasingly, her disappointment evident.
“And what about Your Highness Melanie? Why is Hetor the most manly?”
“You can tell. Look at his size. If it’s not all muscle, then what is...”
But why are you swallowing?
“Melanie, what are your plans for the future?”
I asked seriously, sitting her down on a chair.
“I plan to like him.”
The firm answer left me speechless for a moment, but I tried to calmly continue the conversation.
“...Unrequited love is hard. And he’s Roxana’s confidant.”
“I know what you’re worried about... But it’s not unrequited love.”
“Hetor... likes you too?!”
Princess Jasper set down her teacup, relieved, but watched Prince Calvain's back as he abruptly headed toward the window.
"A hoisting pigeon."
Prince Calvain looked back at her, holding a dove on his finger.
"A hoisting pigeon? Where did you send it?"
"I don't know. You'll know if you look at the letter it brought."
He quickly untied the letter tied to the pigeon's leg and unfolded it.
"...This."
Prince Calvain's brow furrowed as he read, and after finishing the letter, his entire face contorted.
What could it possibly be?
Princess Jasper sat on the sofa, carefully observing his profile.
"Damn it."
Concern settled over Prince Calvain's face.
"What the hell is going on?"
Unable to bear it any longer, Princess Jasper rose from the sofa and approached Prince Calvain.
“The wyverns are back in the Valley of Death.”
“That was expected.”
“Yes, of course it was expected...”
Judging by the expression on Prince Calvain’s face, it seemed that there was a problem with the wyverns.
“Is that what the letter said?”
“No. It says that the wyvern lord has appeared.”
“...Huh?! So does that mean there is someone who can control the wyverns?”
“Yes.”
Prince Calvain nodded with a worried expression.
“Does the letter say who the wyvern lord is?”
“It doesn’t say, but it seems like the sender knows.”
“!”
Prince Jasper’s face showed disbelief.
“Is there really a wyvern lord like the letter says?”
“It’s hard to believe, but it’s too important to dismiss as nonsense.”
Prince Calvain was right.
If the wyvern lord exists, the continent will fall into great chaos.
While adult wyverns cannot be tamed, baby wyverns are known to be relatively easy to tame by wizards and high-ranking knights.
A single tamed wyvern possesses the fighting power of dozens, if not hundreds, of knights.
Therefore, a nation that possesses a baby wyvern not only prevents other nations from invading, but also gains the opportunity to unite the continent. For this reason, three years ago, a war broke out between the northern and southern continents over the possession of the baby wyverns. Ironically, the wyverns fled to other habitats during the war.
Ultimately, the war ended with only human bloodshed in their home, the Valley of Death, ending in a ceasefire.
It was a peaceful and fruitless war for both the northern and southern continents.
Later, when the wyverns returned to the Valley of Death, each nation held a continental hunting competition to monitor each other's movements.
However, an unexpected ambush appeared midway through the competition, and the hunting competition, which began in the northern continent, was unable to continue to the southern continent.
The Allied forces of the Principality of Aklatto and Tanya Island had detained and then released each nation's distinguished guests in the monastery, leaving the nations with no opportunity to exchange or learn about each other's wyvern-related information.
It would have been better if not all nations possessed wyverns.
However, if one nation monopolized the wyverns, the other nations' positions would inevitably become extremely precarious.
If the Wyvern Lord truly existed, and if he had ambitions to unite the continent, then... this was a truly emergency situation.
"They wouldn't have relayed this news to just us. They must have sent carrier pigeons to other nations, especially the southern continent."
If the letter was true, they couldn't just sit back and do nothing.
They had to do something.
Either wage war again, or kill the Wyvern Lord.
"It could be a lie. Is there a name on it that sent the carrier pigeon?"
"Oh, yes,"
Prince Calvain replied, folding the letter and putting it in his pocket.
"Who is it?! Can you trust him?"
"I don't know if I can trust him, but he's not someone I can ignore."
The upcoming coronation ceremony was a headache in many ways.
Prince Calvain let out a hollow laugh and pressed his fingertips to his temple.
"Who is that? Is he... Prince Norton?"
***
"Oh, you have firm shoulders."
The question was laced with a hint of anticipation, but Rosie couldn't readily answer and muttered.
“I thought we’d gone too far,”
Melanie smirked teasingly, her disappointment evident.
“And what about Your Highness Melanie? Why is Hetor the most manly?”
“You can tell. Look at his size. If it’s not all muscle, then what is...”
But why are you swallowing?
“Melanie, what are your plans for the future?”
I asked seriously, sitting her down on a chair.
“I plan to like him.”
The firm answer left me speechless for a moment, but I tried to calmly continue the conversation.
“...Unrequited love is hard. And he’s Roxana’s confidant.”
“I know what you’re worried about... But it’s not unrequited love.”
“Hetor... likes you too?!”
I was eating the pomegranate Melanie had brought, and her words startled me, causing the pomegranate seeds to slurp down my throat.
Rosie, who was carefully binding her books with rope, stopped and looked at Melanie.
“Well, maybe not yet... But Hetor will like me soon.”
Melanie's mouth pursed tightly.
It was a mouth that revealed a strong determination to make it happen.
"What if he doesn't like you, Your Highness?"
Rosie asked with a worried look.
"It wouldn't be easy for him to dislike me, would it?"
Melanie rested her chin on both hands and smiled brightly.
Her smile was bright, and her confidence was truly... bright.
"You said I was the woman who charmed great men."
"Who?"
"The most famous astrologer in the palace!"
"Your Highness, when did you last leave the palace?"
Rosie asked with a laugh. Melanie waved her hand and continued.
"No, before I became a concubine. I was so upset and depressed about being a second concubine, not even the first, that I went to the astrologer."
"And then?"
I found myself unconsciously leaning forward toward Melanie. I was secretly curious about the future the astrologer had predicted for Melanie.
“Well, they say I’m definitely destined to become Empress.”
Melanie hesitated several times, as if revealing a big secret, before whispering.
“Oh, that astrologer is completely out of his mind.”
Rosie sneered, letting out a gasp.
Melanie humbly accepted Rosie’s sneer and continued.
“Yes, so actually... I had high expectations after I entered the harem. But the reality is completely different.”
Melanie lamented her situation right in front of those involved.
“Oh my, His Majesty is completely infatuated with the Grand Empress from the Kingdom of Shattonil.”
Rosie, who was carefully binding her books with rope, stopped and looked at Melanie.
“Well, maybe not yet... But Hetor will like me soon.”
Melanie's mouth pursed tightly.
It was a mouth that revealed a strong determination to make it happen.
"What if he doesn't like you, Your Highness?"
Rosie asked with a worried look.
"It wouldn't be easy for him to dislike me, would it?"
Melanie rested her chin on both hands and smiled brightly.
Her smile was bright, and her confidence was truly... bright.
"You said I was the woman who charmed great men."
"Who?"
"The most famous astrologer in the palace!"
"Your Highness, when did you last leave the palace?"
Rosie asked with a laugh. Melanie waved her hand and continued.
"No, before I became a concubine. I was so upset and depressed about being a second concubine, not even the first, that I went to the astrologer."
"And then?"
I found myself unconsciously leaning forward toward Melanie. I was secretly curious about the future the astrologer had predicted for Melanie.
“Well, they say I’m definitely destined to become Empress.”
Melanie hesitated several times, as if revealing a big secret, before whispering.
“Oh, that astrologer is completely out of his mind.”
Rosie sneered, letting out a gasp.
Melanie humbly accepted Rosie’s sneer and continued.
“Yes, so actually... I had high expectations after I entered the harem. But the reality is completely different.”
Melanie lamented her situation right in front of those involved.
“Oh my, His Majesty is completely infatuated with the Grand Empress from the Kingdom of Shattonil.”
“!”
“They say a fellow second concubine is going to marry a Prince from another country...”
“!”
“I’m the only one who’s in this mess.”
Rosie and I were speechless, staring at Melanie’s incessantly chattering mouth.
Melanie, who had been speaking calmly, suddenly exploded with anger.
“Ah! That astrologer clearly said I was destined to become Empress... and he said, with such confidence, that if he was wrong, I should come back later! He could bet his life on it.”
“Go get that astrologer’s hand back soon,”
I said, holding back a laugh.
Watching Melanie’s sullen expression, I ate the rest of my pomegranate before putting my fork down with an ‘Ah!’
“They say a fellow second concubine is going to marry a Prince from another country...”
“!”
“I’m the only one who’s in this mess.”
Rosie and I were speechless, staring at Melanie’s incessantly chattering mouth.
Melanie, who had been speaking calmly, suddenly exploded with anger.
“Ah! That astrologer clearly said I was destined to become Empress... and he said, with such confidence, that if he was wrong, I should come back later! He could bet his life on it.”
“Go get that astrologer’s hand back soon,”
I said, holding back a laugh.
Watching Melanie’s sullen expression, I ate the rest of my pomegranate before putting my fork down with an ‘Ah!’
“What’s wrong?”
“Hetor is a King, isn’t he?”
Even though he’s the King of a small island nation.
“Huh? Really? If you two get married, Your Highness Melanie will become the Queen of Tanya Island?”
Rosie playfully chimed in.
“My goodness, why didn’t I think of that...?”
Melanie rolled her eyes and jumped up from her chair.
She took a deep breath and then shouted with conviction.
“This is fate!”
“...Is this a delusion?”
“I’m sure His Majesty would be happy to let me go like Your Highness Rosie. Couldn’t you tell him in advance?”
Melanie took my hand and blinked her long, fan-like eyelashes.
“Melanie, the problem isn’t His Majesty. It’s Hetor’s heart.”
I tried to calm Melanie down, who was being too forward.
But she seemed to have already made up her mind.
“No, I think the astrologer was right. My fate is to be the Queen of Tanya Island!”
Melanie and I left Rosie’s quarters as the evening sun was setting.
The pleasant breeze made us decide to take a stroll to her palace.
After sending my carriage to Melanie's palace first, I walked slowly.
"Do you think Her Highness Rosie will pack a dress and accessories?"
"So what if she doesn't? There must be plenty of pretty dresses in the Pasha Empire."
"Of course not. That's why, when I arrive in the Pasha Empire, I plan to visit the most famous designer's dress shop and scoop up all the pretty things."
"You can think about that after you're on the list of congratulatory delegations."
I laughed, deliberately trying to dampen Melanie's spirits.
Then she spoke in a rather serious tone.
"I've been working really hard to build up my stamina with the wooden sword Hetor brought me!"
"Really? Hetor even brought you a wooden sword?"
"Yes, he secretly takes care of me, you know?"
Melanie said with a smug look in her eyes.
"And you know how much of a fox I am? Sometimes I pretend to be weak and lean on him. Then he teases me, but he holds me back so I don't get hurt."
Melanie, who called herself a fox, was quite endearing.
“I should probably warn Hetor about your vicious ways.”
“Oh, no! We’re just barely starting to rub shoulders! Huh? Look over there!”
Melanie grabbed my arm with both hands, pleading, then raised a finger and pointed somewhere.
“Isn’t that Yuliana?”
“I think so..."
Yuliana was getting out of the carriage and entering Pecilini’s palace.
“What’s going on at Pecilini’s quarters?”
“Hetor is a King, isn’t he?”
Even though he’s the King of a small island nation.
“Huh? Really? If you two get married, Your Highness Melanie will become the Queen of Tanya Island?”
Rosie playfully chimed in.
“My goodness, why didn’t I think of that...?”
Melanie rolled her eyes and jumped up from her chair.
She took a deep breath and then shouted with conviction.
“This is fate!”
“...Is this a delusion?”
“I’m sure His Majesty would be happy to let me go like Your Highness Rosie. Couldn’t you tell him in advance?”
Melanie took my hand and blinked her long, fan-like eyelashes.
“Melanie, the problem isn’t His Majesty. It’s Hetor’s heart.”
I tried to calm Melanie down, who was being too forward.
But she seemed to have already made up her mind.
“No, I think the astrologer was right. My fate is to be the Queen of Tanya Island!”
***
Melanie and I left Rosie’s quarters as the evening sun was setting.
The pleasant breeze made us decide to take a stroll to her palace.
After sending my carriage to Melanie's palace first, I walked slowly.
"Do you think Her Highness Rosie will pack a dress and accessories?"
"So what if she doesn't? There must be plenty of pretty dresses in the Pasha Empire."
"Of course not. That's why, when I arrive in the Pasha Empire, I plan to visit the most famous designer's dress shop and scoop up all the pretty things."
"You can think about that after you're on the list of congratulatory delegations."
I laughed, deliberately trying to dampen Melanie's spirits.
Then she spoke in a rather serious tone.
"I've been working really hard to build up my stamina with the wooden sword Hetor brought me!"
"Really? Hetor even brought you a wooden sword?"
"Yes, he secretly takes care of me, you know?"
Melanie said with a smug look in her eyes.
"And you know how much of a fox I am? Sometimes I pretend to be weak and lean on him. Then he teases me, but he holds me back so I don't get hurt."
Melanie, who called herself a fox, was quite endearing.
“I should probably warn Hetor about your vicious ways.”
“Oh, no! We’re just barely starting to rub shoulders! Huh? Look over there!”
Melanie grabbed my arm with both hands, pleading, then raised a finger and pointed somewhere.
“Isn’t that Yuliana?”
“I think so..."
Yuliana was getting out of the carriage and entering Pecilini’s palace.
“What’s going on at Pecilini’s quarters?”
Did she come here knowing that Pecilini was pregnant? If she did, did she hear about it from Roxana?
“What do you think she’s really here for?”
“Were they close?”
“No, not at all. Should I go and see?”
Melanie said, stopping.
“What?”
“I’m curious. You’re not even close, so why are you suddenly here? And judging by what Yuliana’s servant is holding, it looks like she’s prepared a gift.”
But why are you clenching your fists? I looked down at Melanie’s small fists and chuckled. I could see her determination to find out why Yulina had come to Pesilini.
“I’ll go find out and let you know later. Be careful on your way back!”
Before I could stop her, she quickly walked towards Pesilini’s palace with my servant.
“Her Highness Melanie is really a man of action.”
Sharon, who had been following behind, approached me quietly and said,
“That’s right. She goes straight ahead with everything.”
***
The next day. Today was the day Magic Tower Lord came to my residence for a morning consultation. I was leisurely drinking tea and waiting for Magic Tower Lord. Sharon entered with a knock.
“Are you here?”
I asked Sharon, assuming Magic Tower Lord would be the first visitor.
“Yes, we indeed have a guest, but it’s not Magic Tower Lord, it’s Her Highness Melanie.”
“What’s going on this morning, Melanie?”
“Your Highness Zelda!”
The moment I set down my teacup, Melanie’s excited voice echoed through my peaceful bedroom.
“Let’s go to the hot springs too!”
Melanie came in clutching a box and shouted like a child in a fit of rage. What the hell is this?
“Where are we going?”
“Empress Roxana and the concubines of the Principality of Aklatto are going to the hot springs later, just without us!”
“There are hot springs in the palace?”
I asked, looking at Sharon.
“Yes, there are hot springs near the training hall in the cypress forest.”
“Really?”
“Yes, but they’re not open all year round. The hot springs only come out from fall to winter, so you can only use them then.”
“The hot springs in the palace have been used exclusively by the royal family for generations. Even nobles can’t bathe there.”
Melanie placed the box she had brought on the table and came closer to me.
“I’ve been waiting for fall to come, too! But now it looks like the islanders are going to steal my first use?”
Melanie continued talking without stopping. She even added an explanation, saying that the previous Emperors and empresses would bring hot spring water and bathe in it in the palace during the winter, knowing how good the hot spring water in the cypress forest was for the skin.
“We can go next time.”
“No!”
“...Why?”
"Her Highness Pesilini is going too.”
Oh, was that why Yulina visited Pesilini’s palace yesterday?
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