“We should first find out which young ladies are being considered as candidates for concubines.”
That way, we can prepare more easily.
“Why don’t we ask Prince Norton?”
Melanie asked.
“No, Princess Jasper would be better.”
“I think so too. After all, the Princess would know more about the young ladies.”
Rosie agreed with my opinion, her eyes hardening.
Moni stared at Rosie’s worried face for a moment, then scratched his head and asked,
“If either Norton or Burton declared that they would only mate with Rosie, we wouldn’t have to worry, right, Moni~?”
“Human affairs aren’t that simple.”
Melanie shook her head and patted Moni’s head. Moiya, who was next to her, murmured while stroking Melanie’s head.
“Humans don’t like complicated pairings, Moiya~?
“Imperial marriages are even more so. They’re politically intertwined with various noble families. You wouldn’t understand, though.”
I chuckled and stuffed sausages into the mouths of the two wyvern cubs.
That way, we can prepare more easily.
“Why don’t we ask Prince Norton?”
Melanie asked.
“No, Princess Jasper would be better.”
“I think so too. After all, the Princess would know more about the young ladies.”
Rosie agreed with my opinion, her eyes hardening.
Moni stared at Rosie’s worried face for a moment, then scratched his head and asked,
“If either Norton or Burton declared that they would only mate with Rosie, we wouldn’t have to worry, right, Moni~?”
“Human affairs aren’t that simple.”
Melanie shook her head and patted Moni’s head. Moiya, who was next to her, murmured while stroking Melanie’s head.
“Humans don’t like complicated pairings, Moiya~?
“Imperial marriages are even more so. They’re politically intertwined with various noble families. You wouldn’t understand, though.”
I chuckled and stuffed sausages into the mouths of the two wyvern cubs.
“Shut up, please.”
“But... do you think Princess Jasper would help?”
Catherine said with a suspicious expression.
“Oh, right! Come to think of it, didn’t she become close to Princess Resilia during the Continental Hunting Tournament?”
Melanie frowned and chimed in.
“That’s probably because she didn’t know much about Princess Resilia back then. She couldn’t have imagined that Prince Norton and Rosie would end up like this. Just like us.”
I glanced at Rosie, who was tense the whole time, and said.
Rosie must have grown anxious again, because she unconsciously brought the sausages to her mouth.
When the concubines and I all shook our heads and glared at her with narrowed eyes, Rosie put the sausages back down with a small ‘Oops.’
“I’ll make sure Rosie and Princess Jasper meet.”
I grabbed Rosie’s hand and stood up from the sofa.
It was better to move quickly than sit and think.
“Then we’ll think about a dress and style that would suit Your Highness Rosie. We’ll also look for jewelry to match the outfit.”
Melanie spread out the dress book on the table, and Catherine and Pecilini put their heads together to look through it.
“What about us?”
“What should we do for Rosie?”
Moiya and Moni shouted in turn.
“For now, just don’t wander around and cause trouble.”
“Can you eat a lot of sausages?”
Moiya asked earnestly, clasping his hands together, as if he didn’t think I’d tell him not to.
“Yes, it’s fine to eat a lot, but don’t pester Sharon too much.”
“Oooh~? I’ll just stir-fry Sharon a little.”
Moiya and Moni disappeared out the window, saying they would wander around the Palace of Pasha to find a new person to supply sausages in Sharon’s place.
After meeting with the concubines, I went straight to the Empress's Palace, where Princess Jasper resided, with Rosie.
"Welcome. I was just about to visit you."
Fortunately, Princess Jasper welcomed us warmly.
And she seemed much better than I had feared.
"I was worried. You're still heartbroken, aren't you?"
Rosie asked her politely.
"I'm still trying to get myself together, but... I'm fine."
Princess Jasper calmly replied and offered her a seat.
True to her words, she seemed much more at ease after the funeral.
"Oh, Your Highness Rosie. While you're here today, how about taking a tour of the Empress's Palace? My servant will show you around. It would be great if Your Highness Zelda could join you."
Princess Jasper nodded to the servant who had just brought tea and suggested a tour of the Empress's Palace.
"Thank you for your consideration. Is that okay?"
At Rosie's question, Princess Jasper opened her mouth with an apologetic expression.
“Of course. Even though I was the Crown Princess, I stayed in the Empress’s Palace all this time. Now that the Master has arrived, I should vacate the palace as soon as possible.”
“Don’t mention it. The Crown Princess was about to become the Empress, wasn’t she? It’s truly a shame.”
Rosie replied, hastily waving her hands.
“I don’t think I was destined to become the Empress. I should have given up the position of Crown Princess from the beginning... In the end, I ended up here.”
Princess Jasper smiled bitterly, her voice tinged with regret.
Then, wiping her smile, she asked seriously,
“Your Highness Rosie. Do you love Prince Norton?”
“Yes... I do.”
Unlike Rosie's shy face, her voice was filled with conviction.
"That's fortunate, because it's a marriage of love... Oh, I don't know if you heard..."
Princess Jasper nodded, muttering before her expression shifted and she began cautiously.
"The ministers have agreed that Princess Resilia, Rams's biological mother, is more suitable for the position of Empress than Your Highness Rosie, who was Emperor Linel's concubine."
"Actually, I came to discuss that matter, as well as the concubines."
I answered on Rosie's behalf.
"You already know about the concubines. Your Highness Rosie must be very upset about everything."
Princess Jasper continued, sending her a comforting look.
"And about Princess Resilia, I've heard the details. She accidentally knocked Rams off the valley bridge... Moiya and Moni, was it? If it hadn't been for those little wyverns, it's terrifying to imagine what would have happened."
“Yes, that’s right. It couldn’t have happened.”
Rosie replied with a deep sigh, frowning as if the nightmare from that day came back to her.
Princess Jasper seemed to have heard about Princess Resilia’s atrocities from Prince Norton beforehand.
That would make the conversation much easier.
“Actually, Prince Norton stopped by an hour ago.”
Princess Jasper said with a faint smile.
“The Prince?”
Rosie asked, her eyes wide.
“Yes. I don’t know if Rosie has heard about this, but since you already know, I think it’s best to tell you.”
Princess Jasper leaned in slightly toward Rosie, as if she was about to bring up something important.
I had a feeling Princess Jasper was going to talk about bringing Princess Resilia here.
“I heard that the Magic Tower Master is going to use teleportation to bring Princess Resilia. Did you hear that?”
My guess was correct.
"Yes. I heard it from the Prince last night..."
Rosie wasn't entirely happy with the decision.
"I'm worried that Princess Resilia might use some trick to gain the support of the ministers here. That's what I'm worried about."
Rosie hesitated before revealing her reason.
That was my biggest worry, too.
After all, Princess Resilia was Rams's biological mother, so it was obvious she'd use that fact to garner sympathy.
But the issue of Princess Resilia was something that needed to be addressed, even if not now.
"I'm sure it's uncomfortable for Your Highness Rosie. But I also think it's best to bring Princess Resilia before the coronation ceremony and change the ministers' minds as quickly as possible. What does Your Highness Zelda think?"
"I agree."
I deliberately added that this wasn't a bad choice.
As Linel said, a leaky gut will leak out.
As time goes by, Princess Resilia's true nature will be revealed.
For Rosie's sake, it was better to eliminate all the troublesome and unpleasant matters before the Emperor's coronation.
Princess Jasper would know the ministers well, so wouldn't she have some alternative?
She must have noticed my gaze, and with a hint of apology, she spoke.
"I'm sorry. My family has also lost authority because of me... I'd like to help you both, but I won't be of much help."
The loss of authority from the previous era likely stemmed from her relationship with Prince Calvain.
She, the First Prince's wife, was attempting to remarry the Second Prince, Calvain, the half-brother who had killed her husband.
If Prince Calvain had ascended to the throne as planned and she, too, had become Empress, her family, once a laughingstock, would have returned to the pinnacle of power.
But with Prince Calvain dead, her family would naturally lose its power.
"No. Just saying something can be very powerful."
Rosie was grateful that Princess Jasper didn't side with Princess Resilia and supported her.
"Still, I want to be of some help..."
Princess Jasper's words were sincere.
I took this opportunity to throw out my real business to her.
"Could you tell me about the young ladies being mentioned as candidates for concubines?"
"Oh, yes. There are currently three in total being mentioned."
"Three, three each?!"
Rosie frowned, startled.
"Rosie, there were four of me."
You, Melanie, Catherine, Pecilini.
And if you add the three concubines of the Principality of Aklatto, that makes a total of seven.
“Well, that’s true, but...”
Rosie muttered, her expression awkward.
It was meant to be comforting, but it seemed to have failed.
Furthermore, Princess Jasper immediately listed the names of the potential concubines, making Rosie’s face paler.
“Ester of the House of Voltaire, Glenn of the House of Gestas, and Savannah of the Marquis of Moiyare. There are three of them.”
“Are these ladies you know well, Your Highness?”
I asked.
“I wouldn’t say we’re close, but I’ve always seen them in high society.”
Princess Jasper answered ambiguously.
“How are they all?”
I glanced at Rosie and asked Princess Jasper again.
“Are you talking about their looks? Or their personalities?”
“Looks!”
Rosie, who had been biting her lip, suddenly raised her voice and asked.
Princess Jasper was startled, but answered kindly.
“They’re all... beautiful. And their families are also outstanding.”
“It’s a difficult question, but how do you compare to me?”
Rosie asked quietly with a serious expression.
“...Huh?”
Princess Jasper rolled her eyes at me.
Her gaze seemed to ask Rosie if it was okay for her to be honest.
I nodded in agreement and smiled awkwardly.
“Hmm... Even so, none of them can match Your Highness Rosie’s charm.”
Princess Jasper spoke gently, with carefully chosen words.
What she meant was that they all surpassed Rosie in looks.
Rosie’s complexion darkened sharply.
After Prince Calvain’s funeral, the number of noble ladies visiting the Palace of Pasha increased significantly.
There were three ladies considered as candidates for concubines, but rumors circulated that more could be added depending on the situation.
As a result, the ladies began to stroll around the palace gardens in elaborate attire even before the coronation party.
The young ladies whose names were being mentioned as potential concubines were no exception.
They especially took frequent, deliberate strolls in front of the main palace.
Today, they appeared, accompanied by other young ladies, chatting and evaluating the appearances of the congratulatory delegation.
“Oh my, look over there!”
At that moment, Grand Duke Martins and Bellos appeared from the opposite direction from where the young ladies were gathered, centered around Linel.
Raphael, Commander Macrom, and Hetor followed them.
They were on their way to the main palace to discuss again with Prince Norton the matter of bringing Princess Resilia to the Pasha Empire.
As they walked through the palace gardens, exclamations, loud and small, could be heard here and there.
It was the chattering of the noble ladies of the Pasha Empire who had come to visit.
“The statues are alive and moving!”
“My goodness, His Majesty the Emperor of the Lapion Empire is ten times more handsome than in his portrait!”
Rumors had already spread among the young ladies that most of the men in the congratulatory delegation from the northern continent were exceptionally handsome.
“Who are those accompanying Emperor Linel?”
Ester, her mouth covered by her fan, stared blankly at Linel and his entourage before asking Glenn, who was known as the source.
“The one on the left is His Royal Highness the Grand Duke Martins of the Kingdom of Shattonil. On the right is the Lord of the Magic Tower.”
“Oh my, aren’t the two behind them also impressive?”
This time, another young lady asked, pointing to Commander Macrom and Hetor.
“Oh, isn’t that the knight captain who lost his sight after being cursed by a wizard in the war three years ago and recently regained it?”
The story of Linel’s hypothermia curse and Commander Macrom’s curse was well known even among the nobles of the Pasha Empire.
The young ladies’ flirtatious laughter wafted here and there on the wind.
“There’s a saying that men are from the North Continent and women are from the South Continent, right? I guess that’s true, oh ho ho!”
The young ladies pushed each other and reacted violently to Linel’s every move.
“But... there’s a squid stuck in there.”
“Oh my, even walking is wobbly.”
“That one squid is muddying the water!”
One of the young ladies pointed at Raphael with her hand, causing the young ladies to burst out laughing.
Linel and his group could not have ignored these heated gazes.
“Why are you all doing that?”
Linel glanced at the young ladies gathered, revealing his discomfort.
Even his brief gaze caused the young ladies to cheer.
“I think it’s because of me,”
Squid replied smugly.
Grand Duke Martins and Bellos turned to Raphael with astonished eyes.
“They say we’re the talk of the town among the ladies here these days.”
Raphael replied, waving his hand to the ladies in the distance.
“Us?”
Linel asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Yes, Your Majesty. They say all of our congratulatory delegation members are popular, saying they’re all handsome and cool. Hahaha.”
“...Shouldn’t we leave one of them out?”
Bellos muttered, blatantly looking at Raphael, but Squid didn’t hear.
“But... do you think Princess Jasper would help?”
Catherine said with a suspicious expression.
“Oh, right! Come to think of it, didn’t she become close to Princess Resilia during the Continental Hunting Tournament?”
Melanie frowned and chimed in.
“That’s probably because she didn’t know much about Princess Resilia back then. She couldn’t have imagined that Prince Norton and Rosie would end up like this. Just like us.”
I glanced at Rosie, who was tense the whole time, and said.
Rosie must have grown anxious again, because she unconsciously brought the sausages to her mouth.
When the concubines and I all shook our heads and glared at her with narrowed eyes, Rosie put the sausages back down with a small ‘Oops.’
“I’ll make sure Rosie and Princess Jasper meet.”
I grabbed Rosie’s hand and stood up from the sofa.
It was better to move quickly than sit and think.
“Then we’ll think about a dress and style that would suit Your Highness Rosie. We’ll also look for jewelry to match the outfit.”
Melanie spread out the dress book on the table, and Catherine and Pecilini put their heads together to look through it.
“What about us?”
“What should we do for Rosie?”
Moiya and Moni shouted in turn.
“For now, just don’t wander around and cause trouble.”
“Can you eat a lot of sausages?”
Moiya asked earnestly, clasping his hands together, as if he didn’t think I’d tell him not to.
“Yes, it’s fine to eat a lot, but don’t pester Sharon too much.”
“Oooh~? I’ll just stir-fry Sharon a little.”
Moiya and Moni disappeared out the window, saying they would wander around the Palace of Pasha to find a new person to supply sausages in Sharon’s place.
***
After meeting with the concubines, I went straight to the Empress's Palace, where Princess Jasper resided, with Rosie.
"Welcome. I was just about to visit you."
Fortunately, Princess Jasper welcomed us warmly.
And she seemed much better than I had feared.
"I was worried. You're still heartbroken, aren't you?"
Rosie asked her politely.
"I'm still trying to get myself together, but... I'm fine."
Princess Jasper calmly replied and offered her a seat.
True to her words, she seemed much more at ease after the funeral.
"Oh, Your Highness Rosie. While you're here today, how about taking a tour of the Empress's Palace? My servant will show you around. It would be great if Your Highness Zelda could join you."
Princess Jasper nodded to the servant who had just brought tea and suggested a tour of the Empress's Palace.
"Thank you for your consideration. Is that okay?"
At Rosie's question, Princess Jasper opened her mouth with an apologetic expression.
“Of course. Even though I was the Crown Princess, I stayed in the Empress’s Palace all this time. Now that the Master has arrived, I should vacate the palace as soon as possible.”
“Don’t mention it. The Crown Princess was about to become the Empress, wasn’t she? It’s truly a shame.”
Rosie replied, hastily waving her hands.
“I don’t think I was destined to become the Empress. I should have given up the position of Crown Princess from the beginning... In the end, I ended up here.”
Princess Jasper smiled bitterly, her voice tinged with regret.
Then, wiping her smile, she asked seriously,
“Your Highness Rosie. Do you love Prince Norton?”
“Yes... I do.”
Unlike Rosie's shy face, her voice was filled with conviction.
"That's fortunate, because it's a marriage of love... Oh, I don't know if you heard..."
Princess Jasper nodded, muttering before her expression shifted and she began cautiously.
"The ministers have agreed that Princess Resilia, Rams's biological mother, is more suitable for the position of Empress than Your Highness Rosie, who was Emperor Linel's concubine."
"Actually, I came to discuss that matter, as well as the concubines."
I answered on Rosie's behalf.
"You already know about the concubines. Your Highness Rosie must be very upset about everything."
Princess Jasper continued, sending her a comforting look.
"And about Princess Resilia, I've heard the details. She accidentally knocked Rams off the valley bridge... Moiya and Moni, was it? If it hadn't been for those little wyverns, it's terrifying to imagine what would have happened."
“Yes, that’s right. It couldn’t have happened.”
Rosie replied with a deep sigh, frowning as if the nightmare from that day came back to her.
Princess Jasper seemed to have heard about Princess Resilia’s atrocities from Prince Norton beforehand.
That would make the conversation much easier.
“Actually, Prince Norton stopped by an hour ago.”
Princess Jasper said with a faint smile.
“The Prince?”
Rosie asked, her eyes wide.
“Yes. I don’t know if Rosie has heard about this, but since you already know, I think it’s best to tell you.”
Princess Jasper leaned in slightly toward Rosie, as if she was about to bring up something important.
I had a feeling Princess Jasper was going to talk about bringing Princess Resilia here.
“I heard that the Magic Tower Master is going to use teleportation to bring Princess Resilia. Did you hear that?”
My guess was correct.
"Yes. I heard it from the Prince last night..."
Rosie wasn't entirely happy with the decision.
"I'm worried that Princess Resilia might use some trick to gain the support of the ministers here. That's what I'm worried about."
Rosie hesitated before revealing her reason.
That was my biggest worry, too.
After all, Princess Resilia was Rams's biological mother, so it was obvious she'd use that fact to garner sympathy.
But the issue of Princess Resilia was something that needed to be addressed, even if not now.
"I'm sure it's uncomfortable for Your Highness Rosie. But I also think it's best to bring Princess Resilia before the coronation ceremony and change the ministers' minds as quickly as possible. What does Your Highness Zelda think?"
"I agree."
I deliberately added that this wasn't a bad choice.
As Linel said, a leaky gut will leak out.
As time goes by, Princess Resilia's true nature will be revealed.
For Rosie's sake, it was better to eliminate all the troublesome and unpleasant matters before the Emperor's coronation.
Princess Jasper would know the ministers well, so wouldn't she have some alternative?
She must have noticed my gaze, and with a hint of apology, she spoke.
"I'm sorry. My family has also lost authority because of me... I'd like to help you both, but I won't be of much help."
The loss of authority from the previous era likely stemmed from her relationship with Prince Calvain.
She, the First Prince's wife, was attempting to remarry the Second Prince, Calvain, the half-brother who had killed her husband.
If Prince Calvain had ascended to the throne as planned and she, too, had become Empress, her family, once a laughingstock, would have returned to the pinnacle of power.
But with Prince Calvain dead, her family would naturally lose its power.
"No. Just saying something can be very powerful."
Rosie was grateful that Princess Jasper didn't side with Princess Resilia and supported her.
"Still, I want to be of some help..."
Princess Jasper's words were sincere.
I took this opportunity to throw out my real business to her.
"Could you tell me about the young ladies being mentioned as candidates for concubines?"
"Oh, yes. There are currently three in total being mentioned."
"Three, three each?!"
Rosie frowned, startled.
"Rosie, there were four of me."
You, Melanie, Catherine, Pecilini.
And if you add the three concubines of the Principality of Aklatto, that makes a total of seven.
“Well, that’s true, but...”
Rosie muttered, her expression awkward.
It was meant to be comforting, but it seemed to have failed.
Furthermore, Princess Jasper immediately listed the names of the potential concubines, making Rosie’s face paler.
“Ester of the House of Voltaire, Glenn of the House of Gestas, and Savannah of the Marquis of Moiyare. There are three of them.”
“Are these ladies you know well, Your Highness?”
I asked.
“I wouldn’t say we’re close, but I’ve always seen them in high society.”
Princess Jasper answered ambiguously.
“How are they all?”
I glanced at Rosie and asked Princess Jasper again.
“Are you talking about their looks? Or their personalities?”
“Looks!”
Rosie, who had been biting her lip, suddenly raised her voice and asked.
Princess Jasper was startled, but answered kindly.
“They’re all... beautiful. And their families are also outstanding.”
“It’s a difficult question, but how do you compare to me?”
Rosie asked quietly with a serious expression.
“...Huh?”
Princess Jasper rolled her eyes at me.
Her gaze seemed to ask Rosie if it was okay for her to be honest.
I nodded in agreement and smiled awkwardly.
“Hmm... Even so, none of them can match Your Highness Rosie’s charm.”
Princess Jasper spoke gently, with carefully chosen words.
What she meant was that they all surpassed Rosie in looks.
Rosie’s complexion darkened sharply.
***
After Prince Calvain’s funeral, the number of noble ladies visiting the Palace of Pasha increased significantly.
There were three ladies considered as candidates for concubines, but rumors circulated that more could be added depending on the situation.
As a result, the ladies began to stroll around the palace gardens in elaborate attire even before the coronation party.
The young ladies whose names were being mentioned as potential concubines were no exception.
They especially took frequent, deliberate strolls in front of the main palace.
Today, they appeared, accompanied by other young ladies, chatting and evaluating the appearances of the congratulatory delegation.
“Oh my, look over there!”
At that moment, Grand Duke Martins and Bellos appeared from the opposite direction from where the young ladies were gathered, centered around Linel.
Raphael, Commander Macrom, and Hetor followed them.
They were on their way to the main palace to discuss again with Prince Norton the matter of bringing Princess Resilia to the Pasha Empire.
As they walked through the palace gardens, exclamations, loud and small, could be heard here and there.
It was the chattering of the noble ladies of the Pasha Empire who had come to visit.
“The statues are alive and moving!”
“My goodness, His Majesty the Emperor of the Lapion Empire is ten times more handsome than in his portrait!”
Rumors had already spread among the young ladies that most of the men in the congratulatory delegation from the northern continent were exceptionally handsome.
“Who are those accompanying Emperor Linel?”
Ester, her mouth covered by her fan, stared blankly at Linel and his entourage before asking Glenn, who was known as the source.
“The one on the left is His Royal Highness the Grand Duke Martins of the Kingdom of Shattonil. On the right is the Lord of the Magic Tower.”
“Oh my, aren’t the two behind them also impressive?”
This time, another young lady asked, pointing to Commander Macrom and Hetor.
“Oh, isn’t that the knight captain who lost his sight after being cursed by a wizard in the war three years ago and recently regained it?”
The story of Linel’s hypothermia curse and Commander Macrom’s curse was well known even among the nobles of the Pasha Empire.
“Next to Commander Macrom is King Hetor of Tanya Island. He's got a wild charm, doesn't he? Some call him a pirate, but he's the kind of guy you'd want to steal money for, even if you didn't have any.”
“There’s a saying that men are from the North Continent and women are from the South Continent, right? I guess that’s true, oh ho ho!”
The young ladies pushed each other and reacted violently to Linel’s every move.
“But... there’s a squid stuck in there.”
“Oh my, even walking is wobbly.”
“That one squid is muddying the water!”
One of the young ladies pointed at Raphael with her hand, causing the young ladies to burst out laughing.
Linel and his group could not have ignored these heated gazes.
“Why are you all doing that?”
Linel glanced at the young ladies gathered, revealing his discomfort.
Even his brief gaze caused the young ladies to cheer.
“I think it’s because of me,”
Squid replied smugly.
Grand Duke Martins and Bellos turned to Raphael with astonished eyes.
“They say we’re the talk of the town among the ladies here these days.”
Raphael replied, waving his hand to the ladies in the distance.
“Us?”
Linel asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Yes, Your Majesty. They say all of our congratulatory delegation members are popular, saying they’re all handsome and cool. Hahaha.”
“...Shouldn’t we leave one of them out?”
Bellos muttered, blatantly looking at Raphael, but Squid didn’t hear.
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