🔊 TTS Settings
CHAPTER 93…………….
“Now, Your Highness has safely completed the coming-of-age ceremony. Time really does fly, doesn’t it?”
Ilia smiled warmly as she carefully removed the heavy ornaments one by one from my head.
I, just back from the debutante ball, gave a small nod.
‘So I’m eighteen now.’
Much had changed.
Emin had been driven to the frontier by the Empress’s faction seven years ago, and I, in turn, had dispatched a few members of the Alea Guild to watch over him.
Thanks to them, I could at least keep track of how he was doing without intervening directly.
Including the fact that assassins were constantly being sent after him.
If the Emperor had not realized early on and dispatched the Imperial Knights to Emin’s side, who knows what would have happened….
With a sigh, I read through the letter in my hand.
It was a congratulatory letter from Emin, celebrating my debutante. A faint smile curved my lips, and Ilia asked,
“Is that a letter from the Third Prince? Did he offer congratulations?”
“Yes. He says he sent a gift as well. I wonder what it is.”
“Since His Highness cherishes Your Highness so dearly, surely it must be something extraordinary. But, Princess, don’t you have something to tell us?”
“…Hm?”
I lifted my gaze from the letter and looked at Ilia.
Her eyes glimmered mischievously before she let out a sharp puff of breath.
“Your partner! For this ball, it was Young Duke Eliet, wasn’t it?”
“Ah.”
“You must have been the envy of all the young ladies! After all, wasn’t the most dazzling figure of the entire debutante our Princess?”
Indeed, as Ilia said, I had been the object of much envy.
Rihardt… even in my eyes, he had grown into a remarkably beautiful man.
Especially since, right after my tenth birthday banquet, Rihardt had been sent on an expedition at Duke Eliet’s command.
It had been nearly six years since I last saw his face.
“Since the Young Duke himself requested to be Your Highness’s partner, you can’t imagine the stir it caused in the capital. Not only did he return to the imperial city after six years, he appeared at your side. A truly splendid re-entry into society.”
“I was quite harassed by it all.”
“By the young ladies?”
By Yevgeni.
When I hinted with my expression, Ilia merely nodded, “Ah, I see.”
Just as I was about to change out of my heavy dress into the negligee Ilia had prepared, a voice came from outside.
“Your Highness, may I come in for a moment?”
It was Mulin.
After I finished changing, I let her in. She approached me cautiously.
“Mulin?”
“….”
Her face was stiff.
Ilia and I exchanged puzzled looks when another head poked in behind her.
“May I also come in for a moment?” said Sesil.
“Ah, yes. Please.”
“I have something to report.”
At that, my attention turned fully toward her.
Mulin fidgeted with her fingers, glancing at Sesil.
“Shall I say it, Miss Merea?”
“Ah… yes, please. I don’t know the full situation….”
“Very well.”
Sesil tore her gaze from Mulin and looked straight at me. When our eyes met, her lips moved slowly.
“It seems… he has ‘returned.’”
“….”
“Judging from the enemy commander’s head sent to His Majesty, he should arrive within a week.”
I watched Sesil with expressionless eyes.
“A banquet will be held, then.”
“Yes. And also…”
She hesitated. I gave a small nod to reassure her. She drew a deep breath and continued.
“My conjecture, Princess… is that several nobles of the central assembly have already caught wind of his return.”
“I see.”
“When I spoke briefly with Lord Bishop earlier, he mentioned the ‘Diamond Hall.’”
“I see.”
“…You are not surprised?”
Three pairs of eyes turned toward me.
My calm reaction seemed to embarrass them for creating such a heavy atmosphere.
I let out a small laugh.
“Is there anything to be surprised about?”
I had expected it.
The one they spoke of—“the one returning”—was none other than Dmitri.
Dmitri, who had evidently won the war and brought back news of victory, having slain the Emperor of Aetisra himself.
The day the Iron Guard Alliance was broken, both Aetisra and the Arencis Federation must have realized Dmitri had discovered their illicit union.
He severed ties with Arencis immediately, leaving only Aetisra.
Unlike Arencis, Aetisra was militarily formidable. It had been a bitter struggle.
Even if ties were cut, they, who had picked the fight first, would surely resume pressure on the Empire of Estier.
Yet resuming relations would risk a loss of national prestige. Thus, the Emperor’s answer was war.
The swiftest, most brutal solution—yet there had been no other choice.
And so, without even having his proper debutante, Dmitri, at just eighteen, was appointed commander of the imperial forces.
The Emperor was consumed with affairs of state, and both Iabel and Emin were too young. There was no alternative.
I recalled the Empress’s pleased face when her son was sent to war, and, smiling faintly, turned to Sesil.
“If it’s the Diamond Hall, then it must be because of ‘that,’ right?”
The Crown Prince’s Investiture.
‘Since Dmitri is now twenty-four… they’ll combine a belated debutante with the Crown Prince’s ceremony.’
It was only natural. He was the foreordained heir.
I smiled serenely.
“I must prepare a gift. Something truly fitting for the First Prince.”
“Shall I find someone to procure it?”
“Yes. A foreign merchant would be best.”
Mulin bowed crisply and hurried out. Sesil and Ilia soon followed.
I gazed out through the terrace window. Night had fallen, and countless stars glittered across the dark sky.
Lifting the communication stone from the side table, I heard the brief mechanical tone before someone answered.
[You called for me.]
It was Jeron.
I smiled.
“There’s something I want. Could you give it to me as a gift for my coming-of-age?”
“Hey, are you sure you’re alright? I told you not to drink so much of mine!”
“Uugh—no, no, I’m fine… really.”
“You look half-dead, what do you mean fine….”
Walter gave a helpless chuckle as he looked at the man before him—Eugene.
Bronzed skin, hulking muscles, that was the first impression.
Eugene clapped his massive, palm-sized hand against Walter’s back, making him groan.
Eight years ago, by chance, Walter had become wealthy and abandoned his career as a merchant. Eugene had been his first adventurer friend since then.
Though their first meeting had been brief, they kept bumping into each other, their styles and curiosity aligned. Soon, they became inseparable friends.
‘But last night I was so glad to see him that I drank too much!’
Walter thought of the liquor still swirling in his head, feeling his stomach churn again.
As he clamped a hand over his mouth, Eugene quickly thrust a bucket in front of him.
After emptying his stomach, Walter looked relieved, while Eugene clicked his tongue and sat beside him.
Walter turned to him.
“So, is it true? About the island and the rare treasure there?”
“I’m telling you, it’s true! Not just rare treasure—the auction house there is enormous! And the resort—unbelievable. Once you see it, you’ll be speechless!”
“…Hmm.”
“No, really! And didn’t you say you wanted to find something precious, a gift for someone?”
“That’s right.”
“But who, really? You said it wasn’t someone you loved….”
Walter smirked softly.
“She’s the benefactor who freed me from the merchant’s life! So lovely she is. She must have had her debutante this year. I must prepare a gift for her coming-of-age as soon as possible….”
“Must be some noble lady then?”
“Higher than that!”
Walter burst into hearty laughter, holding in his hand a ticket bound for Belga Island.
While the imperial palace blazed with excitement over Dmitri’s return, I was burning with fervor of a different kind.
“Use up all of my private funds.”
“P-pardon?!”
Ilia and Mulin gaped wide-eyed.
“Do you mean the money from selling the Hamtemec ore and the Orichalcum substitute stones…?”
“You can’t mean to donate your entire fortune to His Highness Dmitri! Absolutely not! That must never happen!”
Ilia clutched my shoulders desperately, and I sighed.
“Dmitri’s gift is already prepared. I need that money for something else—something I must find.”
“Something… to find?”
“What kind of item could require such a fortune…? Is it something we could not procure?”
Mulin asked. I shook my head.
‘Absolutely not. I don’t even know where it is myself.’
“For now, hide your identities and liquidate my fortune. I’ll give instructions on what to do with it afterward.”
“Will it be dangerous work?”
“Are you afraid?”
“No. Only… if it might endanger Your Highness, we should prepare for contingencies.”
Mulin spoke evenly.
In the past, I could never have imagined her worrying for me. I studied her face, then slowly shook my head.
“You two are just the foundation. The ones to act will be others.”
Smiling, I looked at them both.
“So post a recruitment notice. The requirement is—”
Adventurers.
We would be hiring adventurers.
Four days later.
While taking a walk in the rear gardens to clear my head, Sesil rushed to me with urgent news.
Dmitri had just crossed the city gates, returning to the capital.
“The First Prince has entered the city gates. He is expected to teleport to the palace via the gate soon. Would you like to go?”
“He must be in the audience chamber with His Majesty already, yes?”
“Yes, I believe so. Others who heard the news sooner may already be there.”
Then Yevgeni would have run there.
Five years ago, after two years of illness, Yevgeni had been declared fully recovered.
Naturally, with his greater magical power, his overcoming of magic insensitivity had made him a valuable asset among nobles.
While they admitted my talent in business, they argued Yevgeni had more qualities of a royal, and began flocking to him.
‘Though I’ve built some standing in society, Yevgeni is still seen as higher.’
As I sighed, Sesil waited patiently for my answer.
I stopped my stroll and turned toward the Emperor’s audience chamber.
When I arrived at the imperial palace, countless knights and maids bowed deeply to greet me.
A maid approached and said gently,
“If you’ve heard of His Highness’s return, he is presently in private audience with His Majesty.”
“Then I’ll return once their conversation is finished.”
At that moment,
“No, Princess. There’s no need to turn back,” the maid said, eyes glinting.
“His Highness ordered that you be allowed to enter should you come.”
“…His Highness… did?”
“Yes. Ah, and the Second Princess already stopped by. So you needn’t seek her out separately.”
“I see.”
Nodding, I followed the maid to the audience chamber.
At last, I arrived. The knight at the door bowed to me.
His ragged appearance suggested he had fought under Dmitri in the war against Aetisra.
I smiled kindly at his weary face.
“Are you from the First Prince’s unit?”
“Y-yes, Your Highness.”
“Then you must have fought in the war. You’ve done well. Having returned victorious with His Highness, you will surely receive a furlough.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
The knight bowed again.
I nodded back and placed my hand on the door.
As I pulled, the door swung open—
“….”
My eyes met Dmitri’s. His face was scarred with fresh wounds.
I frowned slightly as he turned fully toward me and approached.
Standing close, he spoke.
“You’ve grown.”
“…I greet the First Prince. May the blessing of the goddess Eridium be upon you. I am glad you have returned safely.”
“Yes, and you have had your coming-of-age, I hear.”
I nodded silently.
He looked sharper now, his features and gaze honed since I had last seen him.
In this moment, he truly resembled the Emperor. I glanced past him at the Emperor himself, who was watching us. I was about to bow when Dmitri spoke again.
“Is there something you want?”
“…What?”
Startled, my eyes returned to his.
His calm gaze bore into me, as though urging an answer. I blinked and tilted my head.
“You mean… a gift for my coming-of-age?”
“…A bit belated, perhaps, but still, it is my duty to give you something. Is there nothing you desire?”
“Ah… well….”
Reluctantly, I shook my head.
“Nothing comes to mind at the moment.”
At that, Dmitri’s expression twisted slightly.
He seemed lost in thought for a moment, then met my eyes once more.
“So, even now, you ask nothing of me.”
