Chapter 101
Once Frieda had taken her seat, she got straight to the point without touching the tea or the tea cakes.
"〈Silent Witch〉-sama, you said you wanted to learn about Imperial etiquette, but I don't think you need to worry about it too much."
One reason Monica had visited the Albright residence this time was to learn about Imperial etiquette and other customs from Frieda, who was from the Empire.
However, Frieda had casually told her not to worry about it, leaving Monica at a loss.
"Um, but what if I offend someone...?"
"Our country is, historically speaking, a multiethnic nation made up of many small countries. Even within the Empire, the culture and language differ between the north and the south."
As she spoke, Frieda lightly pinched a lock of her own short, neatly trimmed hair.
"For example, regarding my hair... Several decades ago, the wife of the Southern Margrave cut her hair and personally took part in suppressing another ethnic group. For a time, short hair for women became fashionable in the southern part of the Empire."
The brave Southern Marchioness, who had taken up the sword herself, was apparently well versed in fashion and style and was even a prominent figure in high society.
Seeing her style her short hair in a chic fashion led countless women to imitate her.
"In Valmberg, where women take up swords and ride horses, short hair for women was not unusual either. In contrast, in the northern Empire, short hair on an adult woman is considered proof that she is a criminal and is deeply despised."
Having said that, Frieda looked at Ray.
Ray, suddenly subjected to her direct gaze, turned bright red and looked away, but Frieda paid no heed and spoke without taking her eyes off him.
"Come to think of it, noblewomen in the Kingdom of Riddle don't usually cut their hair short either. I failed to research the customs of the Kingdom of Riddle beforehand. Ray, I apologize for embarrassing you."
"N-no, I... I think short hair suits you too... Ah, but I'd like to see you with it long as well..."
Ray could not bring himself to look straight at Frieda. He lowered his head and fidgeted with his fingers, his face red to the tips of his ears.
Frieda lifted the corners of her mouth ever so slightly and smiled at him.
"I see. Then I will grow it out."
"I-I'll give you a hair ornament as a present...!"
"I look forward to it."
Ray's eyes grew moist with emotion, and he pressed both hands to his cheeks, which had gone slack with bliss.
In stark contrast to her fiancé, Frieda remained utterly matter-of-fact and casually returned to the subject, saying, "But I digress."
"In other words, the details of Imperial etiquette vary considerably by region. Besides, the basic etiquette should be no different between the central Empire and the Kingdom of Riddle, so I don't think there will be any particular problem."
"I-I see..."
As she murmured an acknowledgment, Monica secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
If Riddle-style etiquette would suffice, then the way she had been taught at Serenadia Academy should be perfectly acceptable.
While Monica was heaving a sigh of relief, Raul swallowed a tea cake and interjected.
"Well, the princess who's scheduled to visit is marrying into our country, so she will probably follow the etiquette of the Kingdom of Riddle too."
"Princess Tsetsilia is marrying into the Kingdom of Riddle?"
Frieda's eyes widened at Raul's words. The engagement between Prince Lionel and Princess Tsetsilia was still unofficial.
Raul muttered, "Oops," and held his index finger to his lips.
"Keep that between us, okay? Apparently it's still being discussed behind the scenes."
"Who is Princess Tsetsilia marrying? Surely Prince Felix, who is close to her age...?"
"No, First Prince Lionel."
Frieda narrowed her gray eyes sharply and fell silent for a moment, as though deep in thought.
The only sound in the room was the crisp crunch of Raul munching on his tea cakes.
Eventually, after Raul had finished one of the cakes, Frieda spoke quietly.
"To be honest, I find it surprising. That Princess Tsetsilia would marry into another country... and into the Kingdom of Riddle, of all places."
"What's so surprising about it?"
"Princess Tsetsilia is a descendant of Duke Achenvar, the key figure on the Imperial side in a war fought more than fifty years ago. Would it help you understand if I told you she is the inheritor of the Empire's ancient magical artifact, 〈Bern's Mirror〉?"
The war between the Kingdom of Riddle and the Empire more than fifty years ago initially favored the Kingdom of Riddle.
However, the tide turned when the Empire brought out the ancient magical artifact 〈Bern's Mirror〉.
Ancient magical artifacts possess immense power incomparable to that of modern magical artifacts. Only a very small number remain in the world, and most are kept in national treasuries as treasures of the state or managed by high-ranking nobles.
〈Bern's Mirror〉 is an ancient magical artifact held by Duke Achenvar, one of the Empire's great nobles. Once activated, it accurately reflects an enemy's attack straight back at its attacker.
Its area of effect was large enough to envelop the entire Imperial capital with room to spare.
During the war, the Empire, which had been driven into a corner, lured the Kingdom of Riddle's mages into launching a concentrated attack, then used 〈Bern's Mirror〉 to reflect that attack.
The effect of 〈Bern's Mirror〉 left the Kingdom of Riddle's mage corps almost completely annihilated, reversing the course of the war.
The war ended in victory for the Empire.
"Um... If I remember correctly, only a limited number of people are able to use ancient magical artifacts, right?"
Frieda nodded at Monica's words.
Not all ancient magical artifacts had such restrictions, but some imposed conditions on their users, such as their bloodline or gender.
"〈Bern's Mirror〉 can be used only by women descended from the Achenvar ducal house. And anyone who uses 〈Bern's Mirror〉 must offer up her lifespan as the price."
The person who had used 〈Bern's Mirror〉 in the war was apparently Princess Tsetsilia's great-aunt.
She had offered her lifespan to 〈Bern's Mirror〉 and died just as the war came to an end.
After using 〈Bern's Mirror〉, the Achenvar ducal family suddenly rose to prominence as heroes of the war.
The woman who had saved the Empire at the cost of her own life was apparently still known in the Empire as the Saint Who Saved the Nation.
"To our Empire, Princess Tsetsilia is the only person descended from the Saint Who Saved the Nation and capable of wielding 〈Bern's Mirror〉, the trump card in war."
They were sending the only princess capable of wielding their trump card in war into the country of their former enemy. As a hostage, her value would be more than sufficient.
In fact, Isaac had told Monica everything Frieda had said up to this point beforehand.
Isaac was another person who had described this marriage as surprising. He had put it this way:
'This marriage amounts to the Empire offering Riddle a hostage—the Black Lion Emperor doesn't seem like the sort of man who would quietly offer up a hostage. Though I suppose the Empire's internal situation may be that dire.'
The Empire could not afford to go to war with the Kingdom of Riddle at present. That was why it had offered Princess Tsetsilia as a hostage.
That explanation made sense, but Isaac apparently could not get past the thought of that arrogant Black Lion Emperor offering a hostage to another country and having to gauge its reaction.
Frieda seemed to be thinking the same thing.
"This marriage will probably cause considerable dissension within the Empire as well. In particular, the Old Men's Club—pardon me, the Senate—will likely voice its discontent."
"Is the Senate on bad terms with the Black Lion Emperor?"
At Monica's question, Frieda paused for a moment as though choosing her words, then opened her mouth.
"The old gentlemen who contributed to the war long ago cannot forget the taste of victory's wine."
Frieda had chosen an indirect expression out of consideration for Monica and the others, who were from the Kingdom of Riddle. In other words:
──The old men of the Senate are insisting that it is outrageous for the victorious Empire to offer a hostage to the defeated Kingdom of Riddle and try to gauge its reaction!
"There are likely to be a fair number of opponents to this marriage on the Imperial side as well. Please be careful."
As Monica's face grew tense at Frieda's warning, Ray flushed and murmured dreamily.
"My fiancée is smart, cool, and dependable..."
"I will spare no effort for my husband's advancement. Please ask anything of me."
"H-husband... even though we're not married yet, you can't say things like that... Hehe, husband... It sounds so good... Hehehehehe..."
Across from the grave-faced Monica, Ray continued laughing eerily as he swayed back and forth.
＊ ＊ ＊
In the carriage bound for the Kingdom of Riddle, Tsetsilia Charlotte Phoebe Belshvaik Creving gazed out the window and sighed.
Her appearance was delicate and lovely. In almost complete contrast to her vigorous brother, the Black Lion Emperor, she was a fragile-looking princess. Her fragility resembled a flower that would wither the moment it was plucked.
Her hair swayed with the movement of the carriage, its silver color resembling the winter moon. That was why she was called...
The Empire's Silver Moon Princess──.
A town along the border was visible through the window. Soon, Tsetsilia would cross the border and enter the Kingdom of Riddle.
With despair written across her face, Tsetsilia covered it with both hands and hung her head.
(…Ah, Onii-sama, Onii-sama... This is too heavy a burden for Tsetsilia...)
Despair and fear showed on her bloodless face, along with an equal measure of guilt.
(…Even someone like me has no value as a hostage.)