Vol. 11 Ch. 7: Prickling

The New Year's Rite was held without incident, presided over by First Prince Lionel and his mother, Queen Vilma, in place of the bedridden king.

The decorations and scale were much the same as in previous years, but some parts, including the greetings, had been simplified.

Seated in the section reserved for the Seven Sages, Monika pulled her hood low and secretly looked around, observing the ceremony's attendees.

The man on the dais delivering the New Year's greeting in a resonant voice was First Prince Lionel Brem Eduart Riddle—the man she had met in the garden just moments ago.

Standing behind him were the two queens: Queen Vilma, the first prince's mother, and Queen Philis, the third prince's mother.

Queen Aileen, the second prince's mother, had died shortly after giving birth to Felix. Thus, for the time being, these two were the only queens in the country.

Queen Vilma was a dignified woman with reddish-brown hair. The princess of the neighboring Kingdom of Randall had apparently wielded a sword despite being a woman and even stood on the front lines, giving her a far more muscular physique than most men. Prince Lionel seemed to take after his mother.

In contrast to Queen Vilma, Queen Philis, the third prince's mother, was a petite, reserved blonde. Before marrying into the royal family, she had been the daughter of the Marquis of Ainsworth, but her family had recently begun to fall on hard times, leaving her in a difficult position.

Seated closest to the platform were Second Prince Felix Arc Riddle and Third Prince Albert Flau Lobelia Riddle.

As Monika recalled the bare minimum of knowledge Raoul had taught her before the ceremony, she moved her gaze toward the seat beside Felix...