Chapter 180
Several more days passed after Christa and Fine were chosen to host the elven dignitary.
Erich, Leo, and I were summoned by Father.
I knew why Erich and Leo had been summoned. Father must have been planning to decide which countries they would host.
But why had I been summoned?
If this was about hosting someone, Orihime had specifically requested me. The fact that she had made a request meant it was practically decided. Rejecting it for no reason would only damage our reputation, and the Empire couldn't afford to push Orihime too hard.
Thinking that, I entered the throne room last.
Father, Franz, Erich, and Leo were already there.
"You're late, Arnold."
"I thought I was hurrying."
"You should have run."
"I suppose I could, if you don't mind me being too exhausted to answer you."
Father frowned at my reply, but Franz cleared his throat beside him.
He was probably telling us that this wasn't the time to discuss such things.
"Hmph... Erich, Leonart. I wish to decide which countries you will host. Do you have a preference?"
"Any country will do if that is Your Majesty's command."
Leo answered first with a safe response.
Erich paused for a moment before replying.
"I would prefer the Holy Kingdom."
"Oh? Why?"
"I've visited it many times as Foreign Minister, and I believe I would be less likely to arouse resentment than Leonart."
"Why would Leonart be unsuitable?"
"Eleven years ago, the Holy Kingdom and the Empire clashed over the dwarf incident. They know that Leonart's mother, Lady Mitsuba, met with Your Majesty at that time. They probably don't know the details of what happened, though."
As he said that, Erich glanced at me.
I felt as if he were saying that this was all because of a problem I had caused, but that was in the past. There was nothing I could do about it now, so I merely shrugged it off.
Seeing that, Erich sighed softly and continued.
"Many people there probably still harbor ill feelings toward Lady Mitsuba because of that incident. It would therefore be safer for me to host the Holy Kingdom's dignitaries."
"Hmm. What do you think, Franz?"
"I believe Prince Erich is right. We don't have time to cause unnecessary problems."
"I see. Then I'll entrust the Holy Kingdom to Erich. Is that acceptable, Leonart?"
"I have no objection."
With that, Leo silently bowed.
He'd known this would happen. That was why he had quickly given a safe answer. Between the Holy Kingdom and the Kingdom, the Holy Kingdom ranked higher in the Empire's estimation. Serving as its host was a significant responsibility, but Erich also had many acquaintances there. If Leo couldn't win no matter how hard he tried, it was better not to compete.
Besides, there were only two choices. If the remaining one fell to Leo, it wasn't a bad outcome.
"In that case, Leonart will host the Kingdom."
"That would be best. The Kingdom's representative had requested either Prince Leonart or Prince Arnold, after all."
"Leo and me?"
I couldn't help reacting to those intriguing words.
The Kingdom had fought a battle against the Empire eleven years ago. Since then, the two countries had gradually deepened their exchanges.
We had sent people there, and they had sent people to the imperial capital. The representative was probably one of them, but had either Leo or I really become that close to anyone?
For a moment, I dove into the sea of my memories.
But before I could remember who it was, Leo spoke up.
"Could it be... Saint-sama is coming?"
"Correct. You remembered that quickly."
"...Because I remember her well. She stayed for only two days, but..."
"That's right. It seems they remembered that time too. You seem to have forgotten, Arnold."
"I remembered when you mentioned it."
That's right.
Five years ago, when we were thirteen, Leo and I had spent two days with a girl who had come from the Kingdom.
That girl was one year older than us and was known as the Saint.
Two years earlier, when she was twelve, she had taken up a legendary staff and saved the Perlan Kingdom, which was at war with several countries.
Tensions with the Empire were still ongoing along the border, so the Saint had come to the Empire as an ambassador.
We had become friends by chance. We had gone to see Mother while she was speaking with the Saint.
I remembered those two days as a happy time.
So she remembered them too.
"Leticia, the Saint Who Saved the Kingdom. So she's the Kingdom's representative?"
"That's right. The Kingdom apparently wants to conclude further treaties with the Empire. Her appearance means that's what they're after."
"She was the one who eased tensions at the border last time, too. The host may need to make political judgments."
"I'll do my utmost."
Leo muttered that with a more determined expression than usual.
I sighed softly at the sight of his face and decided to take care of my own business.
"So? Why was I summoned too?"
"...Things have become somewhat troublesome."
"Another troublesome matter...? Honestly, every time trouble arises, you try to dump it on me..."
"A dignitary from the Cornix Vassal State is coming."
The instant Franz uttered that name, my mind went blank for a moment.
It was the name of a country so impossible that I couldn't believe I had heard it.
Leo, Erich, and I fell silent, staring at Father with grim expressions.
Father took that in, narrowing his eyes slightly.
"Are you in your right mind?"
The emotion in Erich's voice was so intense that it hardly sounded like him.
That emotion was anger, and Leo's anger was no less intense.
"The Cornix Vassal State is... the country that killed Brother Wilhelm three years ago, isn't it?!"
"Exactly! If it were the Eaglet United Kingdom, its suzerain state, perhaps, but do you intend to welcome a country that never apologized and dismissed the matter as the actions of a few out-of-control retainers?! Father! They took Wilhelm's life!"
Fury engulfed the throne room.
The death of our eldest brother, and the resentment toward the country involved, weighed heavily on us.
The Cornix Vassal State was located in the northern part of the Empire. It had once been an independent country, but after being defeated by the island nation of the Eaglet United Kingdom, it had become a vassal state. Even so, it remained semi-independent and was relatively free to act as it pleased.
In a battle along the border with the Cornix Vassal State, our eldest brother Wilhelm, who had been Crown Prince, lost his life. In response, the Cornix Vassal State claimed that its retainers had acted on their own and got away with offering up the heads of only a few of them.
Of course, the Empire was furious. Many people wanted to destroy the country, but the death of such a promising Crown Prince left Father grief-stricken and robbed him of the will to retaliate.
Quite apart from that, Father believed the assassination had occurred somewhere unrelated to the Vassal State. He spent time investigating that possibility and, in the end, could be said to have missed his chance to strike back.
That was why this problem remained unresolved.
To many people, the Vassal State was the Crown Prince's killer.
Even Leo, who was usually calm, had been furious at the Vassal State's attempt to shift all the blame onto its retainers and put an end to the matter. It seemed that anger had flared up again.
"It's――in the past now. We have to look ahead. They've come to us seeking friendship. It would be rude to reject their offered hand."
"But!"
Leo still looked unconvinced, but when he saw Father's eyes, he fell silent. Father wasn't completely convinced either. His eyes said as much.
"So you want me to serve as their host?"
"Can I ask you to do it? A dignitary from the United Kingdom will also be coming. I intend to leave that to Gordon."
"...May I take some time to think it over?"
"Very well. If you don't think you can do it, you may refuse."
With that, Father dismissed us.
Leo and I walked silently through the castle corridors.
"...You should refuse."
"Do you think so?"
When Leo finally spoke, I gave him a wry smile.
He still wore a sullen expression. That was unusual.
"You don't want to do it, do you?"
"It's not that I don't want to. I asked for time because I wanted to know whether those around us would accept it."
"Those around us?"
"The angriest person isn't either of us. It's probably Brother Traugott. If Brother Traugott is all right with it, I'll accept."
My younger brother by the same mother, Traugott, had, on the day our eldest brother died,
shown his anger for the first time.
He had even said that he would lead an army to attack the Vassal State.
We couldn't make a decision about this matter without hearing Brother Traugott's opinion.
"I'm fine. It's not that I feel no anger. But Father is swallowing his anger too. If Brother Traugott says he'll swallow his anger as well, then I will too. So forget about this matter."
"But..."
"Are you planning to greet Saint-sama with that look on your face?"
Leo's face, clouded by anger, was unlike his usual expression.
It was not a face he should show a woman.
Perhaps only then did Leo realize he was making such a face. He slowly took a deep breath.
"――All right. I'll leave this matter to Brother."
"Good. Think about how you're going to welcome Saint-sama. After all――"
She's your first love, after all.
When I told him that with a sly grin, Leo turned bright red and fell silent.