Ascendance of a Bookworm (LN) - Volume 5.5 - Chapter SS

An Unwanted Marriage

It happened at the end of winter, a few days after the Royal Academy’s graduation ceremony. I was still in complete disbelief when my retainer came to fetch me from the Drewanchel Dormitory.

“Lady Adolphine, Lord Ortwin is requesting a discussion. The archducal couple will also be present.”

After attending the Interduchy Tournament and the subsequent graduation ceremony as Prince Sigiswald’s fiancée, I wanted to know more about the magic circle that had momentarily appeared during Lady Detlinde’s dedication whirl, as well as the reason why the Sovereign temple’s High Bishop was proclaiming her to be a Zent candidate. There were two obvious sources for the information I sought—the royal family and the Sovereign temple—but then there was Ehrenfest as well; Lady Eglantine had apparently summoned Lady Rozemyne when gathering her own intelligence.

The matter was sensitive enough that the royal family had decided not to keep me informed, and that was how I expected things to stay. That was why I had asked Ortwin to contact Ehrenfest, on the off chance that he might make a discovery of some kind.

“He actually learned something from Lord Wilfried...?” I asked, stunned.

It was late enough that the graduation ceremony had concluded, and everyone was preparing to return to their home duchies. I had not thought that Ehrenfest would respond to my brother’s investigation, let alone that they would tell us anything. Had it been another duchy inviting someone from Drewanchel, we would have refused without fail. It seemed that Ortwin had established a much closer bond with Ehrenfest than I realized.

“I shall head to the meeting room at once,” I said.

If the Sovereign High Bishop was correct, and Lady Detlinde went on to become the next Zent, then the current royal family would inevitably be eliminated. That, in turn, would violate the terms of the engagement contract between the king and Drewanchel, rendering it null and void.

My wish might be granted after all!

I had spent years working tirelessly to become the next Aub Drewanchel, only for the Zent to swoop in and crush my dreams. After the civil war, he had sought to strengthen his support base through a marriage with the greater duchy Drewanchel, so I was now having to marry one of the princes instead.

Oh, how many times have I wished that I were not born the daughter of a first wife?

The archduke had decided that the engagement would benefit Drewanchel, and it was my duty as a member of the archducal family to obey. Everything was already set in stone, even if one of my suitors had wanted Lady Eglantine’s hand in marriage purely so that he could obtain the throne and the other thought nothing of me at all.

To be frank, I loathed my engagement so terribly that I would do anything to escape it—even support Lady Detlinde, of all people, becoming the next Zent.

“Ortwin, what did Ehrenfest say?” I asked upon my arrival in the meeting room. My younger brother was already seated with our parents.

“Sister, if you would,” he replied, then held out a sound-blocker.

I accepted the magic tool and squeezed it; this was a discussion that could change the very course of my life. Hopeful, I gazed straight into Ortwin’s light-brown eyes.

“Wilfried was sworn to silence, as expected,” he said. “He did not provide any details, but it would seem that simply causing that magic circle to appear does not make Lady Detlinde the next Zent. It will not affect your marriage to the prince.”

“I see,” Father said. “Well done, Ortwin.”

My parents were both relieved, but I was immensely disappointed. That I had dared to hope in the first place made the pain all the greater.

“How unfortunate...” I muttered. “If she had taken the throne, it would have been the perfect opportunity to nullify my engagement.”

“Adolphine, are you still going on about that? Your engagement has already been formally arranged.”

“Oh my. Were you not the one who described it as a contract between Drewanchel and the Zent? It seems only natural that someone else taking the throne should require us to rework or even cancel it.”

Mine was the perfect political marriage: Drewanchel would support the next Zent, who would be more accommodating to our duchy in return. But if something happened to stop Prince Sigiswald from taking the throne, then our union would serve no purpose at all. Our priority would instead be to forge a relationship with the new ruler.

“You are marrying a royal prince and the heir apparent—what more could you ask for?” my father said. “I cannot even begin to fathom the reason for your displeasure.”

“Then let me be clear: I am marrying Prince Sigiswald, a man whose spoiled upbringing has made him repulsively arrogant and who looks down on others without even realizing it. Worse still, nobody can even mention these glaring faults to him. His standing makes it too much of a risk.”

“Sister!”

“Adolphine, you...”

I had merely told the truth, but Ortwin was thunderstruck, Father was speechless, and Mother was furrowing her brow.

“My treatment as his fiancée has been far from ideal,” I said. “I doubt that will change when I become his wife. Do you really expect me to squeal with joy simply because I am marrying a prince? Just how witless do you think I am? From the bottom of my heart, I would welcome anyone to take my place.”

For as long as Lady Eglantine had yet to choose a partner, my now husband-to-be had completely ignored me, despite my being a candidate for the engagement. That had scarcely changed even now that I was formally his fiancée. Prince Sigiswald did only the bare minimum expected of him; I would receive much better treatment engaged to an archduke candidate from another duchy.

“Fear not, though,” I continued. “I understand my position and do not intend to flee from this engagement. My feelings about the matter have no relevance, as you know all too well, so I will carry out my duties as an archducal family member. If the terms of our contract were violated, I would do my utmost to have it nullified, but as it stands, I am beaten down once again.”

On that note, I stood up and briskly left the meeting room. I knew that I had disrespected the royal family, but I was in no mood to hear anyone’s complaints about it.

Winter had passed, and spring was soon to follow. There were but a few more days before the Archduke Conference, so I was moving the last of my belongings to Prince Sigiswald’s villa and managing the preparation of the room I would move into after our wedding. Seeing my new home slowly come together filled me with neither giddiness nor anticipation for my future.

“Your disinterest is showing clearly on your face, Lady Adolphine.”

“You must be mistaken, Oderkunst. For security reasons, only a limited number of people can enter this villa, and only for a limited amount of time. I will not be able to rely on Drewanchel personnel after my wedding, and there is not much time before the Starbind Ceremony. I am simply worried about whether everything will go as planned.”

Oderkunst was a Sovereign scholar from Drewanchel, due to become my retainer after the Starbinding. His little sister Lisbeth served as my attendant, so I felt more at ease with him than I did with other Sovereign nobles.

“I have heard no shortage of complaints from Lisbeth, but if you insist,” Oderkunst replied, teasingly raising an eyebrow at me. I would need to scold the girl for leaking sensitive information, but it was heartening to know that at least one of my Sovereign retainers knew how I truly felt.

“More importantly...” I said, “what business do you have here? I was told that I would not be introduced to my Sovereign retainers until after the ceremony. You are not serving me yet, are you? Is it okay for you to be in my room like this?”

“I am but a messenger,” he replied. “Prince Sigiswald wishes to see you. He said that I was a fine choice for the task, since I am to become your retainer in ‘some few days.’”

The fact that Oderkunst and my other future retainers were going to enter my service after the Starbind Ceremony meant that they were having to get ready to move their living quarters on top of their usual preparations for the Archduke Conference. They had no free time to speak of, and it would normally be unthinkable to treat those who had not yet been formally assigned to me as though they were already my retainers.

It repulses me that Prince Sigiswald assumes he is busier than everyone else, and that he would casually make demands of someone who has not yet begun to serve me.

“I wonder what news could inspire him to summon his busy bride-to-be so soon before our Starbinding...” I mused aloud. “I can only hope he has wonderful news—perhaps that the ceremony is being canceled, or at the very least delayed.”

“Lady Adolphine!” Lisbeth cried, her lips pursed.

I sighed and waved away her protest. “Everyone here is from Drewanchel. Allow me this brief opportunity to vent before the wedding.”

After selecting several of my already busy retainers to accompany me, I went to answer the first prince’s summons. This little inconvenience would only delay our work. It was just like him not to give any advance notice or show us even the slightest concern.

Whatever shall I do if this is about something trifling?

I pondered that question as I went to the parlor where Prince Sigiswald awaited me, but my fear was soon put to rest. His dark-green eyes softened into a smile as he delivered some news of critical importance.

“Nahelache has given birth, and we do not want my mana to change while the baby is so young. Thus, our intimacy must be delayed for some time.”

It was unbelievable. I was at a complete loss for words. The shock was so great that my mind went blank.

What in the world does this prince think he’s saying?

There was nothing strange about Lady Nahelache giving birth before my wedding. It also made perfect sense that the news was being kept private, as children were generally not made public until after they were baptized. She had displayed none of the telltale signs of pregnancy during the graduation ceremony, from which I could infer that at least a season had passed since she gave birth. The prince had not said exactly how long our “intimacy” would need to be postponed, but he surely intended to wait until his mana no longer influenced the child.

It still made no sense, though. One would not normally impregnate another wife so soon after becoming engaged to another, and a man who did not want his fiancée to influence his mana would delay the entire marriage. After all, it would make no sense to perform the Starbind Ceremony.

Was that what he meant to say? That our wedding is being delayed, not just our intimacy? Yes, that must be it. A prince would never do something so incomprehensible.

“My apologies,” I said. “You meant to say that our wedding is going to be delayed, but I misunderstood you. Fear not—Drewanchel shan’t utter a word in complaint.”

This new development would require us to significantly change our plans, so it was unfortunate that we had not been informed after Lady Nahelache’s pregnancy was confirmed. Had we been told sooner, I would have done everything in my power to accommodate the delay.

“I must inform my father of this urgent news...” I said.

“But you are mistaken, Adolphine. You would do well to pay closer attention when others are speaking to you. We are not delaying our Starbind Ceremony, only the beginning of our life together.”

To think I went out of my way to let him pass this off as a misunderstanding. Must I truly marry this man?

Had this foolishness come from my little brother, Ortwin, rather than the first prince and future Zent, I would not have hesitated to give him a thorough tongue-lashing. The entire situation was insulting and absurd, but I still managed to stave off a frown and adopt a polite smile.

“Pray tell,” I said, “why would you not abide by tradition and postpone our Starbind Ceremony?”

It is outrageous that he would order me to become his wife when he has no intention of treating me like one. There had better be a truly compelling reason for this madness.

I was already being shown only the bare minimum of courtesy, but now my husband-to-be was saying that he would not treat me as a wife even after our Starbind Ceremony. How could anyone belittle me so viciously?

Even now, Prince Sigiswald was oblivious to my anger and humiliation; he looked at me as though I were a naive child and gave a troubled smile. “I suppose you do not know, Adolphine. Ever since the civil war, the royal family has been suffering from a mana shortage. We need as many royals as we can get.”

“How does that explain your decision to cast aside noble traditions and marry me by force? You understand that taking a new wife while one’s mana cannot be changed is anything but proper, do you not?” It concerned me so deeply that I was having to endure this farce in the first place.

The prince looked even more troubled, as though he had not expected my response. “Of course I understand. I am humbly asking you to assist us nonetheless.”

I sincerely doubt that, and your “request” has been anything but humble.

It was clear as day that Prince Sigiswald expected me to obey his every command, and that he never considered anyone else’s feelings, desires, or objections. He exuded arrogance born from a privileged upbringing and would go the rest of his life without even realizing it.

“If your circumstances really are so dire that our marriage cannot be delayed a year, then show me some reasoning,” I demanded. The mana shortage had apparently been an issue since the civil war, but Ladies Nahelache and Eglantine had since joined the royal family. Even if one of them was now tending to her newborn, they must have had more leeway than before.

Sigiswald made no effort to disguise his sorrow. “They are dire indeed. An ancient magic tool we had decided not to supply until we had more mana to spare has collapsed.”

“It collapsed...?” I repeated. “Never before have I heard about a magic tool collapsing simply because it was not supplied with mana. It must have been close to a foundational...”

A shiver ran down my spine. A magic tool that had been guarded by the royal family and stored in the royal palace since ancient times had to have been a crucial pillar of support for the country.

“Indeed,” the prince said. “We must now investigate every magic tool we stopped supplying and refill any on the verge of collapse. That is why we require as many royals as we can secure—and the hole left by Nahelache must be filled.”

In other words, now that his wife is unable to carry out her duties as a royal, he wants me to pick up her slack.

My heart iced over. Even in the context of a political marriage, there were more delicate ways to phrase the situation. Who would agree to an already insulting engagement after being told that they were needed as little more than a mana slave?

“Furthermore,” Prince Sigiswald continued, “Rozemyne is going to bless our Starbind Ceremony as High Bishop. We have cooperated with Ehrenfest and the Sovereign temple to make this happen; we cannot afford to postpone it.”

“Lady Rozemyne, serving as the High Bishop? This is news to me...”

Changing the active High Bishop was a very big deal; why had Drewanchel not been informed? I asked what had inspired the switch, which prompted the prince to give a breezy response.

“Do you recall the blessing that rained down upon Eglantine and Anastasius during their graduation? We have since learned that it came from Rozemyne.”

That blessing had sparked rumors that Prince Anastasius was better suited to become the next king than Prince Sigiswald. I knew that well, as I had been there to witness it. The royal family had evidently asked Lady Rozemyne to serve as High Bishop to wash away any and all doubts that the first prince was the best candidate to rule.

What childish idiocy.

Prince Sigiswald did not need to prove himself; the king had already made him the heir to the throne, and the mere chattering of outsiders would not change that. If nobles could so easily overturn the decisions of royalty, then I would have escaped my engagement by now.

“You would summon a student from another duchy to serve as High Bishop for the Starbind Ceremony...?” I asked, astounded. “I am opposed to this. I cannot imagine that Lady Rozemyne wants to be involved, and it should go without saying that the Sovereign High Bishop will not appreciate having his role taken from him. How do you intend to respond when this worsens our already delicate relationship with the Sovereign temple?”

“Who knows? Anastasius proposed the idea, so he is taking responsibility for it. I am unaware of the details.”

How irresponsible. It is your duty as his elder brother to chastise him and declare that you need no such blessing!

Prince Sigiswald was always desperate to push down his younger brother and elevate himself. Prince Anastasius may have proposed the idea, but it was highly likely that he had only done so because of the indirect pressure put on him by the first prince.

“In any case, that is the current state of affairs,” Prince Sigiswald said. “The Starbind Ceremony will continue as planned, but our life as a married couple will not begin for another year.” Having said his piece, he then stood up with the smarmiest of grins. That was his way of telling me to leave already.

I could never come to like such an arrogant man.

“Prince Sigiswald, I cannot approve of our Starbind Ceremony being held this year when you have no intention of treating me as your wife. Let us marry during the next Archduke Conference instead. I will consult my father and send you a more formal response later. In the meantime, please inform Lady Rozemyne that we are delaying the ceremony.”

The moment he heard my objection, Prince Sigiswald turned to look at me, causing his soft blond hair to sway ever so slightly. His dark-green eyes were wide with shock as he said, “Adolphine, did you not hear me?”

He sat back down, no doubt intending to repeat himself, so I rose to my feet and went to leave. There was no longer any value in continuing this exchange; my father, Aub Drewanchel, would take care of the rest. It did not matter whether my engagement was delayed—he would use the opportunity to the benefit of our duchy.

“Oh, I heard every word,” I retorted as I made for the door. “Your intentions to ignore noble customs, prioritize your own convenience over everything else, and deprive me of the respect I deserve have been conveyed in full.”

“That is just... I did not say that I would never treat you as my wife. That time will come. We simply need to postpone, um... matters of the bedroom. I should not need to tell you that you will one day be respected as my first wife.”

Had I not protested, Prince Sigiswald would have concluded that the matter was officially settled and pressured others into complying with it by saying that he had already obtained my agreement. Perhaps such tricks would work on a woman raised to obey her husband, but I had trained to become an archduchess and clash with the archdukes of other duchies. His assumption that I would simply roll over for him would only complicate our life together.

“I will not be looked down upon as a woman cast aside by her husband,” I said. “At the very least, you will personally explain the circumstances to my parents and retainers. If you make it clear that the delay of our marital duties is your fault, not mine, then I will not be entirely unwilling to provide my support.”

Prince Sigiswald was staring at me, wide-eyed, unable to form his next words. I might have been too intense, considering that he was so used to everybody obeying him, but my entire life was on the line; I would not bend.

How you set the stage is what matters most, as they say.

So came the day of my Starbind Ceremony. Father had grimaced when Prince Sigiswald explained the situation to him, displeased with the break from tradition; but he had determined it best to respect the royal family’s circumstances despite the extremely offensive nature of their request. As I understood it, he had squeezed more than enough out of the first prince as compensation for the inconvenience.

I expected nothing less from my father. He is as reliable as ever.

Incidentally, he had also said that he now understood why I could never love Prince Sigiswald. He remained of the opinion that I needed to accept the union for its political advantages, but he had muttered that I was “free to have my preferences.”

“There,” one of my attendants said. “All ready. How beautiful you look, Lady Adolphine.”

“Adolphine, do away with that frown at once,” my mother added. “You must not let your true feelings be known. Smile so brightly that anyone would think you are the happiest bride in the world.”

“Yes, Mother.”

I stepped out of my room with Mother and my attendants, who had prepared me for the ceremony. Father was waiting in the entrance hall; he looked me over, then sighed.

“You are intelligent and a hard worker. I expect you to remain tenacious even after joining the royal family. Feign obedience when you must, and exploit Prince Sigiswald as much as you can for the benefit of our duchy.”

“I shall do my best.”

“Then let us go.”

Our nobles showered me with congratulations and words of encouragement as we left the Drewanchel Dormitory. Father escorted me to the royal family’s waiting room, while our retainers surrounded us. One of them was carrying an empty wooden box.

“Prince Sigiswald, we have arrived,” I announced. He and his retainers were present, but the other members of the royal family were nowhere to be seen. They were likely either waiting elsewhere or already heading to the auditorium.

“First, the exchange of capes,” the first prince replied.

My attendant undid my brooch, removed my Drewanchel cape, then put both into the wooden box. I would no longer be able to enter our dormitory freely.

Next, one of the prince’s attendants approached us with another box, from which a separate cape was taken. This one was black on both sides, identifying the wearer as royalty. Sovereign nobles not of the royal family wore capes that were only black on the outside; the inside would display the color of their home duchy.

My attendant draped the garment around my shoulders, then fastened it with a brooch. The emerald green I was so used to was replaced with the same inky black as the royal cape.

The sorrow of parting with Drewanchel and the anxieties of entering a hopeless marriage seized my heart, but I swallowed them down and put on the elegant smile of a greater duchy archduke candidate proud to be engaged to a member of the royal family.

“Now then, let us head to the auditorium.”

Father took a step back, then knelt before me. Part of me wanted to ask him, “What are you doing?” but then I realized—now that I was wearing my black cape, I was formally the first wife of the future king. It was only natural that an aub would show such reverence, but the sight of my own father kneeling to me was thoroughly discomforting.

“Lady Adolphine, I pray for your happiness,” he said.

“That gladdens me, Aub Drewanchel.”

After saying my farewells to Father and many of my retainers, I participated in the Starbind Ceremony and received a blessing from Lady Rozemyne. The blessing was fantastical, like nothing I had ever seen before, and made me feel optimistic enough that I resolved to support Yurgenschmidt as Prince Sigiswald’s first wife and a member of the royal family.

As for putting that resolve into practice, however...

The start of the Archduke Conference had seen me thrust into an extraordinarily awkward position. Despite my marriage, I was unable to socialize as a royal, for I had not attended any of the royal family’s preparatory meetings. Nor was I allowed to participate in Drewanchel meetings anymore.

Under normal circumstances, I would use this time to rest and recuperate as my body became accustomed to the intimacy inherent to marriage—but because those activities were being delayed, no such break was necessary for me. I had simply been told not to leave the villa and was placed under watch.

“They certainly are desperate to maintain appearances...” I said.

“And who can blame them? Appearances are important to nobles and royals alike,” Lisbeth replied while cleaning up after breakfast. “How will you be spending today? You are a newlywed, after all. Perhaps you could do some embroidery for your husband.”

“I shall consider such marital duties when I am actually being treated as his wife. He married me for my mana, so perhaps I should make him some rejuvenation potions or something of the like. It seems best to brew them now, while I still have enough leeway.”

So, I summoned my new scholar Oderkunst and informed him of my intentions. “That is not very wifely at all...” he said in response.

“Ah, how alike siblings tend to be.”

Oderkunst exchanged a glance with Lisbeth, who was standing behind me, and raised an eyebrow. Their exasperated looks forced me to propose a compromise:

“Very well, then. I shall brew not just rejuvenation potions, but also charms for my husband. I assume that is ‘wifely’ enough for you. It is my understanding that royals are allowed to repeat the ritual for obtaining divine protections, meaning there is much to be gained from praying as often as possible. Charms engraved with the sigils of the gods should be of some use, no?”

“An excellent idea.”

Having obtained their approval, I changed into my brewing attire and moved to the villa’s brewing room. My scholars brought the relevant materials and recipes.

“I do not recognize this recipe from the Royal Academy’s curriculum,” Oderkunst said.

“This potion primarily replenishes one’s mana,” I explained. “Back when Lady Rozemyne performed her Dedication Ritual at the Royal Academy, I was permitted to join as a royal fiancée. The rejuvenation potion I received then was truly wonderful. I have been working to recreate it ever since, and I believe that I am rather close.”

“May I take a closer look? Um, unless you intend to keep it private, that is.”

Some recipes were unleashed unto the world, while others were kept secret. I intended to keep this one between myself and my retainers, much like Lady Rozemyne was doing with hers.

“You will need to keep it to yourself,” I said, “but I plan to have you all use this recipe anyway. May we work together to improve it even further.”

I showed Oderkunst and my other scholars the recipe, then how to prepare the ingredients and wash the tools.

“Lady Adolphine, are you going to do your own brewing?!” exclaimed the scholars of other duchies, but those from Drewanchel answered swiftly on my behalf.

“But of course. Drewanchel is known for its research; there, it is not at all unusual for archducal family members to brew.”

“Lady Adolphine conducts her own research. We scholars are here to prepare the rejuvenation potions she consumes on a daily basis and other such details. It is essential that we understand her findings on top of the ingredients and recipes she uses.”

The exchange reminded me that the archducal families of other duchies seldom brewed.

I see... It certainly is true that experienced retainers from one’s own duchy are important in the Sovereignty. If not for the sage advice of my retainers learned in the ways of both Drewanchel and the Sovereignty, it would have taken ages for the two groups to come to understand one another.

“This is going to be your first time making this particular potion, so I shall provide a demonstration,” I said. “Henceforth, I will expect all rejuvenation potions to be made according to this recipe.”

“Incidentally, her demonstrating means she will permit no mistakes.”

“Oderkunst, I am not my father. Such strictness does not suit me. I will permit three mistakes before I lose patience.”

At once, the scholars all got serious. They intently observed my hands and the recipe while I worked; then, after I was done, one of them tested the potion I had produced.

“My mana is recovering at such tremendous speed,” the scholar said, head cocked. “What about this recipe dissatisfies you, Lady Adolphine?”

“It cannot yet compete with the potions that Lady Rozemyne distributed. You may be impressed, but her recovery speed was far superior. I wonder what ingredients she used...”

Oderkunst looked contemplative for a moment. “Although any improvement would obviously be welcome, the speed of the rejuvenation is not particularly important. One can drink a potion before bed and then wake up fully replenished, so these would suffice on a day-to-day basis.” It seemed to me that he was trying to say, “Please give it no more thought.”

“That certainly is true,” I replied with a nod. “Everyone, continue brewing until you have the recipe memorized. I will make charms to gift to Prince Sigiswald. Oderkunst, do provide your assistance.”

After giving instructions to my scholars, I started working on the charms. I gave Oderkunst a sound-blocker, then started drawing magic circles while keeping half an eye on the others.

“I am told that the royal family is experiencing a severe mana crisis,” I said. “Why would you resist further improvements to the potions?”

“The faster your mana replenishes, the harder they will work you. You are better off using standard rejuvenation potions and securing some time to rest.”

With our marital duties on hold, all that Prince Sigiswald expected me to do was offer my mana to the royal family and perform the administrative tasks that had once been entrusted to Lady Nahelache. Oderkunst was clearly worried about me, and I concluded that it would be best to heed his warning.

“Things are worse than I ever imagined,” I muttered. “I will improve the rejuvenation potion in secret. Putting that aside, Oderkunst—what news do you have of the Archduke Conference?”

“None at all. As your retainers, we are confined to this villa with you. Something must be occurring outside that they truly do not want you to know about.”

“Indeed. Someone has blocked my every attempt to contact Father and the others. I did not expect to be put under lock and key like this.” I sighed, then resumed my work on the magic circle. “Still, why was I not born as Ortwin?”

“Would you care to elaborate?” Oderkunst asked, cocking an eyebrow while he placed some Wind-rich materials before me. He had deduced that I would need them after looking at my circle.

“Had I ended up in the same grade as Lady Rozemyne, I expect that my student days would have been eventful and deeply entertaining. Furthermore, men are at least allowed to pursue their dreams, are they not?”

Even men could end up forced into political marriages, but they were much less likely to find themselves engaged and en route to another duchy in the blink of an eye. A man who had worked tirelessly to become the next aub and achieved grades befitting the role would never have been sent away from Drewanchel.

“In any case, what charm are you making?” Oderkunst asked.

“This should answer your question,” I replied, then drew a sigil.

“Lady Adolphine, I would ask that you not gift your husband a charm dedicated to Jugereise the Goddess of Separation.”

“This is for my own purposes. I would never present such an obvious weakness for him to exploit.”

My charm for Prince Sigiswald would be dedicated to another god, though I was still trying to decide which. I was caught between Gebordnung the Goddess of Order, so that he would cease prioritizing his own convenience above all else when making decisions, or Erwachlehren the God of Guidance, in the hope that he might improve his personality more generally and actually become suited to rule.

“I would rather you not make it for yourself either,” Oderkunst said, but I pretended not to hear him.

I remained in isolation for the remainder of the Archduke Conference. Only on the final day was I allowed to leave the villa, and only to give my farewells and observe the Dedication Ritual that was apparently being held. I had asked why the ritual was happening to begin with, but the other members of the royal family had merely smiled and said that they would explain later. I was made to participate—and, once again, I was entirely unprepared.

I spent the last few moments of the conference aghast, unable to believe the rumors that were flying about. Never in my life had I thought it would be so difficult to smile and pretend that I wasn’t completely oblivious.

“Prince Sigiswald, I demand answers,” I said. My scholars were just as shocked and already scrambling to collect as much intelligence as they could. I, however, would go straight to the source.

“Ah, perfect timing. I was just about to tell you the decisions we made.”

I was taken to a separate room and arrived to find that the prince’s second wife, Lady Nahelache, was there already. She wore a bubbly smile, but I simply could not get along with her. The way we lived, our perspectives on things, and the goals we worked toward were wholly incompatible.

“The king will adopt Rozemyne so that she can obtain the Grutrissheit for us,” Prince Sigiswald informed me. “I shall take her as my third wife once she comes of age.”

What nonsense is he saying this time?

“My apologies, but could you elaborate? How did that come to pass?”

“While you were leisurely resting in my villa, the Archduke Conference became quite frantic.”

It was almost comical to hear such words from someone who had stationed guards around the villa to keep me from leaving. Rather than being made to “rest,” I would have liked to be included in this ridiculous plan. Instead, I was only finding out about it after the fact.

I simply do not have the resources and people I need. I am at an overwhelming disadvantage here.

“Prince Sigiswald, allow me to confirm something: Am I supposed to feel respected as your wife when you are doing things like this?”

“Oh? I thought it obvious that, as the future Zent, I must involve myself with anyone who can obtain the Grutrissheit. My kingship is the foundation of our contract with Drewanchel, you know. But of course, if you, my first wife, were to secure it for me instead, that would definitely be ideal.”

In other words, “Don’t complain unless you can get me the Grutrissheit.” Do you not realize that, as Yurgenschmidt’s next ruler, you should acquire it yourself and through your own power?

Lady Rozemyne obtaining the Grutrissheit, the literal mark of the sovereign, would make her the next Zent, not Prince Sigiswald. Was he not ashamed by the mere thought of taking her as his third wife to become king?

“In any case,” he said, “this matter has been settled.”

“Nothing matters more than making Prince Sigiswald the next Zent,” Lady Nahelache added, still wearing the same spirited smile. “I will do everything I can to help.” One could guess that she cared only about preserving her current lifestyle.

“I assume that Lady Rozemyne and Aub Ehrenfest agreed, then?” I asked.

“They had various conditions, but we managed to come to an amicable agreement. The experience taught me that Anastasius was entirely correct: Rozemyne’s upbringing in the temple of a lesser duchy has made her almost impossible to converse with. Trying to deal with her was exhausting. She has no common sense whatsoever.”

She must have more than you, and she must be easier to communicate with.

Prince Sigiswald shook his head and shrugged, seeking some agreement, but his words irritated me so much that I responded only with a cold glare.

“It must have been very unpleasant dealing with such a strange child,” Lady Nahelache said, coming to the prince’s aid. I could venture that his experience had been nothing compared to what Lady Rozemyne had been through, having to stomach the royal family’s attempts to bully her into submission.

“We must spend the next year preparing to welcome her as the king’s adopted daughter,” Prince Sigiswald explained. “I would appreciate your assistance, Adolphine, but perhaps you would find it too difficult. It was only recently that you became a royal yourself.”

Just how scant is your common sense? The problem is not how demanding the task might be but the fact that you are attempting to unload it onto me in the first place. How do you not realize this?

I was struck with the urge to confront the first prince’s tutor over his evident failure to do his job, but I quickly suppressed it. “You are not adopting Lady Rozemyne—the Zent is. Preparing for her entrance to the royal family should thereby fall to his first wife. If you are not marrying her right away, would it not give the wrong impression for you to welcome her?”

“Yes, she is going to join the royal family as the king’s adopted daughter, but we must have the public believe that we are welcoming her as my third wife. Anastasius is much closer to Rozemyne than I, and we do not want the country’s nobles to assume that he will marry her when she comes of age.”

In other words, he did not want Prince Anastasius to take her from him as he had taken Lady Eglantine. He was no doubt acting on a strong impulse to keep the one who would obtain the Grutrissheit within his sphere of power.

Hm... It would seem that this arrangement for Lady Rozemyne to marry Prince Sigiswald is still no more than a verbal agreement.

Had it been the Zent’s will, then Prince Sigiswald would not have needed to consider his brother an enemy. My heart went out to Lady Rozemyne; like me, she was at the whim of the first prince’s arrogance. I could not help feeling that there was an unspoken companionship between us.

If she does end up joining the royal family... perhaps we could do research together.

That raised my spirits a little. At the very least, I would ensure that Lady Rozemyne lived in relative comfort until she came of age and was forced to move into Prince Sigiswald’s villa.

“I do not mind providing my assistance,” I said, “but as an adopted daughter, will she not receive her own villa? I wonder, which one will she be given? The ones in the Sovereignty are all in use, are they not?”

“We plan to give her a villa on the Royal Academy’s grounds. Raublut has just been given the key so that he can investigate it. In the process, the building will be furnished, cleaned, and the like. It should not take as long to prepare as a normal villa would. Plus, there is its proximity to the library that Lady Rozemyne is so fond of.”

Does the Royal Academy’s library not close after the Archduke Conference? Do they intend to keep it open year-round for her sake?

In any case, Prince Sigiswald seemed fairly invested in Lady Rozemyne now that he believed she could obtain the Grutrissheit. Comparing her treatment to mine made me want to sigh, but once again, I repressed my dissatisfaction.

The prince continued, “I expect the next year to be quite taxing, but Rozemyne’s adoption should ease the burden on us all. At the very least, she will make for an excellent source of mana.”

He was so consistently self-centered that my head started to ache. I clenched my newly made charm and, without a moment’s hesitation, began to pour my mana into it.

O Jugereise the Goddess of Separation, I beseech you! Bring down your divine instrument and sever the foul ties that bind me so!