Chapter 265
Chapter 265
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 265
Chapter Title: Knight of Saint Hubertus
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There was no need to ask any more questions. I was simply seized by the marquis and the servants and dragged off to the dressing room.
Worried that I might try to escape, the marquis stood guard at the door to the dressing room. Meanwhile, the other attendants blocked my path and spoke up.
"Your Excellency, please remove your robe."
"And why should I do that?"
"Why? Well... it's time for you to go out. You can't wear that outer garment."
Not content with dragging me here out of the blue, they were still spouting this incomprehensible nonsense?
*In what country in the world do they treat a state guest like this?*
This couldn't be right. Something was off.
Bavaria wasn't the sort of place to pull this kind of inexplicable stunt. No, this was Wittelsbach territory, but whether here or there, it was a land of common sense. With the letter penned by Leo himself, there was no doubt these were Wittelsbach people.
Looking closely, they were staring at me like I was some lunatic, which suggested the information on both sides wasn't quite aligned.
Just then, the attendants looked flustered as they tried to placate me.
"Your Excellency, as we mentioned when you arrived, time is short. It will be over soon, so we kindly ask for your cooperation."
"Why is time short? Whether I wear the imperial robe or not, this is something permitted by Crown Prince His Highness. Is it a problem now? Besides, it's the sort of thing Crown Prince His Highness wears himself."
"We're terribly sorry, but we have no comment. We've been ordered by His Majesty the King not to answer whatever you ask. And truly, it will begin any moment now..."
"No, I can't cooperate if I don't even know what this 'beginning' is."
"You don't know?"
"...?"
I could only stare at them in disbelief, letting out a hollow chuckle.
They seemed flustered in their own way.
"Why wouldn't you know?"
"Marquis, Excellency Ascanien says he doesn't know the next schedule."
"I figured as much. Keep preparing."
"What?"
The last word was mine.
They knew I was clueless and still acted this nonchalant?
I eyed him suspiciously before turning to the attendant reaching for my robe.
"I have an appointment with Crown Prince His Highness. I need to wait for him, so leave me be."
"Pardon?"
The attendant's eyes widened in profound confusion.
*Pardon?* This was maddening.
I hated to go against Leo's instructions again, but I had no choice but to bring up the letter once more. How could I not in this situation?
I spoke calmly to the bewildered new-age attendants staring at me.
"I heard Crown Prince His Highness had to step away for some business. I need to wait until he's finished."
"Pardon?"
"......"
This time, I couldn't hold back and clutched my throat. It was a reflexive action. The marquis, who had been watching me, spoke apologetically.
"Your Excellency, as I said earlier, we cannot disclose details of royal duties. In fact, I myself don't fully understand the orders I've received. I'd love to explain everything, but I must absolutely obey His Majesty the King, so I cannot. Forgive my rudeness. That said..."
He glanced at his watch and spoke gravely.
"Thirty minutes remain."
"Whatever this thirty minutes is for, it sounds like plenty of time."
"Not at all."
*Yeah, figures...*
I gave up trying to understand. My prevailing thought was that raising questions with His Majesty the King over this baffling situation—though I had a vague inkling, nothing certain—would be pointless.
He had acknowledged my identity as Nikolaus, honored our agreement without forgetting it, and paved the way for me to join the magic potion experiment. He was a monarch fitting Bavaria's liberal bent, with impressive political skills, leaving a favorable impression on me. But this ordeal was starting to shake that assessment. Not tell me anything? Why?
The marquis pocketed his pocket watch and approached me.
"I'll now explain what Your Excellency must do."
"Go ahead."
I regretted enjoying the aide's soul-crushing smile too much earlier. What goes around comes around.
I knew my voice sounded lifeless, but I had no desire to add more. I simply trusted that, as Bavarians, they wouldn't harm me—though I hadn't yet revealed myself as Nikolaus.
"Your Excellency will now enter the Antiquarium in the Munich Residenz. You need not touch the doors or chairs; the guards or ushers will handle everything. Simply stand naturally, facing forward. For the procession, two of us and the guards will be ahead, one on each side, and two behind, so no need to worry."
"I see. And if I ask why we're going there, you won't tell me, right?"
"Correct."
The majordomo brought his hand near my chin with a solemn expression.
"Your Excellency, please tilt your head up slightly. Eyes about fifteen degrees down. Perfect. Maintain this until entry."
"I think I've got a hunch now. Let me voice a guess."
"No. I cannot hear it. My apologies."
The majordomo replied with a face that showed no apology whatsoever, then gestured to the attendants. He resumed guarding the dressing room entrance.
The attendants approached and placed hands on the brooch of my robe. I rolled my eyes at this incomprehensible situation, shrugged, and said to them.
"So, the gist is I need to take off the robe."
"Yes."
"Then I'll do it myself."
In Prussia, I'd have desperately tried to escape, but this was Bavaria... so I endured. Having apparently heard something from the marquis in the interim, the attendant nodded without panic.
"Yes, understood. We were just told you'd say that."
"You know me well. That's why I'm saying I'll do it."
"No. Allow me the honor of attending to Your Excellency."
"Next time."
Regardless of my protests, the attendant smiled and lifted my left arm. He was beaming, clearly privy to something. Now he seemed in league with the marquis.
As another attendant took away my Eschet robe, the one before me draped a red sash over my right shoulder and tied it low on the left. Then he placed a deep navy robe over my shoulders, brought by a servant on menial duty. The Eschet robe had a red velvet lining, but this one was navy even inside. Unlike a simple chest-clasped robe, it had a clasp at the front right shoulder, more ornate than usual due to foreign influences.
Knowing the context for such a robe, unease began to creep in.
"This can't be..."
"We'll leave your undergarments as is. Changing just the robe is fine."
The marquis cut me off with a gentle smile.
"Well, that's a relief."
I stroked my chin as I looked at the marquis.
Best not to voice my guess aloud for now. Neither Anhalt, nor Bavaria, nor Leo had given me any hint, so it was probably nothing major. No point making wild assumptions when even the rice-cake giver had none to spare.
Despite claiming time was short earlier, the marquis now approached with a notepad and launched into an unrelated spiel.
"I'll briefly outline Your Excellency's schedule. From now on, for the next three days, you'll be handling terrorism-related duties. Tomorrow through the day after has been coordinated with Anhalt for sharing, so get details there. The joint Bavaria-Baden government has scheduled your final press conference and meetings with each head of state for three days from now, considering public opinion, but final say is yours."
Three whole days?
It was a big deal, of course. I hadn't seen even a single newspaper yet, so no clue on foreign reactions or domestic sentiment, but it wouldn't cool off in days.
Did it warrant managing public opinion like this?
Earlier, Anhalt had mentioned rising anxiety among their subjects and requested a press conference with them first. I'd thought it mere unease over Pleroma Ascanien, but apparently not.
"Understood. Since it came up, could I have a newspaper?"
"Hm, well..."
"Yes. Got it."
Oh, come on. As if I'd dare read one.
Knowing the response, I cut him off and glanced around. The clock now showed only twenty minutes left.
*Hm, shouldn't I have waited until Leo finished his business?*
He'd ordered no sharing of the letter, but the marquis seemed somewhat informed, and dragging me here abruptly suggested Leo's business would take time. I'd just wrap up my tasks in the meantime.
Twenty minutes flew by.
"Time to depart, Your Excellency."
"Yes."
I rose with a flat response to the marquis's words.
We left the annex, passing through a portal to the Munich Residenz, the Wittelsbach royal palace.
The Antiquarium was on the first floor, but the portal dropped us at a distance for defense against attacks, so we walked a full ten minutes more.
The Munich Residenz, the kingdom's grandest and most historic palace, was a sight to behold.
But as the marquis instructed, I kept my eyes forward. Even without his words, I would have—for Luca's honor, I'd always done so.
The marquis halted at some point and turned to me.
"Your Excellency. This is the Antiquarium."
A massively ornate door stood firmly shut before him.
His face far more solemn now, he drew a letter from his jacket and handed it over.
"Before entering, there's a letter for Your Excellency to review."
Another one?
I took it expressionlessly, thinking that, but this was different.
I froze, mouth agape for a moment.
"......"
[Lukas Karl Friedrich Leopold Prinz von Anhalt]
It was clearly addressed to me, but the notation was unusual.
Prinz was fine—the title for firstborns of ruling houses.
But von Anhalt. Written in traditional style.
Everyone now omitted the von between name and place, using family names as surnames—Lukas Ascanien, not Lukas von Anhalt. This was pre-magic era notation, used rarely in noble events emphasizing tradition and formality.
So, an event requiring such a name...
I opened the folded letter and froze solid. I couldn't immediately grasp what I was seeing. Even understanding it, I could scarcely believe.
"...Ha."
A involuntary chuckle escaped.
The marquis, halted before the door, smiled softly at me.
"Will you accept the honors of Bavaria?"
I suppressed a laugh as I looked at him. This was why he'd dragged me here relentlessly.
Now I understood the entire situation.
My answer had been set long ago.
"Of course."
I replied with a faint smile.
The marquis wore the same expression.
He signaled the trailing servant, who placed a feathered hat on my head. It suited the ornate robe well enough.
At his gesture, the doors to the Antiquarium hall slowly opened. The long hall, built in the Renaissance era, was lavish and majestic. Arched walls and ceiling bore Christian murals, flanked by ancient Greco-Roman statues. As sunset neared, sunlight stretched long through the windows, illuminating the interior.
Bavarian officials and nobles seated along the sides rose. So did the Wittelsbach collaterals near the altar.
Directly opposite my position, at the hall's end, was a low dais. Midway along both sides, orchestras were split evenly, with people seated in two rows above and below. The side-seaters formed a natural central aisle. The dais stood empty.
The marquis indicated the path to the dais. Our footsteps echoed in the silent hall.
Standing right of the dais base, facing the doors, a stern voice rang from outside.
[The King's Proxy has arrived.]
King's Proxy. From that moment, who it was became obvious.
Not the king, but the crown prince who'd lied about business and left first. Per the letter I'd read.
Sure enough, as the doors opened again, the first figure was one I knew well.
Leo, face expressionless like mine, strode toward the dais flanked by the Guard Captain and Kingdom Chancellor. Unlike usual, he wore a sword.
Ascending the foot-high dais and facing forward, the orchestra began Bavaria's anthem. Majestic brass swelled powerfully. He gazed ahead calmly for the 1 minute 30 seconds it played, then lightly beckoned me at its end.
As I moved before him, the Guard Captain and Chancellor took positions to his right.
The Kingdom Chancellor began reciting the speech with weighty tone.
"On February 21, 1898, an unprecedented peril struck the unified German Empire. This was Pleroma's doing, tormenting imperial subjects for 13 years, threatening 600,000 souls of subjects and foreigners alike—a grave crisis. The Wittelsbach House of Bavaria extends heartfelt gratitude and profound respect to Duke Lukas von Anhalt, who showed courage and devotion amid this threat to our people, our Empire, and our continent."
I glanced at the imperial chancellor.
It sounded abrupt, but matched my initial guess and the letter's contents.
Meanwhile, Leo's gaze—and everyone else's—remained on me.
"The leadership, strategic insight, and brave spirit fulfilling noble duty to subjects from Duke von Anhalt played a vital role in averting 600,000 lives lost and damage to imperial spirit. This proclamation thanks His Grace for his devotion protecting our people's justice, peace, and freedom on our continent. Duke von Anhalt embodied true heroism, giving hope and firm trust to all subjects of our great German lands. Per royal tradition and protocol, we bestow this letter of thanks and 'honor' upon Lukas von Anhalt, saluting his precious service to our people and continent."
The Kingdom Chancellor looked up from the speech. All eyes now turned to the crown prince.
What came next, I knew, would feel a bit bewildering from a modern perspective.
"Can Lukas von Anhalt pledge loyalty to the Kingdom of Bavaria and the Wittelsbach sovereign as a member of the Order of Saint Hubertus?"
"...?!"
Not shock at knighthood. Saint Hubertus?
I held my breath unwittingly. This I hadn't anticipated. Leo caught the flicker of dismay on my stoic face and stifled a laugh. Wanting to smack him helped me regain composure, fortunately.
The Order of Saint Hubertus was Bavaria's highest knighthood and decoration. Nothing ranked above it.
One key point.
This wasn't knights charging with real swords or losing heads for failing the sovereign—diplomatically, perhaps. Thankfully, modern folks know knighthoods from the British Commonwealth: honorary positions of respect and encouragement. In this era, they also symbolized amity and ties between ruling houses.
Leo had countless such honors from federal states comprising the Empire, as crown prince of a ruling house. Same for Adrian Ascanien, Julia, and Elias, the Hohenzollern outsider—they were ruling stock.
But for Luca—for me, living as him—this was a first.
No one in the Empire had ever offered Pleroma Ascanien such honors or shows of affection and respect.
His two-time urging to visit Bavaria meant *this*. Now I fully grasped why he'd said the obvious so solemnly.
"I pledge."
I answered in Luca's voice.
Leo's lips curved softly. That ritual smile signaled to proceed.
I knelt on my left knee, head bowed. Leo placed the Wittelsbach sword on my left shoulder. He swung it to my right, then withdrew. I rose slowly and met his eyes.
"From this hour, the Kingdom of Bavaria and House Wittelsbach appoint Lukas von Anhalt Knight of the Order of Saint Hubertus, bestowing the Grand Cross of Saint Hubert as proof."
Leo's voice echoed through the Antiquarium. Bavaria's anthem now faintly registered.
An officer handed Leo the case. Leo pinned the gold sun badge of the order to my robe's left collar, draping it over the shoulder.
Stepping back, Leo continued the chancellor's unfinished speech.
"May Duke Lukas von Anhalt's courage and devotion be eternally inscribed in our Empire and Kingdom's annals. End of His Majesty King Hildegaard II of Bavaria's decree."
He paused after finishing, cast a soundproof spell, and smiled.
"Welcome to Bavaria."