The Witch Appears (2)
“This must be... the famous prince from the south everyone's talking about.”
“……”
“I'm Ella von Arzenheim. Eldest daughter of the Northern Grand Duke and the rightful heir to the grand duchy. Nice to meet you.”
She was a terrifying woman who could freeze the lake in front of me, slice through the air itself, and shatter a sword with just a light touch—but that was that, and my thoughts kept veering elsewhere.
……Damn.
She was overwhelmingly beautiful, to the point where it didn't even feel real.
Soft, dazzling white hair cascading down to her waist; a height that was tall even for a woman; skin so pale and translucent it was like snowflakes, thin enough to show the veins beneath.
And those mysterious purple eyes unique to the imperial bloodline, piercing straight through a person's soul.
Up to that point, you'd just think, Wow, she's really pretty—but what kept throwing my mind into chaos wasn't just her face.
She was wearing a thick, fur-trimmed coat and layered dress that looked plenty warm to fend off the northern chill, yet for some reason, the neckline plunged deep at the chest, fully exposing her cleavage.
Her boobs are way too perfect…?
Her full, gravity-defying breasts rose in a flawless teardrop shape—hands down the best I'd ever seen in this life or my last.
I knew I shouldn't stare, but my eyes felt magnetically pulled in anyway.
Don't look down, Ian Sterling. If you drop your gaze here, you're screwed.
I pinched my thigh hard and desperately dragged my eyes upward, locking onto her purple irises. Ella gave a small smile at my stiff expression.
“No need to be so tense. I won't bite. You didn't actually mistake me for a real witch just because of that 'White Witch' nickname, did you?”
“My apologies... I was momentarily dazed by Lady Ella's beauty.”
“Oh my, thank you. The rumors are true—you really do have a way with words... and your looks match that silver tongue perfectly.”
I took a deep breath and bowed politely.
“I am Ian Sterling, second prince of the Kingdom of Sterling, currently under the protection of the imperial family.”
“Delighted to meet you, Prince Ian. I've heard so many rumors. They even reached our distant north—that a handsome prince had come from the south.”
“I'm flattered, but I don't think I'm that famous. You must have some impressive sources, Lady Ella.”
“Impressive sources... Sure, let's say I have some excellent ones.”
Ella replied with a soft laugh, then glanced at Amber, who was fuming with just the hilt of her broken sword in hand.
“Now, Lady White. No need for those murderous glares. As I said earlier, I'm an official envoy bearing my father's letter. Keep this up, and it could turn into a diplomatic incident, you know?”
“Diplomacy is a term for dealings between sovereign nations, Lady Ella. I must point out that framing your visit as an envoy from an independent state is inappropriate. Or does the Grand Duke perhaps harbor other intentions?”
“Oh dear, always nitpicking—same as last time. No wonder you're thirty-two and never been in a relationship. Who'd want a woman who talks back like that nonstop? Even a high-ranking knight needs love and marriage. Thinking of you growing old alone as a spinster brings tears to my eyes.”
“Wh-what!? That's too rude, Lady Ella!”
“Who was it who brought up the witch nonsense first, Lady White? Wishing someone dead doesn't count as rude? Please.”
After their vicious verbal sparring, Ella suddenly turned to me with a sweet smile—a stark contrast to moments ago—and bowed her head.
A single visible vein on her pristine white cleavage suddenly loomed large in the center of my vision.
“Well then, I should head to the palace and pay my respects to His Imperial Majesty. Oh, and with the social season starting in a month, I'll be stuck in the palace until then, so we'll be seeing plenty of each other, Prince Ian.”
“Safe travels.”
Ella waved gracefully, then stepped lightly into the frozen rift in the air and vanished.
Only after she was completely gone did the edges of the frozen lake begin to thaw slowly.
I didn't snap out of it until Amber, in a rage, hurled her sword hilt into the melting lake and started screaming bloody murder.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
The next day.
As always, tea time with the Emperor arrived, and I was summoned to the greenhouse.
But the Emperor, who would normally probe me with light questions the moment I sat down—like whether I'd read any good books or how imperial life was treating me—seemed deeply irritated today.
Deep wrinkles furrowed his brow, and even after I arrived, he fiddled with his teacup for a long while, lost in thought.
……Probably because of that woman who showed up yesterday.
Ella von Arzenheim, eldest daughter of the Northern Grand Duke.
No wonder the Emperor was troubled; someone he absolutely loathed had appeared out of nowhere.
After a heavy silence, the Emperor finally spoke abruptly.
“Ian Sterling.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“In your opinion, what percentage of a nation's population should serve as soldiers to be appropriate?”
It was a sudden question.
But I didn't panic, taking a moment to think it through.
From my past life's memories, South Korea—with a population of fifty million—maintained about six hundred thousand active-duty soldiers via conscription, and with reserves, roughly two million in total.
Rough math: about 1 percent in peacetime (technically still under armistice), 4 percent in wartime.
In this life, the Kingdom of Sterling had three million people and only ten thousand soldiers.
“It varies by nation, but without crippling the economy, I'd say around 1 percent in peacetime, and even in total war with full mobilization, 3 percent max. Beyond that, you'd lack manpower for farming and production, making it impossible to sustain the war—or even the nation—before the fighting starts.”
The Emperor nodded gravely at my answer.
“Correct. Armies produce nothing; they only consume. The larger they grow, the heavier the burden on the state.”
He set his teacup down with a clink and murmured with a deep sigh.
“So how do you fight madmen who can mobilize a full tenth of their population as soldiers?”
“……A tenth?”
“Yes, a tenth. And not just rabble who can barely march in formation or thrust a spear—these are actual warriors, skilled with weapons and battle-hardened.”
I instinctively knew who this out-of-the-blue grumbling was aimed at.
……The North.
Amber had said the North fought bloody daily wars against the monsters beyond the barrier, forging their entire populace into warriors.
The Emperor rubbed his brow, lamenting in clear displeasure.
“To settle things once and for all with that bastard would cost this great empire too much. We'd suffer massive bloodshed. But letting him build strength unchecked up north is far too dangerous.”
“……”
“What in the world should be done?”
I kept my mouth firmly shut, eyes fixed on my teacup, pretending not to hear his monologue tossed into the void. No matter how much favor I was in right now, I wasn't so oblivious as to lecture an enemy emperor as a mere hostage.
Thankfully, it seemed like he wasn't seriously asking me; he was just venting. His expression soon softened.
“By the way, I heard that northern wench showed up right in front of you the moment she arrived in the capital and started blabbering.”
“Ah... yes. We happened to cross paths at a lake park on the outskirts. She mentioned attending the imperial social season...”
“Indeed. As she said, the empire's grand social season begins in a month. The biggest event of the year, held every winter since the founding.”
The Emperor savored a sip of his warm tea, then looked me straight in the eye.
“Naturally, you'll attend as well.”
“……Understood.”
Here it comes.
“Not just the high nobles of the empire—hostages from the recent southern conquest and other subjugated nations will be there too.”
“Other hostages, you say.”
“Yes. Even those rotting away in surveillance estates on the capital's outskirts, barely breathing—we're giving them a day to breathe.”
A strange smile crept across the Emperor's lips.
“It's a chance to mingle with hostages from other countries, get familiar with faces. Behave yourself. Let them huddle together and soothe their homesickness or whatever—just don't try anything stupid.”
“……Thank you for your consideration.”
“Good. Oh, and have you contacted home?”
“Yes, I sent a letter.”
“A letter won't cut it. Contact them via magic crystal this evening.”
It sounded like consideration at first glance, but it was blatantly saying he'd be watching.
“…Yes, I will.”
A letter was one thing, but a video call? No way to hide that I'm a fake prince...?