The Princess's Request
The meeting was convened once again.
Every minister was in attendance.
The eldest among them, the Minister of Finance, stepped forward as their representative.
“……The Kingdom Alliance has sent a marriage proposal to Your Majesty.”
“……I see.”
Though I already knew the fact, I allowed them to confirm it once more.
I answered with feigned reluctance.
“……Well, I suppose it is about time for His Majesty to take an Empress.”
“Though I am not particularly fond of the Kingdom Alliance itself.”
“Look at the contents of the proposal. They say they have selected the wisest and most beautiful princess among all the princesses in the alliance.”
“Sylvia von Velos……? Isn’t she the Pearl of the Kingdom of Velos? The one famous for being both wise and beautiful.”
Look at this.
As soon as the word "marriage proposal" left my lips, the high-ranking officials began to murmur.
“…….”
Elizabeth, who remained silent, was terrifying.
Hmph, His Majesty will choose me anyway……
Or not?
Unexpectedly, she seemed to be in a rather good mood.
“Sylvia von Velos…….”
Lily.
If you keep fiddling with the dagger hidden under your skirt while saying that, it sounds exactly like you’re muttering the name of a target.
That’s not it, right?
“……It seems they have chosen with great care.”
Honestly, she might be a bit lacking as an Empress candidate, not even a Crown Princess…….
But that is unavoidable, as I ascended to the throne at such a young age.
If one considers her as a Crown Princess, her status is not entirely insufficient.
Especially if she is a princess whose name is famous even within the Kingdom Alliance.
Thanks to that, even the officials who usually look down on the Kingdom Alliance were reacting quite favorably.
Even if they hadn't said it outright, they must have been hoping I would take an Empress soon.
I understand, but.
“Tsk. Are you all that pleased?”
“We apologize, Your Majesty.”
Apologize, my foot.
I can see right through you, bowing your heads to hide the smiles creeping across your faces.
I stared fixedly at the top of the Minister of Finance’s head and let out a deep sigh.
“……I wonder what wind has blown through the Kingdom Alliance, which has always done nothing but bark at the Empire.”
“Perhaps opinions are divided within the alliance itself, Your Majesty?”
The Minister of Foreign Affairs spoke up.
“The Kingdom of Velos has never had a particularly bad relationship with the Empire, after all.”
As he said.
It is not as if the kingdoms that joined the Kingdom Alliance always share the same opinion.
Naturally, their own interests come first, so conflicts frequently arise between the kingdoms that form the alliance.
In particular, Velos never had a very poor relationship with the Empire.
They had maintained ordinary exchanges for a long time.
They had grown a bit distant when the Empire began to falter, but since the recent normalization, they had begun to travel back and forth again.
“According to our intelligence, there is talk within the alliance that it would be better to establish a friendly relationship with the Empire rather than stand in opposition.”
Listening to the gist of it, it seemed the Kingdom of Velos had taken the lead in gathering public opinion.
After all, the party involved in the marriage proposal was the Kingdom of Velos itself.
“How would you like to proceed, Your Majesty?”
The ministers waited for my answer.
Sylvia von Velos.
I was honestly a bit surprised to hear that name.
Because…… originally, Sylvia should have become the Queen of the Kingdom of Velos.
“……Did Velos have another heir?”
“It is known that there is one young prince with a significant age gap from Princess Sylvia.”
So, is that how it happened?
Originally, the entire continent was in chaos, not just the Empire. The current King of Velos died due to unavoidable circumstances.
They couldn't hand the throne to a young prince. Since the public sentiment was already supporting Sylvia, she would naturally have ascended to the throne?
But now, the Empire is perfectly fine. And since I have prevented several events that were supposed to happen, the Kingdom of Velos now has more breathing room.
“Hmm.”
Thinking of it that way, it’s not entirely incomprehensible.
“……Is there any reason for Velos to go out of their way to send Sylvia?”
It’s not incomprehensible, but.
Why go that far?
Sylvia is already a famous figure whose name is widely known to those who know.
And not the type who is famous just for being famous. She is a celebrity with real substance who lives up to her name.
Is there any reason to send such a treasure away?
“Perhaps that is exactly why it had to be Princess Sylvia, Your Majesty.”
“There are few princesses who can match the status of the Empire. Especially considering the age range, there is only Princess Sylvia.”
The ministers answered my question.
It is certainly a valid point.
The imperial bureaucrats usually frown at the very mention of the Kingdom Alliance.
Even they were saying, ‘Well, yes, that would be acceptable,’ at the mention of Sylvia’s name.
Perhaps that was the intention from the start.
“If it is Princess Sylvia…….”
“She is not lacking if one considers her as a Crown Princess.”
The ministers began to murmur among themselves again.
It was a rare moment where the opinions of the imperial bureaucrats and the Kingdom Alliance aligned.
“Then, Your Majesty, shall we set a date-.”
“I will not.”
“……Pardon?”
But that is your perspective.
Who gave you permission to start planning when the person supposed to give the rice cake hasn't even thought about it?
“I have told you repeatedly that I have no intention of marrying.”
“B-but, Your Majesty.”
“If Your Majesty, the parent of the Empire, does not take a partner, will all the subjects of the Empire not be anxious? There is no such thing as a child without a mother.”
These guys are really determined today.
Just as I was about to get annoyed and kick them out.
“……Uhm, Your Majesty.”
Lily, who had been silently holding her position until now, spoke in a small, flustered voice.
“Princess Sylvia has sent a personal letter saying she wishes to meet Your Majesty just once……?”
Why on earth.
A person of princess status writing a letter to a man she doesn't know, saying she "wishes to meet him"?
Whether for political reasons or due to the conceptual peculiarities of a class-based society that is somewhat strict about female chastity.
It is not a common occurrence.
If one asks if it is impossible, well, unrealistic things happen quite often in reality.
Like a princess who elopes with a knight.
Isn't that just a story from a romance novel, you ask?
This is the very world of that romance fantasy game.
Anyway, changing the subject.
The moment a princess publicly delivers a letter to me, risking such things.
“Tsk.”
I eventually decided to set a date.
At first, I thought about just ignoring it.
But if I did that, the relationship with the Kingdom of Velos would be ruined.
If they stepped forward first, risking damage to her own image, it is only right for me to respond appropriately.
Well…….
Even considering that, I could still just ignore it. It’s not like I lack power or authority. I might lack a bit of honor, though.
Anyway, the reason I decided to meet her despite that is.
“It sounds interesting.”
Because I am curious what she could possibly want to say to me to go to such lengths.
Sylvia is a smart woman.
Even if she falls behind Elizabeth, who is officially set as the continent's greatest intellect, she is capable enough to hold a crumbling kingdom together.
What could such a woman want to say to me, bearing such risks?
It wouldn't be because she truly wants to marry me.
Probably.
“T-then, we shall set a date.”
“Considering the time it takes for Princess Sylvia to move, we should allow plenty of time…….”
Regardless, once I backed down, the ministers were excited and whispered among themselves.
“Your Majesty, you have seen Princess Sylvia before, haven't you?”
“It was a very long time ago, so honestly, it’s ambiguous to even say we met. What about you, Elizabeth?”
“I haven't. Valerian is quite far from the Kingdom Alliance. It’s too far to have exchanges.”
That is true.
Valerian is closer to the southern or eastern border regions, if one were to be specific.
“The news coming from Valerian lately hasn't been very good. Are you alright?”
“……It won't be anything major.”
Between the Leviathan incident last time and other things.
It seemed they had taken quite a hit in many ways. Judging by Elizabeth’s reaction, she seemed to be doing fine for now.
“Heh.”
By the way, I’ve been watching for a while, and Elizabeth’s mood doesn't seem too bad. I was secretly worried, though.
“Your Majesty, you have no intention of marrying anyway, right?”
“……Well, that is true.”
The reason I accepted the proposal this time was also because.
I brought it up knowing that Sylvia wouldn't be interested in marrying me.
Perhaps Sylvia is just following orders from the King of Velos, even if she dislikes it.
“At least we should give them time to prepare the protocol…….”
“How about this much, allowing for plenty of time?”
“Considering the number of attendants, it would be…….”
They are still noisy over there.
Well, from their perspective, my marriage and the issue of an heir are quite desperate matters.
I certainly won't meet an untimely death. But isn't there a big difference in stability depending on whether there is an heir or not?
“Uhm.”
At that moment, Lily awkwardly opened her mouth again.
“……They are already waiting in a city near the border.”
…
“……Why?”
A flustered voice escaped my lips automatically.
Seriously, why.
One month later.
Leaving behind the bureaucrats who were worn out from screaming while preparing the protocol.
In the greenhouse built next to the detached palace.
In the center of that place, filled with fragrant flowers, Sylvia, who was leisurely drinking tea, whispered secretly to me.
“……Please kill my father, Your Majesty.”