The Gerard Family
The Gerard Family. Although they belonged to the Six Great Families of the Rustier Kingdom, their existence was highly unusual compared to other noble houses. They were a clan of guardians who protected the Magic Library, serving the will of the Tree of Knowledge. Devoting themselves entirely to that single duty, they rarely involved themselves in the affairs of the secular world.
When I first arrived in this world, I had tried to enter the Magic Library to lay my hands on the Book of Enekra before Carmel could. However, my entry had been denied back then, under the pretext that the Tree of Knowledge did not permit me. What business could the Gerard family possibly have with me now? I immediately tore open the envelope. Inside was an extremely brief message.
To Princess Sera Rustier,
The Tree of Knowledge summons you.
The Gerard Family
The Tree of Knowledge...? Even among the vast lore I had learned as a princess, there was very little information regarding it. Only that it was a mystical entity that had existed long before the founding of the Rustier Kingdom. My curiosity was piqued. I wondered what kind of destiny awaited me. However, my top priority right now was lifting Mistylia. My preparations for that were already steadily falling into place. Visiting the Gerard family could wait until afterward. Judging by the tone of the letter, it didn't seem particularly urgent, so it should be fine. I put away the letter from the Gerard family and went to bed.
The following morning, I immediately went to pay my respects to Pehart.
"You have finally returned, Sera. I am glad you made it back safely. I assume everything in Lorencia has been wrapped up nicely?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. With the cooperation of Luna Lorencia, the newly appointed matriarch of the family, I thoroughly inspected the lands that have been incorporated into the royal domain. The local populace did not seem particularly agitated."
"Mmm, excellent work. Carmel, you have worked hard as well."
"Oh, it... it was nothing..."
Carmel still looked rather exhausted. Well, it was only natural; there was no way the fatigue from that intense week of sexual degradation could be shaken off in a single night. Smiling, I spoke to Pehart.
"No, Mother's role was absolutely vital. She governed the people of Lorencia with such benevolent words and smiles. The reason they submitted so quickly was undoubtedly because the Queen herself graced them with her presence."
Pehart smiled with deep satisfaction, looking back and forth between Carmel and me.
"Mmm, mmm. I see."
Well, that was the official story, at least. In truth, she had barely taken a single step out of the underground dungeon of Senain Castle. Carmel looked as though she wanted to completely erase the memories of the past week from her mind. No matter how much I praised her fake achievements, it would only bring back unpleasant memories for her. Judging by her reaction, it seemed Mistylia had not yet activated. If the cooldown was indeed a week, it would likely trigger sometime this evening.
"Then I shall take my leave now, Your Majesty."
"Mmm, go and rest well to recover from your travels."
I bowed politely and withdrew from the King's presence. My next destination was the Knight Order. I instructed Filgret to gather all the knights who had witnessed Carmel on that fateful day. The assembled knights looked as though they had already guessed what this meeting would be about.
"I understand well what you all must be thinking. As proud knights of the kingdom, you must feel compelled to hold Mother accountable for her crimes. However, I must tell you this first: you are never to speak of anything you saw or heard that day to anyone. This is an order."
"But why, Your Highness?"
One of the knights asked, his face practically screaming that he could not accept this. Filgret opened his mouth to speak, but I raised a hand to stop him.
"The person you saw had Mother's appearance, but she was not actually Mother."
"Pardon?"
"It seems the shamans of the northern tribes possess a spell that allows them to take on another person's form and voice. I believe one of the rebels employed that technique. Upon later verification, it was proven that Mother was in the royal palace at that exact hour."
"S-such a thing...? Is that truly possible?"
"It may be hard to believe, but it is the truth. If you search the past subjugation records of the Knight Order, you will likely find similar cases. It only goes to show how meticulously the rebels prepared, utilizing every method at their disposal."
The knights began to murmur among themselves. Clearing my throat to quiet down the rising commotion, I spoke to bring the meeting to a close.
"The one who felt the greatest fury over that incident was none other than myself. However, if we fall for their wicked sorcery and allow division to brew within the royal family, that would be exactly what the rebels want. To avoid unnecessary misunderstandings, I ask that you all keep silent about what you witnessed that day."
Shapeshifting sorcery was indeed a spell that existed in this world. Even if they harbored doubts now, once they confirmed its existence, they would have no choice but to accept it. Furthermore, logically speaking, there was no reason for me to lie and protect Carmel, who had tried to kill me—or do something very close to it. The knights' expressions showed that they were reasonably convinced by my explanation.
"Sir Filgret, please distribute those."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Filgret opened a chest resting at his feet. He pulled out heavy pouches from inside and handed them to the knights. The knights, practiced in such matters, passed the pouches to those beside and behind them. Through an orderly process, every single knight received one.
"T-this is...?"
"Gold coins. It is a token of my appreciation for accompanying me on the long journey to Lorencia."
No matter how loyal a knight was, they would never dislike money. Especially when it was given as a reward for their loyalty. The tense atmosphere that had filled the room when they were first summoned vanished in an instant. Faced with a sudden windfall, the knights' expressions softened considerably.
"U-um, Princess..."
Someone raised their hand. Despite having received the money, his expression was somewhat troubled.
"Yes?"
"Could I... could I give this money to Kisk's family instead of keeping it myself?"
Kisk... That was indeed the name of the knight who had lost his life during our escape from Lorencia. I shook my head solemnly.
"There is no need for that. I have already ordered that his family be compensated handsomely. That gold is yours."
The knight nodded, looking relieved. With that, the matter was settled. This was more than enough to fulfill my promise to Carmel. Even after the gathered knights had dismissed, Filgret did not leave with them but remained behind.
"Princess, may I ask you one thing?"
"Go ahead."
"That person back then... was it truly not the Queen?"
As expected, he wasn't as easily fooled as the ordinary knights. Or perhaps he was speaking based on some kind of evidence. For instance, her scent. I offered a faint smile.
"No. It was undoubtedly Mother."
Filgret nodded, as if he had expected as much. He waited quietly for my next words.
"I would like to hear your thoughts. Why do you think I protected Mother?"
"It certainly wouldn't be out of mother-daughter affection... May I dare to guess your intentions, Princess?"
"Speak."
"Elond Lorencia revealed his wild ambitions precisely because he had allied with the Queen. While Queen Carmel is clearly hostile toward you, Princess, that very hostility makes her a beacon that exposes the nobles harboring secret designs against the royal family. Did you not spare Queen Carmel to exploit that effect?"
Mmm... That was actually a pretty good explanation. Maybe I should go with that. Maintaining an elegant smile, I spoke to Filgret.
"It will be a dangerous path. It was a rather close call this time as well. But thanks to that, the most fertile lands of Lorencia now belong to the royal family. I intend to continue this tightrope walk in the future, Filgret."
Filgret nodded firmly and dropped to one knee.
"The path you walk, Princess, is the path I must follow. No matter how thorny that road may be, the Knight Order and I will serve as your sword to pave the way."
How solemn. I laughed elegantly and said,
"Thank you, Filgret. I will cancel your pay cut."
"Yes, ma'am!"
"...No, I am joking. Ah, of course, the pay cut is indeed canceled. Is there anything else you desire?"
"Something I desire... I have nothing in particular, but... ah."
"Did something come to mind?"
"It is regarding Rika, if I may."
This guy... surely he isn't about to spout some nonsense like asking me to give Rika to him? Especially when he has a wife and child...
"...Let us hear it first."
"What would you think of having her enlist in the Knight Order? Of course, this is only if both you and she are willing."
Rika... as a knight? It was an unexpected proposal.
"Your reasoning? While female knights are not technically forbidden, I understand they are extremely rare."
"Yes. In the end, they must compete with men. However, Rika is more than capable. Given her skills, I believe she would serve as an excellent stimulus for the other knights."
"Mmm..."
Indeed, the pride of the kingdom's knights would never allow them to fall behind a woman. Especially one of foreign descent. It would likely have a positive impact on raising their overall skill level.
"Furthermore, having a talent of her caliber join would be highly beneficial for the Knight Order itself. What do you think?"
Filgret's argument was certainly plausible. However, there were points that made me hesitate. Joining the Knight Order meant her actions would be restricted by rules and protocols. As this recent incident had shown, keeping my cards hidden was a far greater advantage than one might think. If Rika began to move as a member of the Knight Order, it meant I would lose a highly versatile card that I could deploy at will. Though the benefits Filgret mentioned might offset that to some degree...
"Well, I will ask her about it first."
"Yes. Thank you."
A female knight, Rika... It does have a rather nice ring to it.