Chapter 02: Activity in the Capital
On a certain day, Aura welcomed the nobility from other countries and had an informal meeting at lunch in the courtyard of the royal palace.
Due to her schedule, Aura reluctantly had to sacrifice even her originally private lunch time for diplomacy, since she wouldn’t otherwise find the time to do it for while if not for today.
In light of this, the luncheon meeting was held next to the water fountain spraying its water high up.
Aura had chosen a structure with only a roof on four pillars for their meeting. It had no walls, so the wind could freely blow through it.
In this courtyard with the best countermeasures against the brutal heat as possible, Aura cut up the flat hardtack, immersed it into the spicy soup and brought it to her mouth, then looked at the middle-aged noble sitting to her right.
I would like you to convey it to the Navarra Kingdom similarly.”
Aura wanted to avoid to put their nose out of joint.
After listening to Aura, the middle-aged man— the noble from the Navarra Kingdom, Count Nalbia Zamurd said that and lowered his head a bit.
It was basically said that the skin-, hair- and eye colour became darker the farther south you went on the South Continent, but there was seemingly no difference in racial appearance between the northerly Carpa Kingdom and the southerly Navarra Kingdom.
The simplified dress from Count Zamurd was arranged around the symbolic colour of the Navarra Kingdom: yellow. Finishing his lunch, he put down the silver spoon next to the soup and looked Aura in the eye, continuing with his speech.
Your Highness, I would like to caution my country to keep an eye on the ’northern border’, too, when I write them about your purpose. Do I have your blessing?”
“Naturally. You may do that. Borders mean nothing to the dragons after all. Due to circumstances on our side as well, we cannot cooperate, but I have no reason to hinder you.”
Hearing her approval, Count Zamurd deeply lowered his head in a still sitting position.
It definitely was a fact that the March of Guzzle bordered on the Navarra Kingdom, but a steep mountain range spanned between them as a kind of buffer, so there was no fear of the meat dragons, which had appeared in the March of Guzzle, crossing the border into the Navarra Kingdom unless something grave drove them into doing so.
The count deliberately sought the “permission to caution his homeland about the border” not for the meat dragons, but in regards to the army of the Carpa Kingdom. To put it simply, his reply amounted to: “If by chance, the information turns out to be a lie and the Carpa Kingdom is going to invade us, we will be ready, too.”
Aura had anticipated his reply from the very beginning and had deliberately given Count Zamurd her approval, well aware of his implied intention. That was the unspoken side of their conversation.
Carrying the spicy soup to her mouth with the silver spoon, Aura was sweating a bit on the forehead and she pondered innerly.
The Carpa Kingdom was a prominent major power in the western part of the South Continent, whereas the Navarra Kingdom was nothing more than one of many mid-size countries.
If she could avoid any unfortunate accidents through a simple post hoc conversation with the diplomat from the other country like this, it was an easy deal.
Seeking their “understanding after the fact” like this time would definitely be inexcusable then.
(Considering that, I cannot really complain about troubles of this level.)
Quenching her thirst with the lukewarm water from the silver goblet, Aura deliberately showed a pleased expression, then nodded somewhat exaggerated and shifted her gaze towards another person.
It was the diplomat from the Twin Kingdom of Jilbell and Sharrow: Knight Moreno Militec.
“First off, I am glad to see that it didn’t cause an misunderstanding between your two nations. I have great respect for Her Highness Aura’s consideration as well as Count Zamurd’s insight.
“You honour us, Sir Moreno.”
Needless to say, it was a consideration towards the Navarra Kingdom to let a third party, namely Moreno Militec, attend the informal meeting.
Of course, Aura had not the slightest intention to do something that dishonest, but the other party had no way to read her sentiment.
Because it would be a lie if she were to say that she never went back on her word as the Queen for the sake of her country.
The Twin Kingdom of Jilbell and Sharrow was a major power ruling supreme over the central area of the South Continent with a strength on par or even greater than the Carpa Kingdom. Even the Queen of the Carpa Kingdom couldn’t easily break her promise when someone from the Twin Kingdom had witnessed it.
“My most profound thanks for your consideration, Your Highness.”
After giving Moreno a short glance, Count Zamurd looked at Aura on the seat of honour again and bowed deeply.
Explaining the “troop movements in the March of Guzzle” to the person from the Navarra Kingdom and coming to an understanding in the presence of someone from the Twin Kingdom.
However, she couldn’t just conclude the meeting now. Although it was just a pretext that nobody took at face value, the official designation was still a “private luncheon hosted by Aura”.
In this world, the most common countermeasure against the heat was to sweat from a spicy soup, replenish the body fluids and then sweat again.
Even without a particular medical science, the people of this world were aware of the danger of dehydration through experience.
“Still, I’ve got to say that the communication within your country is as quick as always, Your Highness. It’s very untypical for a major power. I take it that you have used your magic on this occasion?”
There was really no need to conceal it, so Aura answered honestly. Nevertheless, she was wary of him inwardly. Even without confirming it, it ought to be easily conceivable that she had used her “Teleport” magic for this matter. The only reason the diplomat from the Twin Kingdom deliberately inquired about it here was that he wanted to expand that topic now.
“Oho! So it was your magic after all. I knew it, the practical use of the magic from the Carpa Royal Lineage really surpasses even the other royal lineages.
“…Well, I guess so.”
And as a matter of fact, the following words from Moreno were exactly what Aura had expected.
“Well then, what do you say about this, Your Highness? We could make your magic into a ‘magic tool’ in order to use it more efficiently.”
The manufacture of a “magic tool”. Of course he was referring to a “Teleport” magic tool.
Aura had to use all of her willpower to stop her smile from turning sour.
And it was also an unresolved issue as the Carpa Kingdom had always pushed it aside. The “Teleport” magic was one of the advantages that had raised the Carpa Kingdom to be a prominent major power in the western part of the South Continent.
In reality, the Twin Kingdom had once proposed to “make two teleport magic tools and distribute one to each side”.
“That is a grateful offer, but I have to refuse. It is necessary to cooperate with the spell caster and tool manufacturer for years to make a magic tool, correct? As you mentioned before, I am currently the only practitioner of the ‘Space-Time Magic’.
She knew what Moreno was getting at.
Lately, Zenjirou was quickly making progress with his magic training. He still hadn’t a perfect control over his magical power, but he reached a point, where he succeeded in activating the magic at three out of five attempts.
It was foreseeable that he would reach a practical level of the “Space-Time Magic” within this year at the earliest or next year at the latest.
(In that case, I cannot really give him a curt reply here.)
After all, Zenjirou himself had expressed his “intention to go to the capital of the Twin Kingdom as soon as he learned how to use ‘Teleport’”.
That was Zenjirou’s greatest goal of now.
Taking into account these prospective state of things, it was better when Aura avoided turning down the offer conclusively now.
The reason behind it was that Aura’s forecast was fundamentally different from Knight Moreno’s answer.
As long as you permit it, Your Highness Aura, the two of them have expressed their dear desire to visit the Carpa Kingdom once.”
Faced with a completely unexpected statement, Aura failed to keep a straight face and revealed an expression of surprise.
Prince Francesco and Princess Bona. Both of them were royalty from the “Sharrow Lineage”. It was one thing when a person from the “Jilbell Lineage” was summoned as a practitioner of the “Healing Magic”, but a member of the “Sharrow Royal Family”, also known as practitioners of the “Bestowal Magic”, had never set foot into a foreign country, at least not in the last hundred years.
She couldn’t even blame them for this.
“Ah, this is not set in stone, of course. I would appreciate it when you only treat it as some small talk at an informal gathering. But I swear that what I have said is the truth all the same.”
Moreno showed an affected grin on his face as if he was proud about the huge impact his utterance had caused at the end.
Night of the same day.
However, there were not sitting “next to each other”, but “opposite one another”.
Due to that, Zenjirou had recognized how the conversation would turn out from the moment Aura had sat down in front of him, so he put down his whiskey on the rocks on the coaster on top of the table without having nipped at it yet.
“Zenjirou, can we talk for a bit? I know it is not the most appropriate time for such a topic, but I want you to hear about it. It came up during the ‘luncheon meeting’ today…”
The six LED floor lamps illuminated the couch, where Zenjirou leaned forward a bit in his blue-striped pyjama and lent his wife an ear.
“Ehm, I don’t really get it. Is it really such a rare thing that the ‘Sharrow Family’ comes to another country?”
The Prince and Princess of the “Sharrow Royal Family” might come to this country.
For instance, Princess Isabelle had paid him an official visit last year and she was from the Jilbell Royal Family, the other royal linage in the Twin Kingdom of Sharrow and Jilbell.
Aura smiled a bit at his question, then nodded and answered.
The Kingdom did not last with a double leadership centuries-long for appearance’s sake. They have properly allocated the duties.
Upon Aura’s explanation, Zenjirou nodded with “I see”.
It went without saying, but he asked it nevertheless, whereat Aura consented like expected.
I think it is safe to assume that the ‘marbles’ play an important part for the application of the ‘Bestowal Magic’ after all.”
The glass balls were simple toys worth a few hundred yen per bag, but in this world, they were precarious objects that could disrupt the political balance between the royal families. Still, all of that didn’t feel all too real to Zenjirou.
As he suddenly thought of it, he raised such a question, whereupon Aura put her right hand against her chin and mused for a while. Then she shook her head and answered.
If we have to be wary about something, then it is ‘their palace’. At some point in time, you intend to go to the Twin Kingdom when you have mastered the ‘Teleport’ magic, right? Even if you should have magical power to spare, you certainly would not return on the same day. Their palace would undoubtedly give you a very ‘warm welcome’.
Saying so, his wife showed a slightly menacing smile, which involuntarily made a shiver ran down his spine.
Thinking about it, it was only natural.
Just like Aura had said, he would hardly be in a position to refuse the “warm welcome” with a hidden agenda.
Although the matter was still far off in the future, Zenjirou became aware of his naive outlook and hung his head a bit in self-criticism on the couch.
It was more or less an established fact that Aura would give birth to a second or third child in the future.
Once Zenjirou could travel back and forth to the Twin Kingdom with “Teleport”, he would be able to immediately bring over a practitioner of the “Healing Magic” from the “Jilbell Lineage” when it came to the crunch.
Renewing his resolve about his future activities, Zenjirou corrected his posture on the couch and looked Aura, sitting across from him, in the eye.
“I see.”
His reply came about through the reasoning of not changing the presumed plan of “going to the Twin Kingdom as soon as he learned the ‘Teleport’ magic” in the least.
“Fine. It is still something for the future, but I am counting on you once the time comes.”
With her smile on display, she told that to her husband with a calm tone.
“Anyway, to get back on topic, when will that Prince and Princess of the Sharrow family come here?”
Aura wet her throat with the brandy from the red Satsuma Kiriko of the same design and leaned against the backrest of the couch, answering after inclining her head to the side.
“Hmm, I see. Then it’s no use being on guard already, I guess. Ah, speaking of, what kind of people are they? Do you know them?”
“No. Like I just told you, the Sharrow Royal Family rarely appears abroad. Compared to other royal families, there is barely any information about them.
She said that, then put her red glass back on the coaster on top of the table even though it was not empty yet.
“Mhm, let me tell you about their ages first. Prince Francesco is twenty-four years old whereas Princess Bona is sixteen. The prince is a direct descendant from the royal family and the grandson of the current king. Furthermore, he is the oldest son of the crown prince, who is pretty much assumed to become the next king.”
“That means he’ll be the king after his father?”
However, Aura shook his head to his question again.
This statement surprised Zenjirou even more than before.
“No. Normally it would be impossible. There exists a precedent of a person with legitimate birth not being acknowledge as royalty, because he could not activate the ‘bloodline magic’, but Prince Francesco is known as one of the top five practitioners of the ‘Bestowal Magic’ amongst the current Sharrow Royal Family.”
The legitimate grandson of the current king was already in his twenty-fourth year of age and had no problems to activate the “bloodline magic”, yet for some reason, he had no “claim on the throne”.
“…Somehow, I don’t really want to meet him anymore after hearing that.”
Zenjirou muttered his impression with a frown, whereat Aura expressed her consent with a short nod.
Aura frowned a bit while saying so, then pulled herself together and started to describe the other royalty.
“Oho, so even if you aren’t of royal birth, you can get acknowledged as royalty as long as you can use the ‘bloodline magic’.”
“Yes. It varies from country to country, but the laws in the Twin Kingdom treat it like that. Well, the not pure-blooded royalty can practically use the bloodline magic, if only by a narrow margin, so it does not cause difficulties regarding the succession for the time being. In reality though, they have no other value than being a practitioner of the ‘bloodline magic’.
“I see. It might be rude to say this, but she’s a true ‘princess in name only’, huh.”
Saying so, Aura gave Zenjirou a meaningful look. He discerned what she wanted to say and slurred his speech.
“Well, I am repeating myself, but I think she will not go on a foolish offence in our palace. More likely, they are thinking on the lines of making an early visit to deepen the acquaintance to you, with a ‘nothing to lose’ mindset.”
“Uwah… Sounds like it’ll be quite tiresome…”
Zenjirou emptied his glass in one gulp so as to swallow the emerging sigh along with it.