Chapter 3 — Princess Freya’s Intentions

Chapter 3 — Princess Freya’s Intentions

Zenjirou and Aura’s actions after a banquet were a practiced routine at this point. They’d divest themselves of their formalwear in the living room once they were back in the inner palace and then head to the baths. Once there, they’d use soap and shampoo to rid themselves of all of the sweat and perfumed oils. Afterwards, they’d soak away their fatigue in the bath and change into their nightclothes before heading back to the living room.

There, they would pour out chilled water and fruit juices from the fridge to slake their thirst from the baths. Once the only item remaining on their itinerary was to sleep, husband and wife would sit across from each other on opposite sofas and carry out a review of the banquet or event together.

“Well,” Aura began, sitting back on the black leather sofa. “Tonight’s event was unexpected.” Her tone was unusually tired.

“Yeah, I’d say. Unexpected’s one word for it. To be honest, if I’d had the slightest hint that would happen, you wouldn’t have been able to get me to attend, whatever you said.”

For his part, Zenjirou’s voice was similarly tired, but it was irritation that showed on his face. The unexpected event that both of them were referring to went without saying. The Uppasalan princess, Freya Uppasala, had effectively proposed.

“Given how she proclaimed it so brazenly, we cannot gloss it over.”

Aura was rubbing her temples with her right index and middle finger as if to stave off a headache as she sighed.

“Um, if we can’t gloss it over, does that mean that I’m pretty much definitely taking her to General Pujol’s wedding?” he asked hesitantly as if prodding at a bush he just knew there was a snake in.

“No,” Aura answered, shaking her head. “Being unable to gloss things over is as it sounds. Princess Freya has offered herself to you as your partner for the wedding. We cannot change that fact. If we are to refuse it, the refusal of such a public offer would also need to be public.”

Generally, nine-tenths of the negotiations between nobles and royals were decided in backroom talks and prior arrangements. Proposals rejected during those prior arrangements were fundamentally treated as having never happened and prevented cracks in the public relationship between the concerned parties. Hurt feelings and displeasure would obviously remain, though.

This time, however, there had been no prior arrangements. The first step had been taken out of nowhere, in public. Therefore, it could not be treated as not having happened.

Her explanation of all that meant that he had a precise understanding of the situation he was in, and his face visibly paled.

“Huh? So, I’m already done for? There isn’t any way I can refuse, is there?”

“If we refuse, we must be willing to annul the intercontinental trade in full. If they had demanded a bride or groom, then we could dismiss it due to the rudeness of there being no initial negotiations, but they offered a bride. To say nothing of the fact that you are not king, but prince consort. She is a full royal and the first princess of her country. It would be obvious that I would not forfeit my position as legal wife, so she is therefore aiming for the position of concubine. Refusing such an advantageous proposal is close to impossible, politically. The only possibility would be that international marriages between royals are against tradition.”

“Huh? They are?”

He was surprised for a moment, but he quickly remembered the reasoning. On the Southern Continent, a royal was a user of a country’s lineal magic, so their blood was never allowed to mix beyond their borders. That was a fundamental difference between this world and Japan in the Warring States period or Europe in the Middle Ages.

The bloodlines were kept within the country, so marriages between different royal families were unthinkable. Circumstances had conspired such that Zenjirou held the bloodlines of the Sharou family and Capua family already, so he had completely forgotten about that facet of the Southern Continent’s values.

“So does that mean we can use the domestic nobility’s opposition to it to start things anew?” he asked eagerly, seeing hope and leaning forward on the sofa.

“No,” she answered with a merciless shake of her head. “While there will doubtless be opposition from our domestic nobility, it will likely not be in the way you want. It is more probable that it will focus on the fact that if you are taking a foreign princess to marry, you ought to accept a domestic concubine as well. They may even make further requests to accompany you in addition.”

“In addition? You mean I’d be expected to take multiple partners to the wedding?” he asked in shock.

“It does not happen often, but there is nothing preventing it. It is common for high-ranking nobles to have multiple wives, so some take several of them to events simultaneously. As far as ‘partners’ go, however, a single man and woman is the norm.”

That must have meant that such nobles would need to concern themselves with which wife to take to a wedding. While it was obvious that the legal wife would be prioritized, doing so constantly would dissatisfy the concubines. Just making it a fixed rotation could lead to disparities and arguments due to taking one wife to a baron’s wedding, but another to a count’s.

Being fair and taking them all to each event would potentially lead to arguments at the wedding itself. Wedding invitations must have been an ill omen for men with multiple wives.

“Terrifying...” Zenjirou muttered, his honest impression slipping from his lips as he was currently in the midst of being told he would be taking a second wife.

“Ah, no, Zenjirou.” Aura panicked. “The examples I just gave were the worst cases, not the inevitable fate that awaits men with multiple wives. Wives who have perfect relationships with each other essentially do not exist, but that is the case for the vast majority of interpersonal relationships. It has been years since such an event ended in bloodshed.”

The more she spoke, the paler he was becoming, so she punched a fist out and spoke strongly to assuage his fears.

“Hyah, it’ll be fine, leave it to me! If you must take concubines, then I shall accept responsibility and take them in hand. Be they a foreign princess or a domestic noble, I will drive the hierarchy into their bones and train them to avoid causing you bother.”

Zenjirou couldn’t help but laugh at her punch and declaration.

“Whoa, what a reliable wife I have.”

“Indeed, you do.”

Rude though it may sound, it could be a practical countermeasure. Whatever else, Aura and Zenjirou’s marriage was a backwards one, with Zenjirou being a mere prince consort and Aura being the queen. Even if Zenjirou were to take a concubine, Aura would still have a clearly superior position that any other woman would find difficult to overturn. So making that clear from the start and instilling an awareness that they were Queen Aura’s subordinates before they were Prince Consort Zenjirou’s spouse would maintain order in the inner palace.

“To return to the topic, though,” she continued, “it is essentially impossible for you to refuse her as your partner. While that will not necessarily mean a certain flood of concubines, the possibility is similarly high, so prepare yourself.”

Zenjirou cast his gaze skyward at that final warning.

“Got it... Ugh, and here was me meaning to ask Pasquala and avoid it all.”

“If you refuse Princess Freya for Lady Pasquala here, it would be asking for a fight.”

“Yeah...figures.”

Pasquala was the wife of Espiridion, the head mage of the court. She was over seventy years old. Usually, if a married man was invited to a wedding and his spouse was unable to attend, he would ask a female relative in her stead, but Zenjirou had no such relatives to ask. His were all in Japan, in another world entirely, and Aura had no living relations.

Therefore, asking an acquaintance’s wife was the next option, and he had intended to ask Pasquala to fulfill that role. As far as those conditions went, his tutor Octavia was also eligible, but although she was married, she was still young and beautiful. Inviting her could easily lead to accusations of impropriety, so he had decided against it.

At any rate, someone with a position as high as a foreign princess had made their proposition in plain view, so such alternatives were no longer an option.

“Regardless, we do not know how much they will be asking of us. Depending on that, it may well be refutable even with the cancellation of our trade deal.”

“What happens if their demands are acceptable?”

“Well, in that case, I suppose I would do my utmost to make your life in the inner palace as peaceful as possible,” she answered honestly but was unable to hold his gaze.

“Thanks...” was all he could offer in the face of that, a sigh mixed in with his words.

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆

Meanwhile, Freya was likewise discussing the results of the banquet in a room of the palace. The building was separate from the palace proper and had been lent to the Uppasalan delegation. Dozens of their soldiers were guarding it, and Freya was in the room deepest inside, having changed into her nightwear.

She arranged her legs elegantly as she sat on the sofa. “Tonight was tiring, Skaji. Still, the Southern Continent impresses me, being able to wear this thin clothing and stay warm at this time of year, even without a fire.”

The clothing she was referring to was a plain white, short-sleeved dress. It was the beginning of the second half of the active season, or January, by Earth’s calendar. In her homeland in the northern reaches of the Northern Continent, it was always cold, even if you bundled up and piled the fires high with fuel. It was impossible for her to not feel out of place being able to wear a single layer of short-sleeved clothing and still remain at a comfortable temperature.

Skaji had followed her liege’s example, having changed into nightclothes. She had sat upright on the opposite sofa and answered. “True. I’m grateful for it, though. Wearing furs against the cold means an unavoidable impediment against foot and spear work. Being able to wear these instead means I can remain completely ready.”

The tall warrior’s outfit was along the lines of a sweatshirt and sweatpants, both in gray. Her carved horn of a spear was also standing against the sofa so that she could be battle ready in an instant.

In spite of the welcome they had been given, they were within another country’s palace. Skaji could not relax her guard entirely in case the situation required her to fight.

“I’ll rely on that, Skaji. Their Majesties both seem to be rational people, so I think it will be a needless fear in the end, but I will be counting on you if it comes to it.”

“You honor me, Ma’am,” the blonde warrior answered soberly, only the slightest softening of her eyes visible as the silver-haired princess smiled at her.

Skaji saw Freya as worthy of her absolute loyalty and also had enough affection for the woman that she would lay down her life to protect her. However, that was exactly why Skaji considered it part of her role to question the princess’s motives when she took such baffling actions and remonstrate with her if she felt her liege was in the wrong.

The warrior controlled her expression as she met Freya’s gaze. “Princess. I believe your words and actions are always founded on constant work for the future. However, I truly cannot fathom your actions at the banquet. If it will not cause difficulties, please tell me your plan.”

Skaji was well aware that she had been the most surprised of anyone when Freya had asked Zenjirou to take her to the wedding as his partner. The first reason was that when she had done so, she had performed the actions an Uppasalan woman would to officially begin courting a man. She was not careless enough to do it as a joke or horseplay, even if they were the only ones who would understand the significance.

The second was that Freya had thus far refused any proposals that her father or brother had brought to her. Considering she had taken the captaincy of the Glasir’s Leaf to establish intercontinental trade, it was rather obvious that the princess was somewhat of a tomboy compared to most noble girls. She knew her duties as a royal well, so she wouldn’t act rashly in public and would eventually accept a political marriage, but she had treasured this period where she could act freely more than anything else.

Therefore, Skaji couldn’t believe that Freya would make the decision to effectively cut that precious time short of her own accord.

“True, Skaji. If no one else, you at least should know. This is my personal opinion, but I feel that the seas will play an even greater role in the Northern Continent than they have until now. Particularly in the case of Uppasala, protecting our seas will be of the utmost importance.”

“I would agree with that,” Skaji nodded, setting her blonde ponytail bouncing.

The area of the Northern Continent where Uppasala was located was divided up by harsh mountain ranges. The top halves of those mountains were perpetually covered in snow, so there was practically no possibility of a large-scale invasion from the mainland. At the same time, that meant that there was a restriction on overland trade with other countries. There were three other countries within that northern region, but they were culturally very similar and so not particularly suitable for trade. They were similar enough that war between them would be seen more as civil war than anything else by the southern countries.

Therefore, the only way Uppasala could trade with separate cultural spheres was via ocean routes. And likewise, the only way they could be invaded from those cultural spheres was by ocean.

“That means that to guarantee our country’s safety and expand our trade, we need ships. However, we have very few forests in our lands.”

It was, in many ways, an unfortunate side effect of their technological progress until now. They had started to mass-produce iron more quickly than any other country, they constructed ships more rapidly than any other country, and they burned far more charcoal than any other country. They had therefore reached the limits of their forests before any other country as well. It wasn’t that the country was nothing but bald mountains, but the only trees that could form the basis of their huge ships were now only extant in the mountains of their border regions.

“The exhaustion of our shipbuilding supplies is certainly a large problem for the future, but can that not be ameliorated with money? I thought our plan was to use the income from constant intercontinental trade to buy wood from our neighboring countries.”

The princess smiled at her confidant’s suggestion as she answered. “That is certainly a reliable method, but I would like to go a step further. Assuming we can establish constant international trade, there is something that weighs on me.”

“Weighs on you?” Skaji asked in puzzlement.

“Indeed, it relates to Prince Francesco and Princess Bona’s homeland, the Twin Kingdoms of Sharou-Gilbelle. The two families that rule the country, the Sharou royal family and the Gilbelle Papacy, are both migrants from the Northern Continent, it would seem.”

“Right, that is what Prince Francesco stated. Considering the pair’s appearances, it seems to be no falsehood either,” she answered, remembering how different they looked from the others.

Francesco had blond hair, blue eyes, and pale skin, while Bona had chestnut hair and purple eyes. Both of them seemed like nothing more than Northerners. From what they had heard, most of the nobility in their country looked similar, so their claim that their ancestors had come from the Northern Continent seemed perfectly reasonable.

Freya signified her agreement as she continued her own hypothesis. “Indeed. I believe their ancestors hailed from the Northern Continent. The question, however, is when did they emigrate? Skaji, have you heard of rumors of two royal families, both with lineal magic, emigrating to the Southern Continent?”

“Now that you mention it...no, I have not,” the warrior answered after a brief period of thought.

Naturally, she was nothing more than a warrior, not particularly well-versed in the history of the Northern Continent. In the first place, calling the Northern Continent “big” was an understatement. The world lacked established systems for communicating and recording history as well, so there wouldn’t be anyone who knew of the rise and fall of every country.

Still, two royal families fleeing to the Southern Continent at the same time was a rather major event. Hearing nothing about it was a little unlikely.

Freya nodded and continued. “I have no knowledge of such an event either. While we are unlikely to know the details without asking the scholars of the capital, I would assume they left quite a long time ago,” she said.

“I see,” Skaji agreed. Information became warped with time. It faded and was eventually forgotten.

“This means that the issue is dealing with the church. Skaji, how much do you know of the White Empire?”

While the warrior was taken aback by the sudden change in questioning, she still answered. “From the tale of the same? I believe it was said to be a superstate that existed in the distant past. It was destroyed in seven days in a war with the ancient dragons, was it not?”

It was a legend that everyone on the Northern Continent would have heard at least once. It was so lacking in credibility that Uppasalan historical researchers decried it as an absurd falsehood with no evidence. However, there were people who believed the ridiculousness or else pretended to do so for the benefit it could offer.

“Yes, that is the White Empire I mean. I am not entirely knowledgeable about the church’s teachings, but considering they venerate those ancient dragons, they would doubtless be decidedly against the White Empire if they fought against them.”

While those uninvolved might find it amusing that a church would be against something that might not even exist, that kind of legend strengthened belief, so it could not be discounted.

“However, even their teachings state that the White Empire was completely destroyed, don’t they?” Skaji asked.

More precisely, they held that the twelve ruling families of the White Empire were obliterated due to their hubris. The church also taught that the other citizens, while guilty of benefiting from the White Empire, had not sinned such that their lives were forfeit; therefore, the dragons had shown mercy and exiled them to the Southern Continent. That was why the continent was known as a land of exile to the Northerners.

Freya frowned slightly before shaking her head. “No. You know as well as I that the church is not monolithic, correct? There are variations in those teachings, and one of them is that the descendants of the twelve royal families are biding their time on the Southern Continent, preparing for revenge against the ancient dragons.”

“Are you trying to imply that the Sharou and Gilbelle families are descendants of the White Empire?”

Freya had to smile reluctantly at her confidant’s disbelieving expression. “Hardly. I don’t have the slightest belief in something that ridiculous. The White Empire itself is just a legend. But I worry that the church will interfere with our intercontinental trade under that pretense.”

“Ah...I see.”

A similar bitter smile made its way onto Skaji’s face as her liege’s concerns became clear. The church’s influence on the Northern Continent could not be understated, particularly as they had the support of almost all the countries in the south. The church’s displeasure could easily hinder intercontinental trade. After all, Uppasala was isolated, and they would prefer to stop at the southern ports on their own continent to resupply for the crossing. Because of this, while the church was a potential enemy, they could not let it show, so it was a vexing opponent.

“Our partner in trade would be Capua, though, not the Twin Kingdoms. If we don’t ally ourselves with them any closer than this, it shouldn’t have much effect.”

“That is true, but it galls me to overlook them. After all, they have enchantment and healing magic. I have not heard of such strong lineal magics on the Northern Continent.”

“That’s true,” the blonde agreed as the latter sighed.

While they did not yet know the details, they knew of enchantment magic that could be made into physical tools, which in turn would allow anyone to use that magic. The items would be highly sought after for crossing between the continents—long voyages which ran a significant risk of death. For example, a tool for water purification would mean that even if Freya came down with an illness, there would be no risks to their drinking supply.

Further, there was water manipulation. A long voyage inevitably led to at least some ingress of water into the ship. Usually, the sailors would have to form a bucket relay to remove it, but someone who could cast water manipulation magic could rapidly move the entire mass from the ship.

If the burden of those roles could be placed on tools rather than people, it would vastly improve safety in the event of an emergency. A tool to control the winds would be the best. The sailors of the Glasir’s Leaf were all skilled enough, but sudden changes to the wind on unknown routes could still empty their sails. If they could change the direction of the wind, accidents would be greatly reduced. The rumored healing stones could also be a last resort if things came to it.

“So you wish to establish relations with the Twin Kingdoms. I can understand that. But what does that have to do with your marriage?”

The conversation circled back around to the original topic. Freya smiled happily at her confidant keeping the thread of the conversation even after so many digressions.

“It provides a route to solve it all with a single stroke. Our wood supplies are drying up, but we cannot abate the expansion of our navy or oceanic trade. As things stand currently, intercontinental trade without going through the southern countries with the support of the church is dangerous. Therefore, why not have Capua establish shipyards and summon shipwrights from Uppasala to build the ships here? In that situation, construction of superheavy ships beyond even the Glasir’s Leaf that were shelved due to resource constraints becomes possible. If we furnish those ships with magic tools purchased from the Twin Kingdoms, we would be able to travel between Capua and Uppasala without making a stop on the way, a voyage without resupply becomes a possibility, and there is no need to placate the southern countries, or indeed the church. See, does that not solve all of our problems?”

The warrior was overwhelmed by the full smile on her liege’s face for a while and was lost for words. “True. If things go well then it will be as you say, but will they go so well?”

Her plan was by no means foolish, but it would still require significant luck to pull off.

“Well, that would be the absolute best case. Voyages without resupply can be ten or even twenty years into the future as far as I am concerned. But I believe that to make it a possibility, we need ports and shipyards on this continent.”

“Even if it means becoming a concubine,” Skaji noted with a grave expression, stressing the word concubine.

Freya was the first princess of Uppasala, born of the union between the current king and the queen consort, a woman of the noblest blood in her country. It sounded bad for her to become a concubine in another land. That would be the case even if her partner were a king, but Zenjirou was only a prince consort. It was a union that would have Uppasala seen as a kingdom one or two ranks below Capua.

The statement didn’t shake Freya’s resolve, though. “Indeed. I see this as a turning point, a juncture that will decide the next century of our country. Such an opportunity may never again be possible if I do not commit here.”

The warrior looked pained. “That may be so, but to sacrifice yourself fo—”

“What? Sacrifice? Where did that come from?”

“Huh?”

Seeing Freya’s wide eyes, Skaji realized there was some large disparity in how the two of them were seeing things.

“Do you not dislike the thought of marrying someone and becoming their caged bird?” she asked. “I thought that was why you had avoided all such proposals when we were in our own lands.”

“While that’s true, I never assumed that I would be able to live out the rest of my days as a spinster. I had always planned to compromise between my own desires for a life of freedom and adventure and my duties to the country.”

“So you mean this marriage will be you drawing a veil over your enjoyment and prioritizing your duties as a royal? At your age, I would think you could wait for a few more years before marrying.”

It was there that Freya finally understood what her confidant was getting at. The silver-haired princess burst into laughter before explaining herself.

“Not at all, Skaji. If anything, I wish to marry His Majesty to preserve my enjoyment. Our month in Valentia as well as tonight made me certain. His Majesty is the ideal groom for me. He is far better than any man my father and brother have introduced to me, at least.”

“His Majesty Zenjirou is your ideal groom?” Skaji asked dubiously, not expecting such a statement.

While she had reevaluated him somewhat during the swarm raptor incident, she still didn’t think highly of him. Skaji had a warrior’s temperament, so a man like Zenjirou, unarmed as he was, was beyond consideration.

However, that wasn’t the case for Freya, it seemed. “Indeed. First, His Majesty treated me, as a female captain, with respect. He never treated me as anything other than an equal during our negotiations. You could also feel the pleasant sense of equality between him and Her Majesty Queen Aura during the banquet.”

In one way, Skaji’s interpretation was correct. Freya had intended to live freely and enjoy herself until the very limits of the time she could before becoming the “good wife” of someone for the good of the royal family. However, she had hope after seeing Zenjirou and Aura. There was a female royal who had been able to live freely even after marriage. There was also a male royal who not only allowed it, but actively supported it.

On top of that, the man only had his wife, and becoming his concubine would be a benefit to her motherland. The moment she’d understood that, she had acted almost impulsively to put her thoughts into action. It was too selfish to be called affection. However, that was why she would be faithful to those feelings and do all that she could to ensure her plans came to fruition.

“So that is why I see His Majesty as the combination of idealism and realism, and the best man for me.”

“I-I see,” Skaji managed.

Knowing that despite the blunt, calculating nature of it, this proposal had been given due to her liege’s intense feelings of hope, Skaji was overwhelmed and could only nod jerkily.

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆

Conversation in the palace the next day was almost entirely taken up with Freya’s declaration to Zenjirou. Naturally, there wasn’t anyone who understood the proposal inherent in Freya’s actions but offering to accompany him to the wedding was a sufficient declaration of love in itself.

The fact that the thirty-year-old bachelor, a hero of the land, and a woman five years past marriage age were to be joined was worthy of talk in and of itself, but even that didn’t compare to a foreign princess effectively proposing to their prince consort in public.

In light of that, the fact that the other candidate for Aura’s hand—Rafaello Márquez—was taking a maid of the inner palace—Kisha Massana—to the wedding as his own partner went practically unmentioned.

“Did you hear? About the banquet last night?”

“Of course. Northern women are bold indeed.”

“I was unfortunately not there, but is it true that it was said clearly? Rather than implied, that is?”

“It is. I saw it happen, and Princess Freya was completely clear. She outright asked him to take her as his partner.”

“My, how immodest.”

“Our cultures truly are different.”

“Oh? Do you not think that perhaps it isn’t a matter of culture and that Her Highness just knows no shame?”

“Shh! You’re too loud.”

Such conversations were whispered all across the palace.

The topic was too influential on national politics to just be general gossip, but her actions had been so sensational that it was more often discussed as an amusing anecdote rather than something deeply political.

“At any rate, this won’t end easily.”

The final speaker’s face was drawn tight, but the light of curiosity could not be hidden from their eyes.

Several days passed with those rumors remaining the talk of the area. The woman at the center of the maelstrom—Freya—was currently meeting with Zenjirou in a room of the palace. The reason for the meeting was to deal with the formalities of gifting the long-promised goats, but with the situation being what it was, a private meeting between the two of them was unthinkable.

Therefore, the meeting had been arranged so that Aura could also attend, which was why it had taken so long.

Sunlight and a cool breeze streamed in through the open windows as Aura and Zenjirou sat side by side on a sofa opposite the foreign princess. A man and woman were standing behind her. The woman was the tall warrior already familiar to them—Skaji. The man was not one they had met before. From his skin tone to his hair color, he was unmistakably from the Northern Continent, but he was much slighter than the other warriors from the Glasir’s Leaf. With that said, he was still taller than Zenjirou and fairly well muscled.

“While it is later than planned, I hereby entrust the promised goats to you. They consist of three males and eight females, making eleven in total. All of them are young and healthy and should be capable of breeding soon. The females also lactate significantly. I believe these should be to your liking,” Freya explained briskly, starting their business immediately. Of course, the goats had arrived at the same time as Freya, so this was just a formal transfer of ownership.

“Thank you, Princess Freya. They are the best gift I could ask for. Truly, I offer my thanks.”

Zenjirou’s thanks, given with a smile, were not just diplomatic lip service. He couldn’t wait for the goats’ milk and all the other dairy derivatives that could be made using it.

He wasn’t unhappy with the royal cuisine of Capua, but his heart soared at the chance to recreate meals and snacks from his homeland.

Aura spoke straight after, as if she had been waiting for his words. “Allow me to offer my own thanks, Princess Freya. A pasture and stable have been prepared in the gardens of the palace. I imagine you are aware, but no one in my country has dealt with goats before. I imagine our preparations are lacking, so we would like to rely on your knowledge.”

“Of course. That is why I brought this man with me. Nicolai, please introduce yourself.”

At her words, the young man behind the sofa shuddered. “A-At once. My name is N-Nicolai! Please leave their care to me!”

The youth was clearly nervous, his voice cracking from the tension, but Freya calmly supported him.

“Nicolai is mainly in charge of livestock on the Glasir’s Leaf. His family manages a large farm back home. He is without question the most knowledgeable in goat husbandry, and I would like to offer you his services for a while, Your Majesty Zenjirou.”

Zenjirou nodded at the introduction. The young man was less built than the soldiers of the Glasir’s Leaf because he wasn’t a soldier. The long voyage meant that less than a quarter of the sailors would be solely soldiers.

Of course, they had been chosen to serve on the ship of the first princess, so each of them could probably wield a sword if the need arose, but they had not been chosen for their martial prowess.

“I see. Then I suppose I will be relying on you for a while,” Zenjirou said gratefully.

“Yes, sir, I’ll do my utmost!” Nicolai exclaimed, standing at attention, his voice painfully loud.

Sailor or not, he was both young and a farmer’s son, so the man probably wasn’t of particularly high standing. Worried for the young goat carer, Zenjirou moved to make things less crowded for him.

“Princess Freya, my apologies for it being so sudden, but I would like for him to be shown to the gardens and begin teaching the palace attendants how to deal with the goats immediately.”

His wife realized his aim and added her support. “I think that would be for the best. Nicolai, there should be five attendants already caring for them. You can think of them as your subordinates; order and use them as you see fit. However, do not forget to train them so that they can care for the goats in the future.”

“Y-Yes, understood,” Nicolai said, bowing practically to the ground.

While it had been summed up as “to care for” them, there was much to learn. Their bedding, their feeding, things to look out for with breeding, birthing, and rearing kids. There was also milking and dressing the animals. Altogether, it would probably take longer than a month.

“Indeed, Nicolai. As you have heard, you are to head for the gardens and show your abilities. Ensure that the attendants will not make careless mistakes.”

“Leave it to me, Your Highness.”

The man gave another awkward bow once his princess had given him permission before leaving at an appreciable clip.

“My thanks to the both of you for your kindness to my subordinate,” Freya said with a smile and a glance at the man’s retreating back. Apparently, their consideration hadn’t gone unnoticed.

Somewhat embarrassed, Zenjirou forced a smile to hide his shyness. “Not at all. I really do want our people to be able to care for the goats as quickly as possible.”

“You can rely on him for that. Despite his nerves, Nicolai truly is gifted with goat husbandry. They are all excellent examples, so I believe they will not fall short of your expectations. Nicolai says they have all three requisites.”

“All three?” Zenjirou echoed.

Freya’s smile remained blooming on her face as she answered.

“Indeed, all three. Good teats, good meat and go—”

“Princess!” the warrior behind her warned, cutting her off just as her words went too far.

As far as the formalities were concerned, this meeting was to finalize handing over the goats. There would therefore be no issue with ending it there, but both parties had something vastly more important to discuss, and ending the meeting would be a waste.

As the bulk of things so far had been dealing with the gift, Zenjirou had been relatively proactive, but now it was the queen at his side who took the reins.

“So, our business is thus concluded,” she said. “We seem to have finished earlier than expected. Princess Freya, if you have no current plans, would you indulge me in some conversation?”

Contrary to the probing wording, the tone and look in her eyes were a blatant declaration that they should move to the main matter. It was impossible for Freya to miss the implication.

“Of course. I am not so foolish as to forfeit the opportunity to speak with you,” she answered, a flawless smile masking her face.

I’m gonna end up with stomach ulcers here... Zenjirou could tell what the conversation was about to shift to and spent a moment trying to think of an excuse to leave but soon got himself back under control. No, if I run away here, I’ll end up regretting it.

There was very little he could do in his position. While he had grown more or less used to the verbal sparring inherent to conversations between the nobility, it was far outside his comfort zone when relationships between men and women were brought into the picture. That said, he knew well that the topic centered on him, so he told himself that it was his duty to remain where he was and readied himself for what was to come.

Whether she was aware of his readiness or not, the queen boldly threw her chest out and began the conversation.

“It certainly was a shock that night. You truly are the talk of the palace.”

The silver-haired princess’s cheeks flushed slightly as the red-headed royal cut straight to the heart of the matter.

“I realize I caused some trouble with that. I simply thought that if I let such an opportunity slip by, I would be unable to enter into a relationship with His Highness and could not hold myself back.”

“Oh, well you sound rather taken with my husband. He is utterly irreplaceable to me and my most beloved. However, I am aware that he is not a man who would be particularly well regarded in that sense. What is it that drew you to him?”

The troublesome truth was that while royal marriages were publicly all about status and benefit to the country, feelings between the man and woman were still important. Thus they couldn’t bluntly state, “This is all predicated on your status and assets; we care not what kind of person you are.”

Aura looked at Freya as she waited for her answer, intrigued. Freya took a deep breath and replied.

“Honestly, it was his personality. Pardon my rudeness, but I believe you would be best able to empathize with that, no?”

“Oh, his personality, you say?”

“Indeed. While it may be an oddity for me to say so myself, I do not have a particularly admirable personality for a royal woman. I believe you can see this in how I am in my current position while still being a woman.”

“Hmm,” Aura replied, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with her. Despite the fact that Freya had given the evaluation, agreeing with scorn towards a royal would cause discord. However, it was also true enough that she couldn’t simply disagree with it.

Freya continued her explanation. “Even back in my own lands, I acted more assertively. I would rather spend my time working for the good of my country rather than remain quietly within the palace. Such actions have caused my father and brother much inconvenience, and I have interfered and spoken on matters a woman ordinarily should not, even gaining success on some occasions. When that happened, the men would almost all react in the same way. They would knit their brows and call me impertinent for a mere woman or else praise me by saying that my being a woman was a waste. Of course, I overstepped boundaries that must be kept, and I know that I am in the wrong for causing such disturbances in the system. However, I cannot help but feel discouraged when no one offers straightforward praise after I have accomplished something.”

“Hm, I see.”

Aura was able to agree emotionally with Freya’s claims. Regardless of events after her coronation, she had felt the lack of freedom during the great war with her position as princess. She could therefore more or less predict what Freya would follow up with.

“His Majesty was different, though. When I negotiated with him as the captain of the Glasir’s Leaf, once negotiations were finished, he genuinely complimented me for establishing intercontinental trade. He also allowed me to sit as an equal partner in the negotiations for the development—pardon me. He did not allow it, but rather acted as if treating me as an equal in negotiation was the most natural thing. I cannot think of a man other than His Majesty who would do so.”

Her claims were essentially what Aura had expected.

“I see. Certainly, I can empathize with that more than anyone else. His view of women as equals is exceedingly pleasant for someone like myself who refuses to be shut away.”

“And I would like for you to share some of that pleasantness with me.”

“Well, what to do. Despite my looks, I am a possessive woman. I do not overestimate myself so much as to say that I could allow my beloved to make advances towards another woman.”

“I understand, Your Majesty. I would only ask for the magnanimity befitting a royal. I have no intention of interfering with the two of you. I can simply think of no greater happiness than to be allowed to exist within that life in some small way.”

As words flew between the two royals as fiercely as clashing swords, Zenjirou’s face had completely cramped up as he bemoaned his fate mentally.

I-I’m going to die. Stop it, already; the embarrassment is going to kill me...

Flowery statements praising him gushed forth from the beautiful women’s mouths. He knew that it was technically just a front for marriage negotiations, yet he couldn’t accept it emotionally. Zenjirou wasn’t mentally resilient enough to stand up to the assault of endless praise and declarations of love beyond anything he had ever experienced. Naturally, he didn’t doubt his wife’s deep feelings for him, but the wording was just all too extreme, and he had no recollection of such feelings coming from Freya.

He’d not known that false praise like this was so effective a weapon. His skin felt like it was crawling, and he felt the urge to writhe around scratching at himself, but he grit his teeth and fought the urge. In truth, Aura was speaking more honestly than expected. And while Freya was exaggerating somewhat, she also wasn’t lying, but he would obviously not be able to understand those emotions.

Conversely, neither of them understood that Zenjirou was being tormented by his shame, and the torturous conversation continued.

“However, both parties’ emotions are important in such matters. While I hesitate to say it myself, my husband loves me from the depths of his heart.”

“An envious position.”

“Taking that into account, what of yourself? You are certainly beautiful, so much so that nine out of ten men would choose you over an older, larger woman like myself. Unfortunately, my husband is the last of those ten.”

For the first time that day, Freya didn’t have an immediate response, and she fell into silence. Indeed, everything about them was different enough that you could reasonably assume that the only thing they had in common was their sex. Aura had long red hair, while Freya had short silver-blue hair. Aura had tanned skin, while Freya’s complexion was so pale as to be almost transparent. Aura was in the latter half of her twenties, while Freya was still at the tail end of her teens. Aura was tall and broad-shouldered for a woman, blessed with large hips and chest, while Freya was unusually short for a Northerner, with delicate shoulders and a slight build.

If Aura was indeed Zenjirou’s ideal woman, then Freya would be a significant departure from his preferences.

However, Freya wouldn’t falter over something like that. She immediately marshaled herself and smiled widely.

“If I may change the topic slightly, the warrior behind me, Victoria Kronkvist, or Skaji, is both my confidant and has my full confidence in my protection. I would like to gain your permission to bring her with me when I enter the inner palace,” she suggested, practically throwing the warrior woman in as a bonus.

Skaji was indeed generally similar to Aura. She was a tall Amazonian woman, blessed with curvy hips and a chest. However, she was a full fifteen centimeters taller than Aura, so whether she was the “same” was up for debate.

“Pff?!” Zenjirou spluttered at the unexpected turn, but fortunately, there was someone with an even more attention-drawing reaction.

“P-Princess, what?!”

The speaker was the very center of the sudden topic shift, Skaji. Her cheeks were flushed, and she was more flustered than he had ever seen her, so this clearly wasn’t prearranged. It must have been something that Freya had thought up on the spot.

Zenjirou was not comfortable with that when he realized what was going on, and out of concern he broke his silence without meaning to.

“Princess Freya, while I understand that you are not being serious when you say that, it is still somewhat excessive to say it in jest. Lady Skaji is an excellent warrior, and while she may be blessed with natural talent, such skill takes extraordinary effort to attain. Suggesting she ignore her wishes to live as a warrior and instead live as a woman is an unfairness that I am sure you understand more than anyone else.”

Zenjirou had spoken as a way to stop the escalating backhanded compliments, but while he had wanted to bring all that to an end, his intentions were not passed on to the others in the slightest.

“Agh...” Annoyance made its way onto Aura’s face for a moment, as if bemoaning his idiocy, but it was already too late.

Freya’s smile bloomed like a flower in answer to his scolding. “Indeed. My apologies; it was too far for a joke. However, your statement confirms it; I am certain that you are the best man for me,” she said, making her advance.

“Ah...”

That was only natural. Freya had stressed that Zenjirou would be the best spouse for her due to his treating women as his equal. His earlier rebuke and respect of Skaji’s freedom was a clear agreement with Freya’s perspective.

“I see. You truly possess staggering insight,” Aura answered with a strained smile, a slight sense of resignation on her face. “Now, I can understand growing closer to my husband due to that. However, given our positions, we cannot establish a marriage solely based on emotions. I believe you are aware of that also.”

She had moved the conversation to its next stage. Royals sought marriage not to fulfill the feelings of both parties, but for the benefit of both families. The negotiations would start in earnest here.

Understanding that, both princess and queen brought their expressions under control.

“Of course. I am certain that my marriage will bring about the best possible future for both of our countries,” Freya announced.

“Oh, would you be willing to elucidate? As much as it shames me, my own country is unfamiliar with marriages crossing borders.”

Aura’s response wasn’t a falsehood. On the Southern Continent, royalty went hand in hand with lineal magic, so marriages for royalty were fundamentally carried out within their own country’s borders. The cons of lineal magic flowing into another country far outweighed the pros of blood ties and relations with that country. Therefore, her statement held the implication that Freya’s proposal was culturally abnormal, and so the princess would need to demonstrate commensurate benefits if she was to push it through.

The hidden meaning must have been picked up on as Freya straightened on the sofa and took a deep breath, surety filling her sapphire eyes before she began to make her case.

“Very well. First of all, my country is one of the most advanced even on the Northern Continent. While our lands are not vast and we lack the arable territory to call ourselves a large country, I am confident that our technology is such that we would not fall behind any other. Also, I am the first princess of that country, so should I marry, it will not be solely myself that I bring to the marriage.”

“And what else will you bring?”

“My culture and the people to support it,” she said, beginning a thorough explanation. “I was born and raised in the foreign culture of the Northern Continent. Naturally, should my marriage be allowed, I would not spare any effort in becoming familiar with the culture here as well. However, it would realistically be difficult to live entirely in such a different place. Therefore, I would like to bring people who would be able to reproduce my own culture here to a limited extent.”

“Hm, Uppasalan culture, you say? More specifically?”

“Whatever else, I would assume it would involve metalwork and ships. Uppasala is built upon the basis of our smithing, and we grew strong through our presence on the seas. Without these two facets, Uppasala would not exist.”

“Oh.”

Freya had caught Aura’s interest, and the latter’s eyes suddenly narrowed.

Strictly speaking, what Freya had just said was a lie... That Uppasala was founded on metalwork and ships. That didn’t track with a woman wanting to reproduce her culture in her new home after marriage.

Any woman who missed her homeland’s metalworking or couldn’t help but feel sad without her country’s ships would probably end up as a pirate or the like. In Freya’s case it might even be true, but for a normal royal, the culture they brought with them would usually be more in terms of lifestyle, food, and clothing in particular. Chefs, tailors, specialist farmers, both horticultural and animal, would be one thing, but there was ordinarily no need to bring along blacksmiths or shipwrights.

Despite that, her starting point of metal and ships were the main things she had come to understand that Capua would want during her stay in Valentia.

Freya was selling herself here. She could at least start with what the buyers would need. Aura’s face didn’t change in response, but she could feel the unexpected earnestness and was unable to hide her internal surprise.

“Ships and metalwork that are considered advanced even on the Northern Continent, you say? Rather tempting indeed. However, would Uppasala be so generous as to hand over such techniques to the country its precious princess is marrying into?”

She was, of course, asking with the knowledge that it would not. Its first princess, smithing, and ships? What would they want in return for such a thing?

Freya took a shallow breath this time and straightened. “Indeed. I am the first princess with the blood of the Uppasalan royal family flowing through my veins. If I were to become His Majesty’s concubine, it would make Uppasala seem to be placing itself under Capua. That would be an impediment to forming an equal relationship between our countries.”

“True, if we were to form such a thing.”

Capua felt no particular need for their relationship to be equal. They would of course refuse an inferior position, but if their partner were to lower themselves then they would welcome it.

The silver-haired princess didn’t answer the meaningful comment from the queen and simply continued. “Thus, to protect my interests, I would ask for a special position.”

“A special position?”

“Yes, a duchy linked to the royal family. One which contains a port.”

“Oh, so you would have territory.”

Ignoring the increased severity of Aura’s gaze, Freya went on. “On that land, I would have a shipyard built. There, ships for both Uppasala and Capua would be made.”

“And the shipwrights for these would be from Uppasala?”

“Indeed. The leader of such a product would need to be brought from Capua, but I imagine there would be insufficient manpower, so I assume we would borrow that from the land in question.”

“I see,” Aura answered, musing over Freya’s suggestion.

Bringing in Capuan craftsmen was an indication that she was not intending to keep the techniques secret. Freya’s shipwrights would initially need to take the lead, but after some time, Capua would be able to construct these large ships under their own power.

Aura asked for confirmation. “The main materials for ships are wood, but at least some metal is also used. I assume that such parts would also be made here?”

“They would. I think that we would need to bring blacksmiths over in a similar way, but full-scale building would require more than just them, so we would also rely on Capua’s smiths for that.”

In other words, both shipbuilding and ironworking would be actively spread to Capua, and that wasn’t something the queen was against.

“Hmm...” She considered the proposal. Large ships and advanced smithing were both things that Aura wanted dearly. Particularly smithing, as that would also involve firebricks for the high-power furnaces required. With such furnaces, they would be able to make great leaps in glassmaking as well. She could make some concessions for that.

She glanced at her husband. She felt bad for him as he looked on with anxiety, but Aura wouldn’t be suitable to run her country if she let such an opportunity pass.

“And the conditions for the territory?”

“I assume they would be similar to the general requirements for royalty within Capua. We would be subordinate to the kingdom but allowed to self-govern in return for paying taxes.”

“Branch families have significant differences from independent nobles that hold land. The main difference is in the right of succession. A regional lord has the right to appoint his own heir, while a branch family will ultimately have its successor determined by the reigning monarch. In exchange for such rights, where a regional noble would have no claim on the throne even if a princess should marry into their family, a branch family has a place in the line of succession despite their lower rank.”

“In which case, I would not be opposed to the appointment right remaining with Your Majesty. However, I would like it stipulated that someone with the blood of both royal families would be prioritized. Naturally, I would not require a place in Capuan succession.”

“You would not have a place in Uppasalan succession either.”

“I understand.”

The verbal back and forth continued.

Freya hadn’t combined it to “right of succession” but instead said that she would not require a place in Capuan succession. Without Aura’s warning, Freya and Zenjirou’s children could have ended up with the right to the throne in Uppasala, in which case there was the risk that Uppasala might steal away their lineal magic under the pretext of calling for their heir.

Also, while Freya was likely unaware, Zenjirou’s blood held the potential to bequeath both space-time magic and the lineal magic of the Sharou family, enchantment. Aura had to factor in countermeasures against that while keeping the details hidden.

“As you were brought up in a royal family with no lineal magic, you may find it difficult to understand, but the number of people within a country who can wield it is closely correlated with a country’s strength on this continent. However, we currently have only Zenjirou and myself along with our infant child, Carlos. Due to this, there is a great deal of desire within the country for him to take a concubine. Yet, if such concubines are incapable of aiding in the increase of wielders of lineal magic, they would not be accepted. You need to be aware of that.”

While the wording was somewhat roundabout, a small amount of thought allowed Freya to understand, and she offered her own suggestion with a hard face. “The ability can be tested for, can it not? In which case, should we have multiple successor candidates, then those without the ability should be prioritized for the rank, while those who do can be adopted into the royal family? However, if circumstances conspired such that the successors without the ability passed away, those in possession of such magic should be returned. Would that be acceptable?”

“Indeed, that should be sufficient. Even if they have no lineal magic, they would possess the latent potential to pass it on and would therefore need the permission of the royal family to marry. This is a law that is applied to all high-ranking nobles of the country, though, so I would like that to be simply accepted.”

“I understand,” Freya answered after a moment.

“Now, in regard to the arming of the region. Royal branch families also have the option of garrisoning the royal army.”

“If it is possible, I would like to deal with our own armament. The guarding of the land aside, we will suffer if we cannot also guarantee the safety of the port.”

“Oh? So you intend to have your own intercontinental trade route with your homeland?” Aura asked, her eyes sharpening.

“Of course, part of the profits from such trade will also be given to the royal family as a reasonable tax,” Freya answered, unruffled.

“No. That I cannot allow. Intercontinental trade will be carried out solely between the Capuan royal family and their Uppasalan counterparts. That will be the general rule.”

“Then what of the ships constructed in the shipyard? Will their exchange also be linked to our trade deal?”

“We can offer every other ship until the tenth that is constructed to Uppasala at no charge. If Uppasala wishes for further ships, then they will be moved to Valentia and the royal families will negotiate there for its sale.”

That enabled her to keep the intercontinental trade under the control of the Capuan royal family. It weighed heavily on Aura to provide five ships for free, but it was much better than allowing a second inlet for intercontinental trade through Freya’s port. The region’s future was uncertain, but it would likely become more Uppasalan than Capuan in Freya’s lifetime. Allowing separate intercontinental trade in that way would mean that Capua would lose out significantly compared to Uppasala.

With that said, a point-blank refusal and loss of the offered smithing and shipbuilding experience was too much to lose. Therefore, offering what they wanted for a lightening of requirements would be for the best.

“Five large ships for free?” This time, it was Freya’s turn to fall into silent thought.

Uppasala was a technologically advanced country, but in terms of strength was closer to a medium-sized country. To such a kingdom, five ships at no cost was a strong temptation.

Naturally, further in the future, trading through Freya’s port would be much more profitable, but it would take time before those gains were realized, and they didn’t need to go so far to benefit from intercontinental trade. Therefore, Freya was willing to accept the suggestion, but there was still a problem.

Unlike Queen Aura, Freya was ultimately nothing more than a princess, so she didn’t have the full rights of the royal family in the way Aura did. From that perspective, the marriage proposal itself without her father’s and brother’s permission was absurd, but there was a clear distinction from the matters of intercontinental trade.

Freya had taken the Glasir’s Leaf to establish an intercontinental trade route, which could be considered as being done under royal decree. Therefore, reaching a full agreement herself was difficult. Having said that, her superiors were in her distant homeland.

“I see. Perhaps if we were to stipulate that trade through the port would require the Capuan royal family’s permission? I would like permission to keep the port ready for trade for such an eventuality.”

Freya tenaciously continued her own negotiations to allow the possibility of direct trade between her duchy-to-be and Uppasala.

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆

“I will excuse myself here, then,” Freya stated. “We have accomplished a significant amount thanks to both Your Majesties. Thank you.”

“Not at all. The same holds true for us. I would like to arrange another such meeting before long.”

“I am glad you were happy with it, Princess Freya,” Zenjirou added with a slightly stiff expression, a vague smile on his face as his fellow royals exchanged farewells with smiles of their own.

Once he heard the door shut behind Freya and her guard, however, slumped over like a puppet with its strings cut.

“Well, it’s an accomplishment for everyone but me,” he said.

Aura remained silent at his unusual sarcasm for a while. They were the only two present, but this was still the royal palace, not the inner palace, so Zenjirou was still treating her as the queen, which made his words feel all the worse.

In truth, whatever Aura said to him from her position, it would only lead to more displeasure. Zenjirou was correct—from her standpoint as queen, the meeting had been truly productive. Blacksmithing, shipbuilding, and a trade agreement with the Northern Continent. With such favorable conditions in place, she could no longer refuse the request. While Freya’s marriage to Zenjirou as a concubine was not yet finalized, it was almost certain that she would be accompanying him to the wedding.

Of course, none of this could be finalized solely by Capua. The decision would ultimately require Freya to return home on the Glasir’s Leaf to get the approval of her father, so there would be no decision until at least a year from now.

The current negotiations had only been conducted by Freya, so there was still a strong possibility that there could be future setbacks. However, that didn’t change the fact that if things went well, she would become his concubine.

Zenjirou was against that more than anything else, so he couldn’t help but sigh. He’d been resigned to it, but now it was finally here.

“Zenjirou, I am the queen, and you are royalty. Royals can only be such by prioritizing their country over their personal feelings.”

While her words were harsh, Aura sat at his side and gently reached her hand out for his, where they twined together on his lap. Although it was a casual, natural-looking action, Aura was suppressing a significant amount of fear. Perhaps he would distance himself from her as she sat. Perhaps he would brush her hand aside.

Fortunately, her dark expectations remained unfulfilled. Zenjirou unclasped his hands and softly gripped his wife’s. His fingers intertwined with hers as he firmly gripped her hand and craned his neck to smile at her.

“I understand. I may not be the most fitting, but please treat me well.”

Despite the stiff formality to his words, they were said softly and with a kind smile. That and the warmth she could feel in her hand finally dispelled her fears.

“Indeed. Our first thought must be for our country, but if it does not run counter to such priorities, there is nothing to censure in a royal seeking their own happiness. I will do all that I can for you.”

“That is heartening to hear.”

Queen and prince consort remained hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder, spending their time comfortably sharing each other’s warmth.