Chapter 163 : The Current Situation of The Sister
Currently, Roana Fontaine couldn’t move her body at all. Sitting in front of her on her official duty chair was the First Princess of the Bertram Kingdom, Christina Bertram.
She was an existence that Roana couldn’t go against, even being her childhood friend was due to her status as a Duke’s daughter. There was a large gap between her position and Christina’s, who was the first in line to the throne. Most of all, she had grace and ambition that the gentle Flora lacked.
Also, the people around her were the high ranking nobles of the kingdom, like Duke Euguno and Marquis Rodan, resulting in a tense atmosphere within the room.
「Shall I start with where Hero-sama stands in regards to having a political marriage with several women?」
Christina started questioning Roana in a casual tone.
The subject of all her questions was Hiroaki. Questions like what kind of life he led in the Royal Castle, why he didn’t accompany Flora and others. Basically, questions to uncover Hiroaki’s true nature.
Facing so many questions, Roana felt like she sat on a bunch of nails. Her replies were all incredibly stiff.
「… He’s extremely willing.」
「And what kind of willingness is it?」
「For example… He participated in the tea parties with marriage candidates from the noble’s daughters every day. Whenever he found a woman that sparked his interest, he’d approach her assertively.」
「In short, he isn’t unwilling to marry for political reasons. So it’s his own wish to have a few wives?」
The last question was asked in an extremely cold tone, easily intimidating Roana.
「Ye-Yeah. He showed strong disapproval to the ranking system of concubines. He wouldn’t turn away any women that approached him, but he’d only make a decision after meeting them several times.」
「… Just to make sure, did you warn Hero-sama about the problems that will arise from having several political marriages at once and the number limit of official concubines?」
The Hero’s flippant attitude towards his concubines baffled Christina.
A myriad of nobles hid behind the concubines bound to them by marriage. Commonly, when there were several concubines, their rank was determined by their social position. The higher one’s position was, the greater the benefits they and their group would receive.
If there was no hierarchy between the concubines, it would create heaps of trouble. Naturally, there wouldn’t be any problems if the relationships between them were good.
But that was impossible without setting aside the interests of their original houses. Even more so when the number of concubines kept growing. That was why ranking the concubines was so important.
Hiroaki didn’t want to rank his concubines but whether it was because he didn’t like it or because he disregarded it, Christina didn’t know.
「Of course I’ve told him about that. But his values seem to be different from ours, or maybe he just hates being restricted by customs. He seems to think marriage is unnecessary. I… I don’t even know how to reprimand him.」
Roana replied, feeling cold sweat forming on her forehead.
「… Well, it isn’t like your status isn’t high enough.」
Polygamy marriages, either polygynous or polyandrous, were systems created to be the most reasonable ones for political unions. Because reasonability would most definitely be lost when the number of marriages exceeded the norm.
{ED: Polygamy is the practice of having more than one spouse (works for either gender).
Polygyny is the practice of having more than one wife. ‘gyn’ is Greek for woman or female.
Polyandry is the practice of having more than one husband. ‘andro’ is Greek for man or male.}
Nevertheless, throughout history, it wasn’t a rare case for royals or nobles to have mistresses or several hundred concubines. For someone to accept unofficial mistresses left and right like Hiroaki was doing was the most undesirable outcome for a Hero. At the very least one couldn’t pretend to ignore such a problem.
Christina believed the reason she was so disgusted by this situation was that she was a woman. If it was her, she wouldn’t want to be treated like this.
(Where does his self-confidence come from? Or maybe he doesn’t understand the reality of the situation? If that’s the case… Oh, whatever.)
With a heavy sigh, Christina gave up on trying to understand Hiroaki’s motives.
「Then… you naturally won Hero-sama’s favor, right?」
「Ye-Yeah. With all due respect… 」
Roana timidly answered, shyly nodding her head.
「Allow me to ask you this, then. Even if you’re the daughter of a Duke, once you become his concubine, your status wouldn’t matter aside from formal occasions. Nevertheless, you still wish to marry that man. Does it really not matter to you?」
「… Yes, I don’t mind.」
The First Princess stared at Roana, firing one question after another.
But Roana’s resolve never faltered.
「… I see. In that case, it is my wish that you support Hero-sama from now on as the daughter of the Fontaine house. You shall be his support, staying by his side as his most trusted aide and as the one who can understand him the most.」
「… Y-YES!」
Roana’s reply was firm, in contrast to Christina’s nonchalant attitude.
「My apologies for taking up so much of your time. Please return to Hero-sama’s side.」
「Yes!」
Seeing her dismissive motion, Roana bowed respectfully toward the princess before heading for the door. Before she could leave, she was called again.
「… Roana.」
「Y-Yeah!」
Roana’s body jerked and she stood there silently, waiting.
「If possible, let’s meet again later. At that time, let’s have a relaxing chat, just like old times.」
Christina said so with a plain, unadorned face that made her words seem even more honest.
After standing there in silence for a moment, Roana exhibited a surprised expression.
「… Y-Yes! With pleasure!」
◇ ◇ ◇
After Roana exited the room, Duke Euguno broke the silence.
「… Excuse me, Christina-sama. With all due respect, may I ask something?」
「What could it be, I wonder?」
The princess’s reply was calm, giving courage to the Duke to ask further.
He took the opportunity to dive right into the heart of the problem.
「What is your intention in canceling the engagement between Flora-sama and Hero-sama? Moreover, Flora-sama is still considered missing. Isn’t it a bit too fast, with the internal and external situations?」
He did not expect his princess’ reason to be so simple.
「This might be just my arrogance, but I want to know more about what kind of a person our Hero is.」
「… And that’s by canceling their engagement?」
Duke Euguno still couldn’t understand the reason behind her actions.
「Yes. I couldn’t make a clear judgment since this is the first time I’ve met him. However, you understood the final result, right?」
「… But… Is it really necessary to take such a drastic measure like canceling their engagement?」
When Christina said something completely unbefitting her age, the Duke was rendered speechless. However, he was quick to regain his stance.
But the princess explained her thoughts to him in a very logical way.
「The Hero is still in his growth period. Though his power is certainly indispensable for Restoration, I believe that to be another reason for us to wait for his growth. Not to mention, I believe it’s too early for him to be betrothed.
Fortunately, we do not need to announce the engagement plan to the public since he has already made it clear where he stands. Therefore, I believe we need to revise the engagement plan, pick a woman from our side to be his legal wife. Why? Because I’m also included in the list of candidates for legal wives.」
(Of course, it would be a different story if the person himself wanted to keep his engagement to Flora, but he agreed to cancel it with almost no protest.)
Christina calmly pondered about the Hero’s willingness to part with Flora.
Squinting his eyes, Duke Euguno calmly continued his inquiries.
「… Does that mean Christina-sama is also considering marrying Hero-sama?」
「Naturally. Rather, as the First Princess, I would be an appropriate candidate compared to Flora.」
Christina affirmed her position as the country’s First Princess as the basis for her marriage eligibility. Her true thoughts were very different than what she presented to the Duke.
(Yes, even if Flora returned, I alone am enough to be sacrificed for this foolishness.)
Her stance was enough to convince the Duke to back off.
「… It’s exactly as you say. My apologies, I jumped to conclusions too quickly.」
「I don’t mind. Different opinions are valuable for a broader view on the subject, after all. From now on, if you have another point of view, do not hesitate to inform me.」
「With pleasure.」
She smiled at the Duke pleasantly, and he nodded at her respectfully.
His thoughts took a more serious tone.
(… As expected, she’s not as easy to deal with as Princess Flora.)
◇ ◇ ◇
Meanwhile, in a certain city located to the southwest of the Kingdom of Paladia.
Rio and Flora were staying at an inn. The quality was above average, but still unsuitable for royalty like Flora. But to find that kind of establishment in a provincial city of a small kingdom like Paladia was like scaling the heavens.
Fortunately, Flora did not seem to mind such things. When Rio came in with her, walking behind him, she looked at everything inside the inn, genuinely curious.
Rio made a beeline toward the innkeeper sitting behind the counter.
「Do you have any available rooms for two?」
「Yes, we have available rooms. Would you like one with double beds?」
To the female innkeeper, Rio and Flora seemed like a match made in heaven, to the point that she was slightly stunned when they arrived. However, she couldn’t simply assume they were in a relationship.
She maintained her business smile and queried them professionally.
It was the best approach. If they were together, they’d correct her but if not, then she wouldn’t offend them.
「Double… Beds?」
Flora couldn’t help but flush when she thought of sharing a room with Rio.
「No. Give us two rooms, please. They have to be one beside the other, with one right in the corner.」
Unaware of where Flora’s thoughts headed, Rio instructed the innkeeper in how he wanted the rooms to be located.
「Ah, y-yes. We have two rooms available. But we have another room that might interest you, sir. Though it’s slightly more expensive, it’s on the top floor. It’s divided into two bedrooms, one living room, and a dining area. It’s the pride of our inn.」
She advertised her best room while carefully gauging the couple’s reactions.
Contrary to Rio’s unperturbed expression, Flora looked very relieved.
(She might be a noblewoman traveling under a disguise or the daughter of a wealthy merchant. Or maybe… they’re secretly ELOPING!!)
The female innkeeper let her imagination run wild, taking care not to say a word about it. After all, whatever the case, they were now her customers.
After considering the offer for a few moments, Rio decided to check it out before accepting it.
「… May we take a look at the room first?」
「Naturally. This way, please.」
The innkeeper flashed her brightest business smile and proceeded to guide them towards the room.
Once they arrived, Rio took a cursory look at the room and gave the woman his honest opinion.
「… I see. It’s definitely as nice as you said it was.」
「Of course. And since the main door comes with a lock, it is safer than renting two rooms.」
The grin on the innkeeper’s face threatened to split her cheeks apart.
Meanwhile, after wandering around the room, Rio evaluated the pros and cons.
(Princess Flora’s privacy can be guaranteed with this room, not to mention it’ll be easier to prevent any crime.)
「What do you think about this room, Laura-sama?」
「Y-Yeah! I’ll leave the decision to you.」
He turned back to Flora to ask her opinion, but she simply nodded. Her decision made things much easier.
Rio returned to the innkeeper’s side.
「We’ll rent this room for a night, then.」
◇ ◇ ◇
On that night, Flora enjoyed the rare experience of lodging at an inn. Rio headed to the kitchen to make their dinner, returning only an hour later. Meanwhile, she walked around the room restlessly, stopping after a while to sit down and enjoy the tea brewed by Rio.
A knock on the door came not long after that.
「Ah, yes!」
「It’s Haruto. I brought dinner, can you help me open the door, Laura-sama?」
As she expected, Rio stood on the other side of the door.
「Yes, please wait a minute!」
Flora smiled happily as she clumsily opened the door to her temporary room.
In front of her was Rio, holding a tray with both hands.
He had an amused smile on his face. Little did she know that, to him, she looked like a puppy eagerly waiting for its master’s return.
「Thank you for waiting.」
「Welcome back. Wah, such a nice smell!」
The fragrance from the food drifted across the room, stimulating her appetite and making her smile from ear to ear.
「I’m glad it’s to your satisfaction. Shall we enter?」
「Yes!」
After opening the door, Flora did not move. If they stood at the door, with him holding the food, how were they supposed to eat? With a not so subtle nudge, Rio guided Flora inside the room.
He carefully lined the dishes on the table with practiced movements. The menu consisted of light foods, such as soft-cooked risotto garnished with sautéed chicken and mushrooms, a vegetable salad and a bowl of rich soup.
Flora’s breath caught in admiration.
「It looks delicious…」
「Please eat before it gets cold.」
Pulling the chair, Rio urged her to sit down and start eating.
Flora sat and thanked him timidly.
With Rio now sitting in front of her, they began eating.
「Haruto-sama, today’s dinner is really delicious!」
「It’s my honor that my cooking is up to your palate.」
While Rio kindly accepted her praises, his mind was elsewhere, thinking about how long it would take to arrive in Rodania.
(I still have another half a month until my promise with Aisia. It’s more than enough time even if we were to take the land route. I’ll check on Sensei’s situation after we arrive in Rodania before going back to the Spirit Folks Village. After that, I need to go greet Satsuki-san and Liselotte-san too.)
He thought about his plans on what to do after arriving in Rodania.
Chapter 163 : The Current Situation of The Sister
Currently, Roana Fontaine couldn’t move her body at all. Sitting in front of her on her official duty chair was the First Princess of the Bertram Kingdom, Christina Bertram.
She was an existence that Roana couldn’t go against, even being her childhood friend was due to her status as a Duke’s daughter. There was a large gap between her position and Christina’s, who was the first in line to the throne. Most of all, she had grace and ambition that the gentle Flora lacked.
Also, the people around her were the high ranking nobles of the kingdom, like Duke Euguno and Marquis Rodan, resulting in a tense atmosphere within the room.
「Shall I start with where Hero-sama stands in regards to having a political marriage with several women?」
Christina started questioning Roana in a casual tone.
The subject of all her questions was Hiroaki. Questions like what kind of life he led in the Royal Castle, why he didn’t accompany Flora and others. Basically, questions to uncover Hiroaki’s true nature.
Facing so many questions, Roana felt like she sat on a bunch of nails. Her replies were all incredibly stiff.
「… He’s extremely willing.」
「And what kind of willingness is it?」
「For example… He participated in the tea parties with marriage candidates from the noble’s daughters every day. Whenever he found a woman that sparked his interest, he’d approach her assertively.」
「In short, he isn’t unwilling to marry for political reasons. So it’s his own wish to have a few wives?」
The last question was asked in an extremely cold tone, easily intimidating Roana.
「Ye-Yeah. He showed strong disapproval to the ranking system of concubines. He wouldn’t turn away any women that approached him, but he’d only make a decision after meeting them several times.」
「… Just to make sure, did you warn Hero-sama about the problems that will arise from having several political marriages at once and the number limit of official concubines?」
The Hero’s flippant attitude towards his concubines baffled Christina.
A myriad of nobles hid behind the concubines bound to them by marriage. Commonly, when there were several concubines, their rank was determined by their social position. The higher one’s position was, the greater the benefits they and their group would receive.
If there was no hierarchy between the concubines, it would create heaps of trouble. Naturally, there wouldn’t be any problems if the relationships between them were good.
But that was impossible without setting aside the interests of their original houses. Even more so when the number of concubines kept growing. That was why ranking the concubines was so important.
Hiroaki didn’t want to rank his concubines but whether it was because he didn’t like it or because he disregarded it, Christina didn’t know.
「Of course I’ve told him about that. But his values seem to be different from ours, or maybe he just hates being restricted by customs. He seems to think marriage is unnecessary. I… I don’t even know how to reprimand him.」
Roana replied, feeling cold sweat forming on her forehead.
「… Well, it isn’t like your status isn’t high enough.」
Polygamy marriages, either polygynous or polyandrous, were systems created to be the most reasonable ones for political unions. Because reasonability would most definitely be lost when the number of marriages exceeded the norm.
{ED: Polygamy is the practice of having more than one spouse (works for either gender).
Polygyny is the practice of having more than one wife. ‘gyn’ is Greek for woman or female.
Polyandry is the practice of having more than one husband. ‘andro’ is Greek for man or male.}
Nevertheless, throughout history, it wasn’t a rare case for royals or nobles to have mistresses or several hundred concubines. For someone to accept unofficial mistresses left and right like Hiroaki was doing was the most undesirable outcome for a Hero. At the very least one couldn’t pretend to ignore such a problem.
Christina believed the reason she was so disgusted by this situation was that she was a woman. If it was her, she wouldn’t want to be treated like this.
(Where does his self-confidence come from? Or maybe he doesn’t understand the reality of the situation? If that’s the case… Oh, whatever.)
With a heavy sigh, Christina gave up on trying to understand Hiroaki’s motives.
「Then… you naturally won Hero-sama’s favor, right?」
「Ye-Yeah. With all due respect… 」
Roana timidly answered, shyly nodding her head.
「Allow me to ask you this, then. Even if you’re the daughter of a Duke, once you become his concubine, your status wouldn’t matter aside from formal occasions. Nevertheless, you still wish to marry that man. Does it really not matter to you?」
「… Yes, I don’t mind.」
The First Princess stared at Roana, firing one question after another.
But Roana’s resolve never faltered.
「… I see. In that case, it is my wish that you support Hero-sama from now on as the daughter of the Fontaine house. You shall be his support, staying by his side as his most trusted aide and as the one who can understand him the most.」
「… Y-YES!」
Roana’s reply was firm, in contrast to Christina’s nonchalant attitude.
「My apologies for taking up so much of your time. Please return to Hero-sama’s side.」
「Yes!」
Seeing her dismissive motion, Roana bowed respectfully toward the princess before heading for the door. Before she could leave, she was called again.
「… Roana.」
「Y-Yeah!」
Roana’s body jerked and she stood there silently, waiting.
「If possible, let’s meet again later. At that time, let’s have a relaxing chat, just like old times.」
Christina said so with a plain, unadorned face that made her words seem even more honest.
After standing there in silence for a moment, Roana exhibited a surprised expression.
「… Y-Yes! With pleasure!」
◇ ◇ ◇
After Roana exited the room, Duke Euguno broke the silence.
「… Excuse me, Christina-sama. With all due respect, may I ask something?」
「What could it be, I wonder?」
The princess’s reply was calm, giving courage to the Duke to ask further.
He took the opportunity to dive right into the heart of the problem.
「What is your intention in canceling the engagement between Flora-sama and Hero-sama? Moreover, Flora-sama is still considered missing. Isn’t it a bit too fast, with the internal and external situations?」
He did not expect his princess’ reason to be so simple.
「This might be just my arrogance, but I want to know more about what kind of a person our Hero is.」
「… And that’s by canceling their engagement?」
Duke Euguno still couldn’t understand the reason behind her actions.
「Yes. I couldn’t make a clear judgment since this is the first time I’ve met him. However, you understood the final result, right?」
「… But… Is it really necessary to take such a drastic measure like canceling their engagement?」
When Christina said something completely unbefitting her age, the Duke was rendered speechless. However, he was quick to regain his stance.
But the princess explained her thoughts to him in a very logical way.
「The Hero is still in his growth period. Though his power is certainly indispensable for Restoration, I believe that to be another reason for us to wait for his growth. Not to mention, I believe it’s too early for him to be betrothed.
Fortunately, we do not need to announce the engagement plan to the public since he has already made it clear where he stands. Therefore, I believe we need to revise the engagement plan, pick a woman from our side to be his legal wife. Why? Because I’m also included in the list of candidates for legal wives.」
(Of course, it would be a different story if the person himself wanted to keep his engagement to Flora, but he agreed to cancel it with almost no protest.)
Christina calmly pondered about the Hero’s willingness to part with Flora.
Squinting his eyes, Duke Euguno calmly continued his inquiries.
「… Does that mean Christina-sama is also considering marrying Hero-sama?」
「Naturally. Rather, as the First Princess, I would be an appropriate candidate compared to Flora.」
Christina affirmed her position as the country’s First Princess as the basis for her marriage eligibility. Her true thoughts were very different than what she presented to the Duke.
(Yes, even if Flora returned, I alone am enough to be sacrificed for this foolishness.)
Her stance was enough to convince the Duke to back off.
「… It’s exactly as you say. My apologies, I jumped to conclusions too quickly.」
「I don’t mind. Different opinions are valuable for a broader view on the subject, after all. From now on, if you have another point of view, do not hesitate to inform me.」
「With pleasure.」
She smiled at the Duke pleasantly, and he nodded at her respectfully.
His thoughts took a more serious tone.
(… As expected, she’s not as easy to deal with as Princess Flora.)
◇ ◇ ◇
Meanwhile, in a certain city located to the southwest of the Kingdom of Paladia.
Rio and Flora were staying at an inn. The quality was above average, but still unsuitable for royalty like Flora. But to find that kind of establishment in a provincial city of a small kingdom like Paladia was like scaling the heavens.
Fortunately, Flora did not seem to mind such things. When Rio came in with her, walking behind him, she looked at everything inside the inn, genuinely curious.
Rio made a beeline toward the innkeeper sitting behind the counter.
「Do you have any available rooms for two?」
「Yes, we have available rooms. Would you like one with double beds?」
To the female innkeeper, Rio and Flora seemed like a match made in heaven, to the point that she was slightly stunned when they arrived. However, she couldn’t simply assume they were in a relationship.
She maintained her business smile and queried them professionally.
It was the best approach. If they were together, they’d correct her but if not, then she wouldn’t offend them.
「Double… Beds?」
Flora couldn’t help but flush when she thought of sharing a room with Rio.
「No. Give us two rooms, please. They have to be one beside the other, with one right in the corner.」
Unaware of where Flora’s thoughts headed, Rio instructed the innkeeper in how he wanted the rooms to be located.
「Ah, y-yes. We have two rooms available. But we have another room that might interest you, sir. Though it’s slightly more expensive, it’s on the top floor. It’s divided into two bedrooms, one living room, and a dining area. It’s the pride of our inn.」
She advertised her best room while carefully gauging the couple’s reactions.
Contrary to Rio’s unperturbed expression, Flora looked very relieved.
(She might be a noblewoman traveling under a disguise or the daughter of a wealthy merchant. Or maybe… they’re secretly ELOPING!!)
The female innkeeper let her imagination run wild, taking care not to say a word about it. After all, whatever the case, they were now her customers.
After considering the offer for a few moments, Rio decided to check it out before accepting it.
「… May we take a look at the room first?」
「Naturally. This way, please.」
The innkeeper flashed her brightest business smile and proceeded to guide them towards the room.
Once they arrived, Rio took a cursory look at the room and gave the woman his honest opinion.
「… I see. It’s definitely as nice as you said it was.」
「Of course. And since the main door comes with a lock, it is safer than renting two rooms.」
The grin on the innkeeper’s face threatened to split her cheeks apart.
Meanwhile, after wandering around the room, Rio evaluated the pros and cons.
(Princess Flora’s privacy can be guaranteed with this room, not to mention it’ll be easier to prevent any crime.)
「What do you think about this room, Laura-sama?」
「Y-Yeah! I’ll leave the decision to you.」
He turned back to Flora to ask her opinion, but she simply nodded. Her decision made things much easier.
Rio returned to the innkeeper’s side.
「We’ll rent this room for a night, then.」
◇ ◇ ◇
On that night, Flora enjoyed the rare experience of lodging at an inn. Rio headed to the kitchen to make their dinner, returning only an hour later. Meanwhile, she walked around the room restlessly, stopping after a while to sit down and enjoy the tea brewed by Rio.
A knock on the door came not long after that.
「Ah, yes!」
「It’s Haruto. I brought dinner, can you help me open the door, Laura-sama?」
As she expected, Rio stood on the other side of the door.
「Yes, please wait a minute!」
Flora smiled happily as she clumsily opened the door to her temporary room.
In front of her was Rio, holding a tray with both hands.
He had an amused smile on his face. Little did she know that, to him, she looked like a puppy eagerly waiting for its master’s return.
「Thank you for waiting.」
「Welcome back. Wah, such a nice smell!」
The fragrance from the food drifted across the room, stimulating her appetite and making her smile from ear to ear.
「I’m glad it’s to your satisfaction. Shall we enter?」
「Yes!」
After opening the door, Flora did not move. If they stood at the door, with him holding the food, how were they supposed to eat? With a not so subtle nudge, Rio guided Flora inside the room.
He carefully lined the dishes on the table with practiced movements. The menu consisted of light foods, such as soft-cooked risotto garnished with sautéed chicken and mushrooms, a vegetable salad and a bowl of rich soup.
Flora’s breath caught in admiration.
「It looks delicious…」
「Please eat before it gets cold.」
Pulling the chair, Rio urged her to sit down and start eating.
Flora sat and thanked him timidly.
With Rio now sitting in front of her, they began eating.
「Haruto-sama, today’s dinner is really delicious!」
「It’s my honor that my cooking is up to your palate.」
While Rio kindly accepted her praises, his mind was elsewhere, thinking about how long it would take to arrive in Rodania.
(I still have another half a month until my promise with Aisia. It’s more than enough time even if we were to take the land route. I’ll check on Sensei’s situation after we arrive in Rodania before going back to the Spirit Folks Village. After that, I need to go greet Satsuki-san and Liselotte-san too.)
He thought about his plans on what to do after arriving in Rodania.
