This is a side story about Prim.
The meeting for tomorrow’s ceremony is over, and the Order’s Guild’s request for new equipment has been accepted. Because of this, after the ceremony, Yamato and I will be heading to the Ideal Mountain Range, but it’s not that big of a deal.
“I’ll accompany you as a guide,” Mana said, clearly intending to join us.
While Mana is a level 41 S-rank Hunter, she hasn’t evolved into a High Elf yet, and I don’t want her to overdo it. However, Mana’s Bestowed Magic is Summoning Magic, and she has contractual summons that can fly, so she can indeed come with us. And since we aren’t very familiar with the local geography, it’s hard to refuse her offer.
“Well, I was thinking of going to Mylight with everyone once Lydia and Ludia became S-rank,” Yamato said.
If Yamato is okay with it, I have no objections.
Mana has three contracted summons. There’s Luna, a Carbunculus; Spica, a Battle Horse; and Sirius, an Ice Rock. Carbuncles resemble squirrels and are small monsters, but they are B-rank Monsters that can store Mana in the red gem on their foreheads, making them quite strong despite their appearance. Spica, a Battle Horse, is of the same species as Breeze, whom Meena contracted, and apparently, she often rode Spica on long journeys. Sirius, an Ice Rock, is a monster Mana saved about three years ago in Torencia when it was injured, and she contracted it then. It’s a B-rank Monster that can wield ice-attribute magic and can carry up to five people on its back, so it’s quite powerful. Its wingspan is nearly 10 meters when spread, so it would make our Beast Carriage feel rather cramped, and I feel bad about that.
With Mana joining the Union, the number of Hunters will increase to nine. Whether it’s convenient or not, Jade and Fluorite have also grown larger, and they can now carry up to two people, including us, on their backs. This means all the Hunters can go to the Ideal Mountain Range together. However, due to the issue with Mana’s weapon, it’s been decided that we will depart after His Majesty forges Mana’s sword with Lapis Lazuli.
In the meantime, Ed and the others will be tailoring Mana’s Armor Coat, and Yuri will be studying to take his rank-up exam at the Healer’s Guild. As for Mana’s attendant, Marisa, and Yuri’s attendant, Viola, they will remain with them and come to Feel. The House Room at the Silver Ore Inn has become too small, but since we’ll be using a Beast Carriage, including Mana and Yuri, Marisa and Viola can each have a room. I want to get a house sorted out quickly, but there’s nothing to be done but put more thought into it.
And so, we’ve been led back to the garden.
“Regarding tomorrow’s ceremony, nobles from various regions will be attending, and the executions of Princess Marianne of Retisencia, Saches, and Barbatos will be announced at that time. The ambassador from Retisencia has also been invited, so the news will surely reach the Imperial Capital.”
It’s a public execution, so inviting the Retisencian ambassador is only natural. They’ll probably say something then, but they complain about everything anyway. It’s probably also a way to clarify our position, so they’ll likely be thrown out mid-ceremony.
“About tomorrow’s schedule, the ceremony is in the evening, right?”
“Yes. It will begin at 4 PM, followed by a standing party.”
It’s an investiture ceremony, so that makes sense. However, at the standing party, it’s unlikely many nobles will approach Yamato, as I, Mana, Yuri, and Rika will be considered his wife or fiancée. The problem is Raus. Yamato and Mana seem to have the same thought, and the three of them turn their gazes to Raus.
“W-What is it?”
“No, it’s just that we thought tomorrow’s standing party would be quite troublesome for you,” Yamato said.
“Right,” Mana agreed.
“W-Why would you say that!?”
I think Raus knows, but he can’t help but shout. Raus is currently a level 34 B-rank Hunter, but there are very few people his age with such a high level. In fact, you could say there are none. When I was Raus’s age, I was at most level 30, and Mana was in her mid-20s. Yuri, who is the same age, is only level 15, so you can see how high Raus’s level is.
“Around Raus’s age, most are at level 20 or so. When you’re already level 34, it’s certain you’ll evolve into a High Class. Plus, you’re Yamato’s disciple, so a noble wouldn’t let such a good match pass them by, would they?” Brother Rai explained to Raus, who slumped his shoulders.
It’s only natural, considering level 34 is the average for a typical Hunter.
“That’s true, but your training partners are Yamato and Prim. I doubt Hunters of similar levels would be a match for you?”
“Right. There are times we’re in danger too, so I think our abilities are quite high within the Normal Class.”
Lydia and Ludia have sparred with Raus a few times, and they’ve occasionally taken a good hit from him. Considering their levels are 37, it seems impossible to do anything to Raus unless you’re over level 40.
“I’m interested. Raus, we’ll spar later,” Mana declared.
“W-With His Highness Manalease!?”
“Do your best, Raus,” Rebecca said irresponsibly, but Mana is level 41, so it’s just right for seeing Raus’s true abilities. So, we should just send him off with a smile.
“I’m curious too. After Mana, please spar with me too,” Brother Rai said, as if he’d read my mind.
Brother Rai is a level 47 High Elf, so it’s unlikely Raus can handle him.
“If you’re going to spar with me, Rebecca can join too. She’s level 31, so it’ll be just right,” Brother Rai added.
“W-Me too!?” Rebecca exclaimed, surprised by the unexpected invitation.
Yes, you’re not normal either, so it’s only natural. Actually, we need to keep an eye on her, otherwise, some idiot who ignores the fact that she’s Raus’s fiancée might try to propose to her.
“Ah, that’s possible. Even if you’re always together, it’s difficult at a standing party, and if you’re caught by a nasty noble, it could lead to a marriage proposal,” Prim said.
“That’s right. Fortunately, the nobles attending tomorrow aren’t particularly nasty, but it’s still better to be cautious,” Brother Rai replied.
“Ehhh…” Rebecca slumped her shoulders, not expecting the problem to spread to her.
There’s nothing that can be done about it. Well, if anyone tries to interfere with Raus and Rebecca who are in love, we won’t allow it. After all, Rebecca is my disciple.
“Also, regarding the nobles attending tomorrow, Count Bernstein, who guards the border with Retisencia, and Count Crystallos, who guards the border with Valiente, will be present. Count Bernstein, in particular, will be the first to face the brunt of any Retisencian military action, so they’ll surely want to establish ties with you.”
He is the lord of Count Bernstein’s Territory, which borders Retisencia in northern Amister. While my identity as an Ancient Foxy will be kept secret, Yamato’s identity as an Ancient Human, along with his becoming an O-Rank Order, will be made public. If he’s deeply tied to Yamato, Retisencia might hesitate. I say “might” because Retisencia, without even assessing the opponent’s strength, blindly believes they are superior due to unfounded confidence. They might not even believe Yamato is an Ancient Human.
“Count Bernstein is understandable, but what about Count Crystallos?”
“I know about him. When we come to Amister, we always pass through Count Crystallos’s territory, right? Since Count Crystallos guards the border, I always pay my respects when passing by. So, we’re acquainted,” Prim replied.
Count Emelord Crystallos, the lord of Count Crystallos’s Territory, is a slightly unreliable-looking female dwarf, but as a noble guarding the border, her level is high at 36. However, she is a Crafter, not a Hunter or an Order, so she doesn’t fight on the front lines.
“Rather than unreliable, he’s not interested in governing his territory. His daughter is about to come of age, so I hear he’ll be passing the reins to her soon.”
Is she talking about Mika? She has a younger sister, but as a single mother, the father must be different. Normal single mothers ask the same man, but in Count Emelord’s case, Mika’s father died young, so it was unavoidable. Besides, I think Mika said she didn’t want to be a lord either?
“She does say that. But most heirs to lordships say similar things, so it’s not particularly unusual.”
Come to think of it, Amister had many such nobles. Family disputes are common in Valiente, but in Amister, they are rare, and when they do occur, the Royal Family intervenes to resolve them. Usually, when the Royal Family gets involved, there are disputes, but sometimes the eldest child refuses and the second child inherits. This leads to the situation where those who don’t want to inherit end up inheriting, and the aftermath isn’t too prolonged. The Royal Family of Valentia seems to have similar issues, but there, inheritance by the youngest is the basic principle.
“In that case, Lord Emelord is already acquainted with Prim, but since it’s about Valiente, isn’t that bad?”
“It depends on the timing. Fortunately, Valiente doesn’t know Prim is alive yet, but depending on Retisencia’s movements, our response might be delayed.”
That’s the troublesome part. Fortunately, I’ve rarely left Feel, and I’ve used the Grand Hunter’s Master’s Traveling to get to the Royal Capital, so rumors haven’t spread along the way. The governor of Feel has also gone to great lengths to keep my and Mother’s identities hidden, so I don’t think it has leaked from there either. The possibility of it leaking from the Royal Capital remains, but since arriving in the Royal Capital, I haven’t left Amagi Castle. Even during travel, I’ve been careful not to look outside the Beast Carriage, so I think it’s probably fine. Tomorrow, my and Mother’s survival will be announced, but at the same time, my marriage to Yamato, who will become an O-rank Order, will also be announced, so that should be fine too.
The only concern is that Leonas might not believe it and forcibly fabricate our engagement. And then there’s the possibility of me being discovered as an Ancient Foxy. Now that I’ve left Valiente and calmed down a bit, I can say this: the Beast King is a rational man, so he probably won’t try to forcefully take me, who is presumed dead, just because I’m an Ancient Foxy. However, Leonas, who rebels against the Beast King, will likely want to seize my power along with me, so he’s the more dangerous one.
“No, wait a minute. Isn’t the Beast King a tyrant who’s imposing oppressive rule? Yet, his evaluation seems high?”
Ah, I remember explaining that to Yamato.
“It’s natural for you to think that way, but the story you’ve heard about the Beast King is likely only one side. Moreover, it’s not objective because Prim’s personal feelings about her father’s death are involved,” Mana explained.
That’s right. I still haven’t forgiven the Beast King, but that doesn’t mean I’ll misjudge him. Acting on false information could lead to death. While thinking that, I feel very sorry for having given Yamato incorrect information.
“No, his father was killed, so it’s natural for personal feelings to be involved. The provincial governor said similar things, too.”
“That’s true, it was our lack of investigation. It happened right after the Beast King usurped the throne, so we made that judgment, but after that, as you know, we haven’t investigated properly.”
That can’t be helped. After all, Hunters killed Viscount Archlight’s Wyvern.
“That was also a factor. So, to prepare for such a situation, the Order’s Guild was supposed to station a Wyvern permanently.”
“It’s necessary,” Yuri added. If there had been a Wyvern, Yuri would have returned to the Royal Capital much sooner.
“So, is Leonas, the former prince, more of a threat than the Beast King?”
“That would be the case. Honestly, I want to crush him first because it’s troublesome.”
Most likely, Leonas won’t ascend to the throne even if he defeats the Beast King. If that happens, Valiente will be thrown into chaos. And Solemn will definitely not miss that opportunity. Nothing pleases Solemn more than a fractured nation.
“To go back to the beginning, what does the Beast King want?”
“To abolish the Baronetcy system.”
Both then and now, that man has deemed the Baronets unnecessary. The Baronet families were the royal families when Valiente was still six small kingdoms. About 200 years ago, when the then-King of Amister ceded the Bacion theocratic state, he also ceded territory in the southwestern Philia Continent to six ducal families who desired independence and allowed them to establish small kingdoms. However, starting with the invasion by Abaricia, succession disputes and conflicts between the small kingdoms erupted, and Solemn nearly intervened. Amister mediated these issues, and a meeting was held, where it was decided to unify the small kingdoms into one country. Naturally, there was a great deal of conflict over who would ascend to the throne. In the end, the king of the small kingdom that ruled the central western region ascended to the throne as the Beast King, while the other five families became Baronets, holding a rank second only to the king but without succession rights. It was decided that the country would be governed by a council of the six families.
Amister’s mediation ensured about 50 years of peace. However, the Baronet families were located in the former capitals of the small kingdoms, making them somewhat distant from the center. Consequently, they were summoned less and less by the center and their involvement in national politics diminished, causing them to decline to a status inferior even to Counts. This situation was a cause of concern for my grandfather, who was the previous Beast King of Valiente United Kingdom. My grandfather urged for the restoration of the Baronet’s status, citing the founding principles and significance of the Valiente United Kingdom. However, nobles who did not look favorably upon this were numerous, especially those closer to the center. Therefore, it was as if my grandfather was surrounded by enemies, yet he was persistent in restoring the Baronet’s status. I was still young then, so I didn’t understand why he was so determined, nor did I ask. This ambition of his was inherited by my uncle, the previous Beast King, and the Baronets slowly but surely regained their status. By the way, the reason my father, who was the eldest son, did not inherit the throne of the Beast King was that he renounced his succession rights to marry my mother, who was a daughter of a Baronet family.
However, Gimnos declared that Baronets were no longer necessary. The central nobles, clinging to their own interests, wholeheartedly agreed with Gimnos and actively obstructed my uncle’s policies. Looking back now, Gimnos only instigated; he never obstructed my uncle’s policies, either openly or behind the scenes, he just pushed his own claims. Therefore, perhaps Gimnos wasn’t the one who killed my uncle and his cousin, the crown prince.
As Mana and Brother Rai have pointed out, I’ve had many misunderstandings. I was ignorant of politics and uninterested in it, but I feel like that’s causing problems now. In fact, when Mana and Yuri went to Valiente after my father was executed, they said the central government was peaceful and the provinces weren’t in bad shape. The Baronet territories were in disarray, but not as much as I had imagined.
“It’s true that the Beast King wants to abolish the Baronetcy system. However, he’s not trying to strip them of their titles. The reason he wants to abolish the Baronetcy system is that Baronets do not have succession rights to the throne.”
With that said, I’ve arrived at one possibility. I’ve finally arrived at it. Perhaps Gimnos is trying toGRANT succession rights to the Baronets? But were my grandfather and uncle opposed to that? If succession rights were granted to the Baronets, they would have the same power as the ducal families, who are branches of the royal family, or even greater power considering their lineage. Of course, I don’t believe Gimnos, who advocates for the abolition of the Baronetcy system, would allow that, but granting them power close to that of a ducal family is conceivable. The question of how succession would be handled remains, but is the abolition of the Baronetcy system meant to abolish the de facto useless council system? The more I think about it, the less I understand Gimnos’s intentions.
However, if that’s correct, then Gimnos wasn’t the one who killed my father. No, it was definitely Gimnos who issued the execution order, but there’s a process leading up to it. My father was captured because the Southern Baron changed successors and betrayed my father. He was said to have executed his own father and eldest son, who was the heir… My father, who believed in maintaining the Baronetcy system, opposed the Baronets having succession rights. He said that even if they were the former kings of small countries, they are now merely nobles of Valiente, and it is forbidden for them to ascend to the throne. But does that mean he was an obstacle to him? It’s easy for a child to understand who the Southern Baron would side with: my father, who deemed succession rights for Baronets unnecessary, or Gimnos, who might recognize succession rights for Baronets. Could it be that he… Gilfa Trial betrayed my father to increase his own chances of ascending to the throne, even if only slightly?
