Side: Prim
It’s been two weeks since Flamm and I discovered our pregnancies.
I haven’t experienced any particular changes in my condition, but Flamm seems to be having a bit of nausea, which looks quite difficult for her.
Is that what they call morning sickness?
I hear it varies greatly from person to person, but you can’t really know how tough it is until you experience it yourself, can you?
Oh, but sometimes I crave something sour. Could that be a change in my condition?
Because of this, Flamm and I haven’t been moving around much from Alka lately.
They say it’s early pregnancy, and because of that, they told me it would be bad not just for me but for the child in my belly if I overexert myself.
That’s why, for the first time in a while, we left Alka and came to Glacian.
It’s the dead of winter, so it’s quite cold, but beastfolk are strong against the cold, and the Crest Defender Coat is also designed for cold protection, so I don’t feel it as much as I’d expect.
Of course, exposing my belly to the cold is out of the question, so I’ve taken proper precautions in addition to the Crest Defender Coat.
“Thank you for coming. You’ve likely heard already, but the Scholar’s Guild Alegria Headquarters has been completed. However, was it truly right to make it a part of MINERVA?”
The reason I came to Glacian today is, as Emperor Glisina said, because the Scholar’s Guild Alegria Headquarters, which will be part of MINERVA, has been completed.
Naturally, the centerpiece, the Coliseum, is not finished yet, but the Scholar’s Guild Headquarters is quite large, and we plan to install MARS here as well for investigating small monsters.
However, the MARS installed at the headquarters has a stronger emphasis on demonstration purposes.
Of course, it can be used for research, but it will also be used for training rookie scholars and for explanations to those who are interested, so it’s not solely for research.
There isn’t any space for combat training, so Hunter and Beestar use will have to wait until the Coliseum is completed.
“Yes. Although it was presented to the Beast King’s family, the usage and management will be entrusted to the Scholar’s Guild, so I believe it will save trouble to incorporate it into the facility.”
I’ve conveyed Yamato’s thoughts to His Majesty Glisina, and she understands, but she still seems worried.
After all, MARS uses magic stones from A-C Rank Monsters, Imperial Crawlers, Cherry Trees, and Lapis Laz.
Therefore, security measures have been taken, and we’ve even provided protective magic stones to the Marquis Amatista family. This allows us to halt its use with the authority and power of the Beast King’s family if anything were to happen.
This has also been communicated to the Scholar’s Guild, and there’s already a precedent with Memoria.
Furthermore, the Scholar’s Guild would also be troubled if it were stolen, so I’m sure they will provide adequate security.
“I understand. Well, even if you were to say it’s problematic now, it’s already completed. The scholars have also been eagerly awaiting this day, so at worst, it could have led to a riot.”
“I agree.”
That’s certainly true.
The reason MINERVA was built in Glacian in the first place was that the MARS facility at Memoria General Academy, commonly known as Memorian MINERVA, could not meet the demand. Even more so, there were petitions from scholars and hunters requesting more locations.
That’s why there’s a MARS installation space at the Scholar’s Guild Alegria Headquarters, and for that reason alone.
If, at the timing of the headquarters’ completion, they were told that this wasn’t the right place, it’s obvious that the scholars would cause a riot.
“Well, then, it seems best to go and install it now.”
“Could you do that for me, please? The headquarters, and indeed all the scholars, are eagerly awaiting it.”
“Understood. I apologize for the imposition, but I will be going now.”
“Thank you.”
With that, Yamato, accompanied by Mako and Ludia, headed for the Scholar’s Guild Alegria Headquarters.
I wonder if they’ll be back in about two hours.
In the meantime, I need to introduce Meena, who will be acting as my proxy for a while.
“By the way, Madam Primrose, I hear you’re pregnant?”
“Yes. I will be attending for a while, but eventually, I will be unable to move. Therefore, during that time, Meena here has been appointed to take over my duties.”
“I am Meena Mikami Fraydlancia. I may be lacking in some areas, but I ask for your kind consideration!”
Meena bowed with all her might.
I meet with the country’s leaders quite frequently, but Meena rarely interacts with them directly.
Even though she’s somewhat used to it, direct interaction still makes her nervous.
“You are the sister of Grand Order’s Master Lord Rex, aren’t you? We look forward to working with you as well.”
Meena holds the same status as a Heavenly Rank Madam of Fraydlancia as I do, but the title “sister of Grand Order’s Master” is more famous.
That’s one of the reasons, but she’s also the daughter of the Viscount Fallheight family, which has produced many renowned Orders, earning her the moniker Knight Princess.
“Still, acting as a substitute wife sounds like quite a troublesome affair.”
“I agree. However, it is an important matter, so I cannot afford to slack off.”
“I suppose so. I don’t have much experience, but for commoners it might be different, but for a noble, especially a lady of a Heavenly Rank family with succession rights to the Heavenly Emperor, one must be busy both internally and externally.”
It was truly exhausting, just as Emperor Glisina said.
While I haven’t been invited to any evening parties yet, I was surrounded by a vast number of nobles at the New Year’s Banquet, and on top of that, I had to manage more people than Emperor Glisina.
Emperor Glisina is unmarried, and I’ve heard that Prince David’s father is one of the High Hunters based in Glacian. The Queen of Alegria is also famous for not marrying. Therefore, Emperor Glisina only knows about the role of the first wife through knowledge alone.
Single mothers seemingly have their own hardships, though.
Side: Meena
While Yamato and the others are installing MARS at the Scholar’s Guild Alegria Headquarters, I am being introduced to the Beast King and his vassals by Prim.
My marriage to Yamato is after Prim and Mana, so there are many people with higher status than me. Therefore, in normal circumstances, those individuals would be the ones to act as a proxy for the first wife. However, many of them are pregnant, and some are unable to move due to work.
Thus, it has been decided, through a process of elimination, that I will be the proxy.
Of course, it’s not immediate, but when MINERVA is completed in Glacian and the inauguration ceremony is held, I will have to attend as the substitute wife for the pregnant first wife.
By that time, Mana’s condition should have recovered, and Saki-chan can likely be left to us or the Butler. However, it is considered impolite for anyone other than the first wife or her appointed proxy to attend unless there is a specific reason. Therefore, I have no choice but to go.
They have offered to provide support, so I will be counting on that.
“Yet, the Knight Princess is acting as a substitute wife. Wouldn’t it be perfectly fine for her to be the first wife?”
“N-no, when I married, I was merely an Order.”
Regardless of one’s moniker or noble status, one is not always guaranteed to become the first wife.
In fact, I became engaged to Yamato shortly after being promoted to a C-rank Order thanks to him.
Within a year of that, I evolved into an Ancient Human and received the moniker Knight Princess, something I could never have imagined back then.
Perhaps because of that, before I knew it, I found myself recounting the entire process from meeting Yamato to our marriage and up to the present.
“Ho ho, quite a tumultuous journey.”
“I-I apologize if I have offended your ears…”
“Nonsense. It was an interesting story.”
I was trembling with anxiety, wondering if I was offending their ears, but Emperor Glisina was smiling.
It seems everything is alright, and I can finally relax.
“It’s true that knowing Yamato was there provided a sense of security, but I believe we’ve reached this level because Meena and everyone else worked hard.”
“That is so. I wish I could have fought alongside you all at least once.”
It seems Emperor Glisina feels the same.
In fact, Emperor Reinhardt, Princess Elice, Princess Maruca, and Princess Ciel have all experienced hunting with Yamato. His Majesty and the Princesses are on the verge of evolving into Ancient Classes, and Princess Ciel is also close to evolving into a High Class.
I heard that Emperor Glisina is a level 45 High Ulfy, but as a ruler, he cannot easily go hunting, and the Principality Knights, which were the predecessors of the Beestar’s Guild, always accompanied him as guards.
Although he is now registered as a Hunter, he was not registered with any guild before, so guards accompanying him was natural.
Therefore, even as a Hunter, he requires the escort of Royal Beestars and has never gone hunting before.
“I always assumed that guards would accompany a king, but I’ve heard that His Imperial Majesty, the Celestial Emperor, does not even bring attendants when acting as a Hunter, let alone guards. The only exception would be his consorts, but it is natural for a husband and wife to act together. However, I have no husband, and even if I were to ask David’s father, the Beestars would not approve.”
David’s father is a Hunter based in Glacian, but since Emperor Glisina became pregnant, he has rarely appeared at the Beast King’s Castle. Therefore, Emperor Glisina has only met Prince David a few times.
She is a single mother, so it’s not particularly unusual, but given that they are a man and a woman, many men visit her when they are nearby.
Many nobles in Amister are in similar situations, and I’ve heard that such women are welcomed. Therefore, I don’t understand why the Beestars would not approve.
“I don’t understand why the Beestars wouldn’t approve, but I don’t think it’s a good thing for Prince David, as he is his biological father.”
“I think so too, and in fact, I met frequently with my father. In other words, he visited me just the other day. Yet, for David’s father to be denied entry to the castle is honestly beyond my comprehension. I’ve even visited him directly, but I’ve only been brushed off by the Royal Beestar’s Master.”
I understand that Royal Beestars are responsible for His Majesty Glisina’s personal security, and it makes sense to approach the Royal Beestar’s Master with inquiries. However, I believe brushing me off is simply unacceptable.
“What does the Grand Beestar’s Master say?”
“Charlotte? She’s advised the Royal Beestar’s Master several times, and I’ve met with her on those occasions, but she is currently assigned to the Float Headquarters.”
She’s currently assigned to the headquarters.
All guilds, including the Beestar’s Guild, have their main headquarters in Float.
However, since Beestars, Faters, and Dragoons are based on the respective knight orders of Alegria, Torencia, and Valentia, the de facto main headquarters are in each country’s capital.
One of the Grand, Conform, or Associate Masters serves a six-month rotating term at the headquarters, and it just so happened that Grand Beestar’s Master Charlotte is currently working in Float.
“Your Majesty, if I may be so bold, shouldn’t the Royal Beestar’s Master be reconsidered?”
“He was appointed Captain of the Royal Guard even before the founding of the Beast Kingdom, and you suggest I reconsider him?”
“I understand Your Majesty’s trust, but regarding Prince David’s father, it appears he is mixing his public and private life. I suspect that because the Conform and Associate Beestar’s Masters are not from Alegria, they cannot strongly object.”
Prim has spoken a stern word, and I agree with her.
In fact, the Conform Beestar’s Master is Lord Georg, who served as the Commander of the Beast Knights of Valiente, and the Associate Beestar’s Master is the former Grand Order’s Master, Tolman.
I believe Tolman would not hesitate to speak his mind, but his appointment as Associate Beestar’s Master is primarily to guide the newly established Beestar’s Guild, so I hear it’s almost like retirement.
“Mixing public and private life, you say? That is indeed the case, and it is something I feel indebted for. However, considering David, it is perhaps unavoidable.”
I don’t understand why His Majesty feels indebted, but if the Royal Beestars are mixing their public and private lives, they cease to be effective as guards.
Therefore, while we must inform the Grand Beestar’s Master, the treatment of the Royal Beestar’s Master should be reconsidered.
I was supposed to be introducing myself, but somehow the conversation turned to the Royal Beestar’s Master.
Huh?
When meeting someone of a higher status, is it the role of the first wife, or a wife appointed by the first wife to act as proxy, to handle the main interaction?
Does that mean, from now on, I might have to handle these difficult exchanges?
No, that’s too much for me!
Could I perhaps ask Lydia or Mako to take over from now…? No, that’s impossible, is it…
Ugh… It’s tough, but I guess I’ll just have to do my best.
