I apologize for mistakenly uploading content that had been scrapped.
And, my next post is still undecided.
Side: Hilde
September 20th. Today is the day I abdicate, and my sister Brynhild ascends to the throne.
Since the destruction of Solemne, I have left almost all domestic affairs of Torencia to Hildo, and have focused my efforts on governing the Solemne region, centered around Deseo.
However, I cannot continue this state of affairs indefinitely. Moreover, the two nations of Count Enlo Istlias and Febro Lehithrest Marquisate have safely gained their independence in the Solemne region. Therefore, I will formally abdicate in favor of Hildo, entrusting Torencia to her in name and reality.
Upon my abdication, I will become a Phantom Baron, an honor bestowed upon those who have served as Phantom King of Torencia. Concurrently, I will be appointed as the Solemne Regional Governor, and for a time, I will rule in place of His Majesty, the Celestial Emperor.
Honestly, I wish to live on as a Hunter, assisting Lord Yamato, but such a thing is not permitted in my current situation, so this is unavoidable.
“Brynhild Minato Torencia, you have already accumulated achievements as the new Phantom King and have flawlessly managed domestic affairs. Therefore, I formally grant you the throne of Phantom King.”
“Thank you. I vow to work even harder, so as not to shame my elder sister and the past Phantom Kings, and to further develop Torencia.”
I placed the Phantom King’s crown, which I had been safeguarding, upon Hildo’s head, transferring my royal authority. Then, I handed the mantle of the Phantom King to Lord Albert.
After receiving the mantle from me and with the help of his wives, Lord Albert finished dressing Hildo. Hildo then stood before the throne, carrying the Queen’s Sickle and the Celestial Globe, symbols of royal authority.
After it was formally decided that she would succeed me, an Ancient Vampire, Hildo embarked on hunts with Lord Albert and evolved into a High Vampire. I accompanied them once, traveling to the Krater Labyrinth, and I am glad she was able to evolve before her enthronement. It is not that I have doubts about Hildo’s abilities; rather, those are completely fine. However, the fact that the successor to an Ancient Vampire was a Normal Vampire seemed to cause anxiety not only among the vassals but also among the populace.
“The ceremony of abdication is complete. From now on, I will be the Phantom King of the Torencia Phantom Kingdom. Having governed in place of my sister for over a year, there is not much difference from before, but I expect everyone’s continued efforts.”
It has been that long already.
That is precisely why Torencia is stable, and this abdication proceeded without a hitch. Conversely, it felt as though I had imposed these responsibilities onto Hildo, and for that, I am truly sorry.
“Furthermore, while it is customary to also appoint a Phantom Crown Prince, as the candidates, Lucia and Diana, are students at Memoria General Academy, the position will remain vacant until they graduate. However, should they graduate successfully, I intend to appoint my cousin, Lucia Minato Torencia, as Phantom Crown Prince and hold a ceremony for her investiture.”
Hildo also mentioned the next Phantom Crown Prince.
Lucia will be the next Phantom King after Hildo, but as she is a student attending the academy, she cannot be formally invested. This is stipulated by the laws of the Federation Heavenly Empire, and if she were to be expelled, her right to succession would be revoked, preventing her formal appointment. His Highness David of Alegria, also a student at the General Academy, has been invested as Crown Prince, but this is not an issue as he completed his investiture ceremony before the law was enacted. However, should he be expelled, he would lose his status as Beast Crown Prince and likely be imprisoned for life. In fact, it is highly probable that imprisonment would not be the extent of his punishment. Prince David is an intelligent individual, so I believe there is not even a one in ten thousand chance of such an eventuality.
“Next, there is one more thing I must report. A few days ago, my pregnancy was confirmed.”
Hildo’s announcement caused a great stir in the Audience Chamber where the coronation ceremony was being held. This was the first I had heard of it, but she has successfully become pregnant. Hildo, like myself, is a Vampire, so it is highly likely that the child she bears will also be a Vampire, and thus a future Phantom King. While Vampires have always succeeded to the throne of Phantom King, the Royal Family is small, and the matter of succession has always been a persistent concern. Therefore, Hildo’s pregnancy is a joyous occasion that Torencia should welcome.
“Thank you. However, due to this, there will likely be disruptions to my duties for some time. Nevertheless, this has occurred with past Phantom Kings as well, and it is a matter of great importance for the future of Torencia. I ask for everyone’s support.”
Hildo’s words caused the Audience Chamber to erupt in cheers once more. My mother, too, experienced this. Since Phantom Kings are women, it is not uncommon for pregnancies to cause disruptions in their duties. If a child is not born, the line of Phantom Kings would end there, making it, in a sense, a higher priority than royal duties. Lucia is designated as the next Phantom King after Hildo, and Diana after Lucia; thereafter, the only heir is Eil, currently three years old, who is Lucia’s full sister. Unfortunately, I have not yet shown any signs of pregnancy, so Hildo’s pregnancy is a cause for celebration.
“Elder Sister. No, Your Majesty Hildegard Mikami Torencia, the former Phantom King. I am truly in awe of the great achievements of Brynhild, not only in the subjugation of the Demise Species Slume Lord but also in the conclusion of the war with Solemne, our formidable enemy.”
“No, it is not my accomplishment. It is only through the efforts of everyone, including His Majesty Emperor Reinhardt, as well as the support of my husband and his consorts. Rather, I deeply regret leaving the governance of Torencia entirely to you these past two years.”
“What are you saying? As I was born into the Royal Family, I have no objection to dedicating myself to the service of the nation.”
My sister speaks words that sting my ears, but I have serious doubts as to whether she speaks from her heart. Well, Hildo is a diligent individual, perhaps among the top contenders in the history of Phantom Kings, and her spirit of self-sacrifice is undoubtedly genuine. As someone born into the Royal Family, I too strived for self-sacrifice during my reign, but I’m unsure if I was as thorough as Hildo.
However, while that is also important, Hildo will now need to prioritize her pregnancy. My vassals will likely act accordingly, but if she overexerts herself and something happens to the child, it would be a major crisis for the Royal Family. Hildo is currently four months pregnant, so there should be no complications for some time. However, given her position as Phantom King, she will have to continue her duties even as her due date approaches. I can’t help but wish she had informed me a little sooner. But with the abdication, the preparations for my new position, Lord Albert’s status, and various domestic festivals were all in motion, and the timing of the recent discovery meant it could not be postponed. However, if she overexerts herself, there is a non-negligible chance of something happening to her unborn child. Therefore, only during the pregnancy of a Phantom King is it permissible for a Phantom Baron designated by the Phantom King to be involved in national affairs. Typically, this would be the former Phantom King; thus, Hildo will likely designate me. My mother, the previous Phantom King, and my great-aunt, four generations prior, have left Torencia. My aunt, three generations prior, is diligently pursuing her research as a Scholar. Therefore, I am the only logical choice.
“From the spring to summer when I approach my due date, I will appoint one of the Phantom Barons as an assistant in accordance with custom. However, since Elder Sister Hildegard has been designated as the Governor of the Solemne Region, this is not practical. Therefore, my mother, and the previous Phantom King before me, Landgriz Minato Herifalte, has agreed to serve as my assistant.”
However, it seems Hildo had already sounded out our mother and received her consent. After abdicating to me a few years ago, Mother formally married our father, the Hunter, and moved to Amister. The town where that Hunter is based is in Corina, the capital of Viscountcy Krainot, located east of the Mylight Mountains, between Count Bernstein’s Territory and the Marquisate of Tumalina. I have visited several times. The Hunter’s Raid, to which my father belongs, is a medium-sized raid with four High Class members and thirteen Normal Class members. It is one of the top raids in Corina, but I will be coming to Torencia from next spring to summer, so I should keep an eye on Viscountcy Krainot during that time. Being at the foot of the Mylight Mountains, I recall the occurrence rate of Orcs increases there.
By the way, Herifalte is the family name Mother chose when she abdicated. While Phantom Baron is a title for the current generation, there have been instances where Queens chose not to marry during their reign. Therefore, upon abdication and receiving the title of Phantom Baron, it is not uncommon for them to marry. In such cases, they can either assume their spouse’s family name or create a new one together with their husband. Herifalte is the family name Mother herself chose upon her abdication. Furthermore, to indicate her status as a Phantom Baron, she also adopted Minato, the family name of Lord Kazushi, which is also used as a middle name for the Phantom Royal Family. Therefore, from today onwards, I will be known as Hildegard Minato Fraydlancia.
“Although I have ascended to the throne, there will be no fundamental changes in policy. Domestic reconstruction is progressing, and the number of registrants in the Father’s Guild is increasing. The slums of Bestia are also being significantly reduced in size, creating a foundation for redevelopment. However, since the subjugation of Slume Lord, the ecosystem of the Golud Great Glacier has changed, and there is also the Krater Labyrinth, a high-difficulty labyrinth that emerged about a year and a half ago. While reconstruction and development are underway, we cannot let our guard down. I expect everyone to work even harder than before, though I know it will be taxing.”
As Hildo mentioned, reports indicate that the ecosystem of the Golud Great Glacier has indeed changed since the subjugation of the Demise Species Slume Lord. Slume Lord was of the Tiger Species, and in the past, the Golud Great Glacier was dominated by Tiger Species. However, after the subjugation of Slume Lord, the Tiger Species population has decreased. Conversely, the Leo Species, which was said to inhabit small numbers in the mountainous region east of the Golud Great Glacier, is said to be increasing. Leo Species are a higher-grade monster than Tiger Species. Perhaps due to the presence of Slume Lord, they rarely appeared in the Golud Great Glacier, and there are only a few recorded subjugations. However, in the past few months, the number of Leo Species subjugations has drastically increased. Fortunately, as they were encountered by Ancient Hunters, they were all successfully subjugated without major incident. However, the Krater Labyrinth, although located in the westernmost part, is within the Golud Great Glacier, so it is not a problem that can be ignored.
“Following this, there will be a banquet. I hope everyone enjoys themselves.”
I intend to keep an eye on the Golud Great Glacier as well. While its ecosystem has changed, the absence of Slume Lord now makes it possible to conduct investigations. Specifically, there is likely the saltwater that Lady Sayuri has been searching for, and there may be other unknown resources. The reason Lady Sayuri could not find the saltwater was that she could not conduct a detailed investigation due to the presence of Slume Lord. Therefore, Lord Yamato and Mako are also eager to investigate the Golud Great Glacier.
However, at present, Lord Yamato is serving as the deputy administrator of Esmeralda Baronetcy’s capital, Feel, and preparations for its expansion are complete. Therefore, he must prioritize that matter, and will likely be unable to move until the end of the year. As I will be taking on the position of Solemne Regional Governor, it will be difficult for me to go on investigations easily. Nevertheless, for the sake of my homeland, Torencia, I hope to find some time to do so.
