[Chapter 6] Discussion

The year turned, marking the beginning of the Sacred Calendar’s 1001st year.

One afternoon, three magic ships sailed into the royal capital of the Galarc Kingdom. They carried the envoys of the Beltrum Kingdom’s home government, with a delegation led by the formidable Duke Helmut Arbor himself. Accompanying him was Celia’s father, Laurent.

The formal discussions with the Restoration were scheduled for the following day. That night, Duke Arbor and the other leading representatives of the envoy were to be quartered in the Galarc Kingdom’s castle.

Laurent, however, received a summons from Princess Charlotte and made his way to Rio’s residence. As he was officially part of Duke Arbor’s faction, acting independently was a delicate matter, but an invitation from the second princess of his host kingdom provided an irrefutable excuse.

He couldn’t, of course, extend the invitation to Christina and the others, as it would surely provoke the Duke Arbor faction. But as he approached the residence, he spotted two familiar figures waiting for him—Monica and Celia.

“Monica-chan, Celia-chan!”

Overcome with a wave of emotion, Laurent rushed forward, pulling his beloved wife and daughter into a tight, collective embrace.

“W-Wait, Father…” Celia murmured, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment at the public display.

“Oh my,” Monica chuckled softly, returning the gesture by wrapping her hands around Laurent’s back, her touch as soothing as if calming an affectionate child.

“Ah, I missed you both so much.”

“Honestly, dear…”

Laurent only held them tighter. Celia, seeing her father’s unrestrained joy, seemed to resign herself to the moment. With a soft sigh that said it can’t be helped, she relaxed and accepted his embrace.

“Alright now. Everyone is watching, so please let go.”

“…”

It was Monica who eventually announced that the time for affection was over. But Laurent didn’t move, as if he still hadn’t had his fill of them.

“Dear?” Monica prompted with a gentle smile.

“…Yes,” he finally relented, reluctantly separating from the two.

“Now, you must greet Lord Amakawa. He has taken such wonderful care of Celia and me.”

“Mm. Yes, of course. Lord Amakawa. It’s been a while,” Laurent said, turning to Rio and studying his face intently. “You know, I have the strangest feeling I’d completely forgotten about you right up until we arrived in the capital.”

The current Rio was a transcendent being, one whose presence did not linger in the memories of ordinary people. Thanks to the barrier Lina had erected, that restriction was lifted within the royal capital of the Galarc Kingdom, but the same could not be said for the world outside it.

“It’s not just a feeling,” Rio stated plainly. “You had forgotten.”

“Hm?” Laurent tilted his head, his expression clouded with confusion. “What do you mean?”

“There are some… complex circumstances at play. For now, please enjoy your time as a family. We can discuss the details inside.”

Sensing that this was not the place for a lengthy explanation, Rio gestured for Laurent to enter the residence.

“…I see. Thank you for your consideration,” Laurent said, his posture straightening as he offered a deep, formal bow. “It seems my wife and daughter have been in your care during their stay here as well. I don’t know how I can ever thank you enough…”

“Not at all. They have been a great help to me as well.”

“Oh?” A suspicious glint appeared in Laurent’s eyes. “You, in the care of Monica-chan and Celia-chan… In what way, specifically?”

“V-Various things,” Rio answered, suddenly on the defensive.

“Various? Let me hear the details of that…”

“Dear.”

Monica’s voice, though soft, carried a gentle pressure. Her husband, under the weight of her smiling gaze, wisely let the matter drop.

◇ ◇ ◇

Later, in the residence’s drawing room, Laurent sat on the sofa beside his wife, Monica, directly facing Celia. After a blissful period of reunion, during which Laurent doted heavily on his wife—

“So, how are things?” Celia began timidly, broaching the subject they couldn’t avoid. “The situation back in the home country…”

“The same as always,” Laurent explained with a heavy sigh. “The home government is Arbor’s personal stage. All the key posts are filled with nobles from his faction, while anyone difficult to handle is relegated to some trivial position where he can keep them on a tight leash.”

“What of those who were captured in Rodania?”

“Honestly, they seem to be at a loss. There are simply too many to deal with. The main leaders, Marquis Rodan included, were taken to the royal capital, but the lower-ranking members seem to have been left behind in Rodania, watched over by a magistrate loyal to Arbor. I suppose it’s easier to manage them by keeping them all in one place.”

“Is Marquis Rodan alive?”

“Yes. He should be held in the royal capital’s prison.”

“That’s a relief,” Celia breathed, a wave of ease washing over her. “I must inform Christina-sama and the others.”

“That said, what about Restoration?” Laurent’s expression grew serious. “Honestly, the situation is quite dire, isn’t it?”

“…It all depends on tomorrow’s discussion. On how many conditions we can extract in exchange for accepting their demands. Father, have you heard anything about what Duke Arbor intends to achieve with this meeting?”

“Unfortunately, I’m not trusted with such information. I was ordered to attend, but I don’t even know what Arbor plans to negotiate. My apologies.”

“No, that’s alright. We know his primary demands: the return of the Regalia and the cancellation of the coronation ceremony.”

“Those are his main concerns, certainly, but… does he truly intend to negotiate? You can’t possibly accept such terms, can you? The latter aside, the former is out of the question…”

“…………”

Celia’s silence was profound, her expression unreadable.

“Don’t tell me,” Laurent whispered, holding his breath. “You’re going to accept?”

“That depends on the conditions, apparently.”

“…What on earth are the conditions?”

“At the very least, the return of Rodania.”

“That’s… no matter how you look at it…” Impossible, Laurent left the word unsaid, utterly speechless.

“But don’t you think the Regalia holds a value that matches, or perhaps even surpasses that?”

“That may be so, but… if you return the Regalia, the Restoration loses its greatest trump card. Surely you’re not planning to hand over a fake?”

“It is precisely because it’s a trump card that its use is so critical. We must see if we can extract conditions worthy of it. Besides, the cancellation of the coronation ceremony might prove to be a surprisingly valuable negotiating tool as well…”

“…What do you mean?” Laurent asked, raising a suspicious eyebrow.

“We discussed it in a meeting. First…”

Celia proceeded to briefly explain the strategy they had formulated. Even if Duke Arbor wished to deny Christina’s ascension to the throne, a thoroughly enforced secret ballot would prevent him from coercing the vote, potentially leaving him unable to secure the outcome he desired. And—

“Therefore, isn’t it possible that Duke Arbor fears the finalization of Christina-sama’s ascension? If her claim is confirmed, there would be no legal means left to take the throne from her, right?”

She concluded her explanation in the form of a question, watching her father for his reaction.

“I see… Over three-quarters of the nobles with voting rights are under Arbor’s influence, but if they can cast their ballots without him knowing how they voted… then indeed…”

Laurent, though convinced, brought a hand to his lips and fell deep into thought.

“…From your perspective, Father, what do you think?”

“I think it’s a sound strategy. If Christina-sama’s ascension is confirmed and she formally becomes queen, it would certainly be a headache for Duke Arbor. He would likely want to avoid that risk if he could. However…”

“What is it?”

“…We’ll have to see just how much he truly fears that risk at the negotiating table. If he considers it an acceptable loss, it won’t be much of a bargaining chip. And he will certainly feign confidence regardless.”

“Christina-sama pointed that out as well. That’s why our approach must be to subtly probe at those risks.”

“The problem is that, depending on the voting system, anonymity could become a mere formality. Creating a procedure that has never been carried out in history will naturally cause conflict. Or rather, since he controls the legislature, Arbor will surely make his move.”

The overwhelming majority of the domestic nobility was under Duke Arbor’s influence, and the royal capital, the seat of government, was his territory. Even with a potential path to victory, Restoration was still at a great disadvantage. Besides—

Even if Christina-sama’s ascension is confirmed, whether that will be enough to break down the Duke Arbor faction’s stronghold is another matter, Laurent thought, his expression grim. It may be the best move in the current situation, but I doubt it can be the decisive blow that turns the tables entirely…

“That’s why Christina-sama said that how much foreign attention we can draw to the coronation and the vote will also be a deciding factor…” Celia said, peering into her father’s face as he wrestled with his thoughts. And then—

“As expected, it seems what I could come up with has already been considered… By the way, about him…”

A smile finally broke through Laurent’s worried expression. He cleared his throat with a deliberate “ahem” and shifted the topic.

“Him? Who are you talking about?” Monica asked, leaning in from the side with a knowing, pleased look on her face.

“…I’m talking about Lord Amakawa.”

“You’re curious about your future son, after all,” Monica said with a sweet smile as Laurent finally revealed the name with a hint of embarrassment.

“S-Son!? What are you talking about!?”

“M-Mother!”

“I haven’t heard! Are you married!? Are you having a child!?”

“N-No, we’re not! And we’re not having a child either!”

Celia and Laurent were thrown into a complete fluster.

“Back when she was working at the academy, I used to worry if this child would ever get married,” Monica mused, placing a hand on her cheek with a sigh of fond resignation. “But now that she’s grown up and marriage has become a real possibility, you start making a fuss. You’re such a handful.”

“The situation is different now! All the trouble I caused Celia-chan with the marriage proposal from Charles… A marriage that Celia-chan doesn’t want is absolutely out of the question!”

“Then there’s no problem, is there? Celia likes him.”

“Wha—!”

Celia froze, a deep blush spreading from her cheeks to the tips of her ears.

“C-C-C-Celia-chan!?”

“I-I’ve never once said that I like Rio!”

“R-Rio?” The unfamiliar name made Laurent’s confusion deepen.

“You can tell just by watching her. We are her parents, after all. The look on your face when you gaze at Rio-san…”

“W-Wait! Weren’t we talking about Lord Amakawa? Who is this Rio?”

“Rio-san is Lord Amakawa. He was originally one of Celia’s students.”

“…What do you mean?”

Monica’s succinct explanation only seemed to add to Laurent’s confusion. He looked back and forth between his wife and daughter, his expression completely puzzled.

“…It’s as Mother says,” Celia conceded, seeing this as a good opportunity to clear the air. “The first time I met Rio was…”

She began to explain the various matters concerning Rio—how their first meeting had been in the slums, how he had been recognized for rescuing Flora and subsequently admitted into the Royal Academy.

“The orphan who rescued Flora-sama… I see, from that time…” Laurent’s eyes widened in recognition.

“…Did you have some connection with him?” Celia asked curiously.

“I was present at the audience where he was granted admission to the academy. To think he was the child from back then…”

“Is that so?”

“And so, that’s how Celia became Rio-san’s homeroom teacher. A teacher and her student… what a wonderful relationship, isn’t it?” Monica recounted happily.

“M-More importantly, there are other things I need to explain!” Celia interjected, forcefully changing the subject before the conversation could derail any further. “Look, Father, you said you felt like you had forgotten about Rio until you arrived in the capital, right? Right?”

“Y-Yes.”

“Rio is…”

She explained the reason for his memory loss, omitting the detail about him being a transcendent being and framing it as a kind of curse.

“…”

Laurent was left speechless by the hard-to-believe story, but he had no reason to doubt his daughter. The fact that he hadn’t felt any suspicion about Rio’s absence during his previous visits to the residence only supported the idea that his own memory had been affected.

And so, after hearing the full explanation—

“…I see. He has been through quite a lot, hasn’t he…” A wave of sympathy washed over Laurent, and his expression softened with pity for Rio’s circumstances.

“Yes, Rio-san has had it very rough. He had a terrible time at the academy, and yet he still worries about Celia and the Restoration… He’s a truly wonderful young man. That’s why Celia needs to support him properly. Right?”

“Y-Yes…” Celia nodded obediently, though her embarrassment was plain to see.

“So you’ll support them, won’t you, dear?” Monica pressed her husband.

“Ugh…” Laurent reacted like a child being served a vegetable he despised.

“You will support them, right?”

“W-Well, I am indebted to him, so I will support him, but…” Laurent was completely powerless against his beloved wife.

“Isn’t that wonderful, Celia? Your father will support your relationship, too,” Monica said cheerfully, gracefully clasping her hands together.

“W-Wait! The one I’m supporting is Lord Amakawa, not their relationship…!”

“Next time, let’s make time for the four of us as a family.”

“No! It’s still too early for that!” Laurent cried out in frustration, a declaration that proved to be his undoing.

“‘Still’?” Monica asked, a brilliant smile blossoming on her face. “So you’re fine with Rio-san being Celia’s husband eventually, then?”

“Hah, no! That’s not it, Celia-chan!” Laurent pleaded with his daughter, his eyes begging for support.

“I don’t know.”

Celia, her cheeks still flushed, turned away with a pout.

◇ ◇ ◇

The next morning, the time finally came for the discussion between the Restoration and the envoys of the Beltrum Kingdom’s home government.

In a grand room of the Galarc Kingdom’s State Guest House, the members of Restoration, led by Christina, and the members of the home government, led by Duke Arbor, faced each other across a long, polished table. King Francois of the Galarc Kingdom sat at the head, between the two opposing factions, serving as both moderator and witness.

“Well then, let us begin,” Francois announced, his gaze shifting between Christina and Duke Arbor, who sat at the center of their respective sides. His voice was solemn, marking the gravity of the occasion.

“The agenda concerns the return of the Regalia and the cancellation of the coronation ceremony,” he continued, directing his gaze first toward Duke Arbor. “But first, is there anything the home government would like to demand other than the specified agenda items?”

“There is not,” Duke Arbor replied, his voice a low, resonant baritone. “As we have already notified you, the home government demands the return of the Regalia and the cancellation of the coronation ceremony from the First Princess Christina. At present, we have no other demands.”

“Is that not disrespectful! Calling Her Majesty the Queen, the First Princess!” a noble from Restoration immediately cried out.

“Although Christina-sama currently holds the position of queen provisionally, we recognize her ascension as illegitimate,” Duke Arbor retorted calmly. “Therefore, we demand that she cancel the coronation ceremony and voluntarily revoke her ascension. The title is merely a reflection of that intent.”

“How insolent…!”

While the Restoration nobles fumed, Christina remained perfectly composed.

“Is that my father’s demand, King Philip Beltrum’s?” she asked, her voice cool and clear. “Or is it your demand, Duke Helmut Arbor?”

“What a strange thing to say. I am here as the representative of His Majesty King Philip Beltrum. Naturally, it is His Majesty the King’s demand,” Duke Arbor snorted, his tone laced with contempt.

“In that case, I would have preferred for my father himself to have come for this discussion, not you.”

“If you are going to say that, then shouldn’t Christina-sama have been the one to travel to the home country’s royal capital?”

“And be placed under house arrest for some fabricated reason, unable to leave the country?”

“How dreadful. Is that an idea born from a plot to do the same to me?” Duke Arbor shot back without a hint of fear.

In truth, it was a perfect opportunity to capture Duke Arbor. However, seizing a man who had come as the king’s representative, after agreeing to sit at the negotiating table, would shatter Restoration’s credibility and justification. No matter how the situation changed afterward, regaining the trust of the domestic nobility would be nearly impossible. Furthermore, it would completely ruin the reputation of the Galarc Kingdom, which was providing the venue for the discussion.

Duke Arbor, on the other hand, would likely have captured Christina without hesitation had the roles been reversed. He was a man who believed that losing the trust of a minority of Restoration nobles was of no consequence.

“It’s a concern born from my past experience of having my freedom of movement restricted within the castle. Those were your orders, were they not?”

“Let me see… I do recall assigning guards to prevent any harm from befalling you, as the royal family’s credibility had fallen and the political situation was unstable,” he mused dismissively. “More importantly, are we not straying from the agenda? I would like to receive your answer soon.”

“Return the Regalia, and the canceling of the coronation,” Christina stated, her expression cool as ice. “If you are just going to state your demands, then there is no reason for me to accept them. This discussion ends here.” Her words were an implicit challenge: You’re the one who has to give in. If you don’t like it, then leave.

“Then, what do you suggest I do?” Duke Arbor asked with a weary sigh.

“You are the one who wants something. Shouldn’t you at least present some conditions for negotiation?”

“…I believe I am offering a recommendation for surrender, not a negotiation,” Duke Arbor said, his brow furrowing in displeasure. “As I believe I have mentioned before, there is no possibility of making a pact on equal terms with traitors.”

“Are you branding me, who holds the position of queen, a traitor?”

“It is a provisional position, is it not? You have not even completed the coronation ceremony. I have already told you that the ascension is illegitimate.”

“I am still the queen. It is clearly stipulated in the Royal House Law of the state. There is no reason for a mere duke to break rules that even a monarch cannot. It does not matter if you are here as the king’s representative. If you think you can, then you are the height of insolence. I wonder which of us is the traitor who defies the royal authority?”

Christina’s words were sharp and unreserved, striking at the very core of Duke Arbor’s authority without the slightest hint of fear.

“…That was not my intention at all. It seems I have caused a misunderstanding,” Duke Arbor replied, a smile fixed on his face, though his eyes remained cold and hard.

“Misunderstanding or not, what was the intention behind your statement that there is no possibility of making a pact on equal terms with traitors? I cannot possibly believe those are words a mere duke would direct towards a king.”

“…I have no intention of calling Her Majesty Queen Christina a traitor. However, is not the organization known as the Restoration a gathering of traitors?”

“To correct your words and call me Her Majesty the Queen now… you act like a big shot, but at your core, you’re just a small-timer, aren’t you?”

Christina’s provocations continued, a calculated effort to anger Duke Arbor and seize control of the negotiations. The effect was tremendous.

This vixen…!

Duke Arbor’s smile nearly shattered. Inwardly, he was furious enough to have his hair stand on end, but his self-control held on by a thread.

“If you don’t want to be caught on your words, you should be more careful with your rash statements. You probably get away with your careless remarks because you’re surrounded by yes-men.”

“…”

Perhaps having come full circle, Duke Arbor’s fury subsided into a chilling calm. He silently recomposed his smile. Seeing him from the side, the expressions of the home government nobles had frozen into masks of fear.

“I do not mind you proposing a vote at the coronation ceremony to deny my ascension. However, I cannot overlook a statement that seems to take the rule of law lightly. It is an insult to the royal authority.”

“…That is not my intention. That is why I am asking you to voluntarily retract your ascension. The demand itself should not be against the law.”

“True. And as I’ve already told you, I have no reason to accept that demand,” Christina dismissed him curtly.

“…Are you in a position to be so confident?”

“Confident or not, what reason is there to retract my ascension to the throne?”

“Do you truly believe you can win the vote? Do you not think it wise to surrender early to improve your impression and conditions in preparation for your defeat?”

“I don’t understand why you assume I will lose. We won’t know until we try.”

“I believe it is self-evident without even trying,” Duke Arbor replied, a blatant sneer carved onto his face.

“You speak as if the results of the vote are decided by your will alone. Remember, your vote is only one of many.”

“Of course. However, there are those who will cast their votes according to the opinion of me, the head of the faction.”

“Votes should be cast according to each individual’s free will. If you can decide the content of the vote with your will, it is no different from you holding multiple votes.”

“Therefore, those who share the same aspirations as I do will follow my opinion with their own free will. I am by no means forcing them.”

To be able to say such a thing so definitively was the very nature of the man known as Duke Arbor. He did not even recognize it as hubris. However—

“In that case, I would also like to discuss the method and management of the voting,” Christina interjected, inserting a new item onto the agenda. “If we can reach a general agreement here, it will save us trouble in the future.”

“…And what do you mean by that?” Duke Arbor’s eyes narrowed to sharp slits.

“We will be conducting a vote that has never been carried out in history. We will need a system for how the voting will actually take place, won’t we? Surely you don’t intend to just count the votes yourself and bring the results to the coronation, claiming ‘here are this many opposing votes,’ do you?” Her gaze was sharp, as if seeing right through him, knowing it was a method he would not hesitate to use.

“Are we not straying from the agenda?” Duke Arbor asked, glancing toward Francois.

“I have already obtained King Francois’s consent. Unless you intend to argue that a system is unnecessary for the vote, I would like you to listen.”

“If that is the case, then I do not mind, but…”

“‘The secrecy of the vote shall not be violated.’ Are you aware of such a provision in the old regulations of the Royal House Law? It is a rule designed to prevent a voter from casting a vote under the influence of another’s will.”

“…I am aware,” Duke Arbor conceded, his brow furrowing slightly in annoyance at the mention of a secret ballot.

“Then, in preparation for a vote, we will construct the voting system in a way that protects anonymity. You have no objections, do you? Since the members of your faction will be casting their votes of their own free will, and not because you are forcing them.”

“…However, since we are making the grave decision of denying the legitimacy of the ascension, shouldn’t the responsibility of the individual who voted be made clear? There are no other systems that require a secret ballot. In the cabinet meetings and the assembly, the open ballot makes clear who cast what vote.”

Even as they were discussing the vote to deny the ascension, Duke Arbor plausibly brought up other voting systems to argue his point.

“In other words, you are saying that we should be able to confirm afterwards who opposed my ascension and who supported it? Do you wish to ignore the very purpose of the regulation that stipulates a secret ballot?”

“There are no provisions on how far secrecy should be maintained, so I am saying that there is room for discussion. Furthermore, since it is merely a regulation, we should also consider whether there is room to change the regulation itself.”

“You truly have little regard for the royal authority,” Christina said, her exasperation clear. “The Royal House Law defines the state of the royal family and the monarchy; it defines the state of the nation itself. It is one of the inviolable sacred domains within state law, and even the king is not permitted to amend it during their reign. The regulations for its enforcement are treated in the same way. Are you speaking without even understanding that?”

If the Royal House Law could be easily amended, it would become possible to abolish the monarchy itself. That was why its amendment required the strictest of conditions.

“…I have no intention of disrespecting royal authority. However, if the judgment of who made what decision is to be kept secret, will there not be fraud, such as the rewriting of ballots or the padding of votes? I am concerned about such possibilities.”

“That can be addressed through the creation and management of the voting system. The negative effects of making the voting content public are far more difficult to deal with.”

“Being influenced by another’s will to cast a vote, you say,” Duke Arbor snorted, as if to brazen it out. “Negative effects or not, I believe that is what politics is.” What is wrong with a person of influence affecting those around them to obtain the desired result?

“Are you anxious that the members of your faction may not vote according to your opinion? You might not get your way, after all,” Christina asked provocatively.

“…It is not guaranteed that it will go your way either… Very well, if it comes to holding a vote, let us construct the system in accordance with the regulations,” Duke Arbor finally conceded, though he seemed deeply displeased.

“Regarding the construction of the system and the management of the vote, I would like to obtain the cooperation of a third party, the Galarc Kingdom. If either one of us were to be in charge of management and counting, we would both harbor distrust, wouldn’t we?”

“…I do not mind, but is there not something we should discuss before that? This will all become an unnecessary conversation if you would be so kind as to cancel the coronation ceremony.”

“As for us, I believe I have already told you that there is no reason to cancel the coronation ceremony at present.”

“If you have conditions, then I am saying I would like you to present them quickly,” Duke Arbor prompted with another weary sigh.

“The return of the Marquis Rodan’s territory, the release of the captured prisoners, and a ban on invading the returned territory for the next ten years. If you accept these conditions, there is room to consider canceling the coronation ceremony,” Christina presented her demands.

“…This is ridiculous,” Duke Arbor openly scowled.

“The cancellation of my coronation means revoking my ascension. Compared to that, this falls short.”

“With the Regalia, you can simply declare your ascension again at any time. That would be meaningless.” Duke Arbor argued that since the cancellation was merely a voluntary revocation, she could simply change her mind later and re-declare her ascension as many times as she wanted.

“I understand that you want to forbid my re-ascension. Therefore, if you accept the conditions, I can promise not to re-declare my ascension for the next ten years.”

“Oh, ten years, is it…” For the first time, Duke Arbor showed a more responsive reaction, as if considering the possibility.

“In the unlikely event that my father passes away and the throne becomes vacant, let us consider how to handle that separately. Well, as long as my father is in good health, it should be an unnecessary worry.” Her sharp gaze was a clear check on Duke Arbor: The only time that worry would arise is if you were to assassinate my father.

“…I see. The inclusion of the ban on invasion is a reflection from our last discussion, is it?” Duke Arbor sneered.

The Restoration had lost Rodania right after their last meeting. At that time, on the condition of returning Charles and the Sword of Flash Judgement, it was agreed that a member of the Count Claire’s house would act as a messenger, and that those connected to the Restoration would not be needlessly purged or taken hostage.

Since a ban on invasion was not included, Duke Arbor had executed a daring plan to launch a surprise attack on Rodania right after the discussion ended, inflicting a fatal wound on Restoration.

“That’s right. That’s why, in this agreement, I have decided to demand appropriate penalties as well. If you break the non-aggression pact, you will step down from your positions as Prime Minister and Marshal, return all your authority to my father, and retire from politics. The cabinet, composed of the current ministers, will also be dissolved.”

“…Are you not taking your jokes too far?”

“I’m not joking. It’s a matter that will be settled if you simply keep your promise. By the way, the same penalties will be invoked if you use parties related to the Proxia Empire to invade. If the figure of the Ice Hero, who was witnessed before, is seen again, I will consider it your order without question.”

“There is no way I can manage the military actions of another country.”

“Then I will ask you to. You are on friendly terms with the Empire’s ambassador, are you not?”

“…” A vein bulged on Duke Arbor’s forehead.

“Do you have any objections?”

“…Before that, do you intend to return the Regalia as well, depending on the conditions?”

“Yes. The condition for the return of the Regalia is for you to step down from your positions as Prime Minister and Marshal, return all your authority to my father, and retire from politics. And for the cabinet to be dissolved. In that case, the Rodania return agreement and the penalties will partially overlap, so a review will be necessary.”

These were conditions Duke Arbor could never accept.

“If you have no intention of returning it, you should just say so.”

“I am presenting the conditions because I do. I would ask you not to underestimate the value of the Regalia.”

“…………”

Duke Arbor fell silent, his face a mask of contemplation as he began to tap the table with his index finger.

“What will you do?” Francois, who had been watching in silence, finally spoke. “Shall we take a break and resume the discussion later if necessary?”

“We have no problem with you taking your time to consider,” Christina said, her gaze fixed on Duke Arbor.

“…No, that’s quite alright,” he said, his decision made. “We are prepared to conclude an agreement regarding the return of Rodania. You may keep the Regalia.”

“So you didn’t want to take any unnecessary risks, is that it?” In other words, he wanted to completely eliminate the risk of my ascension being confirmed. If she officially became queen, it would become impossible to drag her down from the throne so easily…

“You may interpret it as you please. However, I would like to have the agreement concluded after we have more carefully examined the individual conditions. Especially the ban on re-ascension that you have imposed on yourself. I have not yet heard the details of the penalty for breaking it.” His meaning was clear: Since you have presented me with the penalty of stepping down, there must naturally be a penalty for you as well, right?

Then—

“I will stake my head,” Christina stated simply.

“Your head, you say?”

“I mean it literally. If I break the conditions and re-ascend within ten years, I will stake my life.”

“…Hmph, hahahaha!” After a moment of stunned silence, Duke Arbor burst into loud, booming laughter.

“Are you dissatisfied?”

“No, I am honored. Originally, even the heads of the Prime Minister and the Marshal would not be a fair trade. But are you sure about this?”

“As long as we both don’t break the conditions, there will be no problem,” Christina replied with unwavering dignity.

“Indeed. If we do not break the conditions, then there will be no problem at all,” Duke Arbor agreed, the corners of his mouth lifting in a satisfied grin.

“Then, let’s work out the details.”

“Yes.”

And so, the discussion between the Restoration and the home government came to a tentative conclusion, finally heading towards a resolution.

◇ ◇ ◇

By the time the sun had completely set, the leaders of Restoration were holding a dinner party in a room of the State Guest House.

“Hahaha.”

Ever since Rodania was taken, a heavy atmosphere had constantly hung over the organization. But tonight, the room was filled with unusually bright laughter.

“This is a greater result than we ever expected! To think we could actually get Rodania back.”

“The look on Arbor’s face, so full of regret, was a delightful sight.”

“Christina-sama’s negotiation skills were truly magnificent.”

The return of Marquis Rodan’s territory, the release of the prisoners, and a ten-year ban on invasion. Although the formal agreement was yet to be signed, a general consensus had been reached. It was a victory, and suppressing their excitement would have been cruel.

A short distance away from the celebrating group—

“It was a truly magnificent discussion. To think it would flow exactly as you had anticipated, Christina-sama,” Count Albert praised her.

“It was Baronet Huguenot’s achievement,” Christina replied, giving credit to the man who was not present. “He was the one who laid out the path for the discussion.”

“…We have achieved such a great result. Is there no change to your future plans?” Count Albert asked, as if to gauge her mood.

“No, there is not,” she answered, shaking her head firmly.

“But…”

“Do not forget. It may seem as though things have returned to normal with Rodania’s return. However, in exchange, we have lost the ability to use our greatest trump card: the ascension. We have only managed to extend the life of our organization, which was on the verge of collapse, by ten years. And it is dangerous to rely too much on that period.”

“…” Count Albert fell silent, his expression sorrowful.

“As long as Arbor controls the heart of the country, the situation could change at any moment. It’s unlikely we will recover all of the private property confiscated in Rodania, so our finances will worsen. The precarious situation will continue, both externally and internally.”

Before they knew it, the nobles in the room had fallen silent, their attention fixed on Christina’s words.

“Do not forget,” she said, her voice carrying across the quiet room. “We are all here because we are facing the same direction. What you all must see is not the trees, but the forest. The future of the country rests on the shoulders of everyone present here. Remember that.”

“…As you wish,” Count Albert declared, kneeling on the spot. “Our loyalty will be dedicated to you for life, Christina-sama.”

The others in the room followed his lead, kneeling all at once in a silent oath of allegiance.

“…………You don’t understand at all, do you?”

Christina looked around at the bowing heads and gave a troubled, bitter smile.

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