"The Interduchy Tournament was continuing despite the interference from the Central Knights and smaller territories in the previous battle, since there was no call for judgment. The match was decided when
Though her expression was gentle, there was an accusatory ring to her words about Hannelore's actions, and I couldn't help but turn my gaze toward Hannelore. Seeing her cowering and looking down as if she had nowhere to place herself, I explained the situation when Hannelore had sought refuge with us.
"Lady Hannelore left the line on her own because there were no guardian knights and it was dangerous."
Without any guardian knights present, Hannelore had been alone, frightened by aerial attacks, enduring them by herself. I pleaded that it was far too pitiful, but the First Wife's smile did not waver.
"Yes. The knights went to the sky to protect the treasure from enemies firing attack magic. Even so, Hannelore voluntarily left the line. Don't you think this constitutes a betrayal of the knights who were fighting to protect her?"
I thought it was terrible to demand that someone endure alone while attack magic rained down on them. I could not sympathize at all with the claim that leaving the line and seeking safety was a betrayal worth being condemned for.
"...I was raised to believe that being protected by guardian knights is the duty of a lord candidate, so having no guardian knights around strikes me as dereliction of duty."
"Oh my... Are you saying that in Ehrenfest, Hannelore's actions were justified?"
As an action during the Interduchy Tournament, and when considered from the perspective of a
I was about to retort, but my adoptive father spoke up before I could.
"Guardian knights exist to protect the lord's family. And the most important thing in the Interduchy Tournament is to protect the treasure. Failing to do so was the knights' shortcoming."
...Yes, exactly! It was the knights' fault for not being there!
I nodded vigorously at my adoptive father's words. The First Wife let her gaze drop, as if turning his words over in her mind.
"...So in Ehrenfest, you hold that Hannelore, who voluntarily left the line, bears no fault."
"Yes."
Unlike the Aub of Dunkelfelger, the First Wife did not try to force a black-and-white verdict on the Interduchy Tournament. She let out a voice that sounded as though she understood. It seemed we had reached an understanding through words. As I was relieved that we could have a proper conversation with Dunkelfelger, the First Wife curled her lips into a smile.
"Then this may be like how Tulkus, born and raised through the power of Frütelrene, follows the guidance of Dreffangurea to head toward Feffermeere."
The First Wife let out a sigh that was neither regretful nor reassured as she said this.
...Hm? What does that mean?
I couldn't grasp the meaning immediately. First, I didn't know what Tulkus was. Was it a creature unique to Dunkelfelger, or a minor tale from a mythological fragment?
...Whatever Tulkus was, it was born and raised in fresh water, and when the time came, headed to the sea. So the meaning inferred from this was... that once one grows, one heads to where one fits? Something like that?
While I was desperately trying to figure out the meaning with a vague smile on my face, the First Wife was looking back and forth between me and my adoptive father. I felt as if I had been caught by her red eyes and swallowed hard.
"Since it has been decided in the Interduchy Tournament, Hannelore will be married off to Ehrenfest. Since Hannelore's Feffermeere appears to be Ehrenfest, that should be acceptable."
...Wait. Before I could even say that there was no need for Lady Hannelore to marry into Ehrenfest, the decision had already been made?!
Before we could voice our hopes or opinions, we had been completely steamrolled into Hannelore's marriage. I exchanged a glance with my adoptive father and quickly spoke up.
"Um, you did say she desires it, but does Lady Hannelore truly wish to marry into Ehrenfest? She would be the Second Wife, you know."
For the second-ranked Dunkelfelger lord candidate, being the Second Wife of Ehrenfest should have been unthinkable. Unlike the Aub, who seemed to only be thinking about the Interduchy Tournament, the First Wife was someone who could be reasoned with. I wanted her to think carefully about what would be best for her daughter.
"She left the line of her own free will. She would never have done such a thing if she did not desire it. Having a Dunkelfelger lord candidate want to marry in as the Second Wife of Ehrenfest is unexpected, and we are troubled by it as well."
It sounded as though Hannelore was being selfish, but Hannelore herself had probably never said a single word about wanting to marry into Ehrenfest. I anxiously glanced at Hannelore, but she kept her gaze lowered, her mouth shut tight, as if swallowing words she wanted to say but couldn't.
...Lady Hannelore.
It was the same as when
My adoptive father, who had been looking at Hannelore the same way I was, turned his deep green eyes toward the First Wife.
"With all due respect, Ehrenfest is an upstart territory that has only just risen to eighth rank, and has not yet mastered the conduct befitting that position. It is not a territory that can welcome a Dunkelfelger lord candidate."
The First Wife nodded with a smile at my adoptive father's words.
"Of course, I am well aware. If there is any value in the current Ehrenfest, it would be Lady Rosemyne, who has created trends and industries, is well-versed in old rituals and language, and can skillfully manage the dormitory despite having so many lord candidates. It certainly cannot be said to be a territory befitting a Dunkelfelger lord candidate's marriage."
Being affirmed with a smile was infuriating in its own way. I had merely proposed things—it was the artisans who actually created the products—and
The moment I was about to retort, my adoptive father lightly tapped my foot. It was a signal to "stay quiet." Holding back my dissatisfaction, I reluctantly shut my mouth.
The First Wife tilted her head slightly while looking at my adoptive father.
"I understand that upstart Ehrenfest would want to gain a Dunkelfelger lord candidate, but why would you want her as a Second Wife specifically?"
To answer that, I would need to explain the conflict with
"I can only say that it is due to Ehrenfest's circumstances."
"Oh, but the First Wife, who handles diplomacy, is meant to be someone whose family's support and connections can be utilized when taking in a wife from another territory. And the wife from one's own territory is brought in as the Second Wife to unite the nobles within the territory, is she not? Surely even Ehrenfest knows that much?"
...So that wasn't something unique to Dunkelfelger, but the norm?
It did seem reasonable, but I had never heard such a thing before. My adoptive father, beside my silent self, was quietly watching the First Wife.
"Taking in Hannelore, with whom you have absolutely no local ties, as the Second Wife while refusing to put her forward in social events, and severing ties with Dunkelfelger—what line of thinking could possibly justify that? Won't you explain, Aub of Ehrenfest?"
"The ways of a higher-ranking territory may differ, but Ehrenfest has its own circumstances."
Having just purged the former
"Yes, indeed. But an Ehrenfest that lacks even that much diplomatic common sense, refuses to adopt it, and makes no effort to stabilize or improve its standing has no reason to marry a higher-ranking territory's wife. I do love my daughter, you know. I wish to avoid a misfortune befalling her like that of the princess from Ahrensbach who married into a lord candidate several generations ago."
The First Wife indirectly criticized the former Aub's incompetence for having welcomed a princess from a grand territory while failing to elevate a lord candidate's rank, deepening ties with Ahrensbach, or keeping the territory's nobles in check.
"For the entire territory's nobility to internalize the behavior expected of a higher-ranking territory takes generations. Decades have passed since welcoming the princess from Ahrensbach. What has changed, and how?"
Without acknowledging the suffering Ehrenfest endured due to the princess from Ahrensbach wreaking havoc, the First Wife viewed matters purely from the perspective of a grand territory. I had some understanding of the grand territory's viewpoint and machinations, but my irritation only grew.
"Now you have Lady Rosemyne, and the ranking has changed considerably in just a few years, but I do not feel that Ehrenfest has truly changed."
What followed was essentially the same content that Lestilaut had pointed out, delivered in an elegant but roundabout manner. Wearing an expression similar to Wilfried's, my adoptive father listened intently to the First Wife's criticisms. Because I couldn't immediately parse the formal noble language, I let about half of it wash over me, but a sour feeling steadily accumulated inside me.
...Is enduring this kind of thing what nobility's socializing is all about?
"Aub of Ehrenfest. What do you intend to do going forward? Surely you already understand. That Lady Rosemyne is too much for Ehrenfest."
My adoptive father had tapped my foot, so I held back and listened, but I didn't want others deciding whether I was "too much" for Ehrenfest.
"Geduldhrix released
The First Wife said this with a kind expression and a gentle tone, but the substance was "let her go." My heart filled with bitter feelings. My adoptive father murmured "ridiculous" and glanced at me.
"Are you saying Dunkelfelger will purchase Steria?"
"Yes. We will become the shield that protects both Mestionora and Ehrenfest. After all, Hannelore will be marrying in."
Wasn't I the one who accepted the Interduchy Tournament challenge to avoid exactly this kind of pressure on my adoptive father? Why was I receiving criticism that had nothing to do with the Interduchy Tournament? And why, at some point, had this turned into Dunkelfelger protecting me?
Like a silk cord tightening around one's neck, the First Wife criticized our actions with elegant smiles and roundabout phrasing, steering the conversation in the direction she wanted. I desperately wanted to argue back.
"Father, don't you think it's cleaner to just cut a silk cord wrapped around your neck in one snip with scissors?"
Chuckling as I looked at my adoptive father, his eyes widened slightly. After closing them once, he waved his hand in resignation, as if to say, "Indeed, it would be less trouble to end it now rather than endure further and have it snap."
"Do as you like. I'll take responsibility for the rest."
With my adoptive father's permission, I looked straight into the First Wife's red eyes, making sure to maintain a noble, elegant bearing and smile.
"Are you not aware of the terms under which Ehrenfest and Dunkelfelger agreed to hold the match?"
"Yes, I have heard of them."
The First Wife's eyes sharpened, as if trying to gauge the nature of my rebuttal.
"Then why, when the match has been decided in the sacred Interduchy Tournament, is Ehrenfest being pressured? We held the Interduchy Tournament trusting Lord Lestilaut's word that if Ehrenfest won, the pressure regarding the dissolution of the engagement would cease. The loser should hold their tongue."
Cutting through all the roundabout noble phrasing with a sharp retort, I gave a pleasant smile. The First Wife looked at me with an expression as if she couldn't quite comprehend what had been said because it was too direct.
"Lady Rosemyne..."
Even Hannelore, who had been looking down the entire time, raised her face with wide eyes. She looked back and forth between the First Wife and me in a daze.
"Just as the healing of Frütelrene differs from the healing of Lungshumel, a good environment as seen by a third party differs from an environment where the person involved feels satisfied. My teacher also once mentioned that the blessing of Glückrite is unnecessary for those who desire unchanging peace."
I had no need for the same kind of unwanted meddling I had experienced with
"...What exactly did Ehrenfest want Hannelore for?"
"I simply wanted to avoid the troublesome Interduchy Tournament challenge. If I said I would accept Lady Hannelore as the Second Wife, then surely Lestilaut could not make the decision on his own. He would need to consult with the Aub, which would buy some time and possibly avoid the Interduchy Tournament. In the end, Lestilaut accepted it on his own authority, but..."
Don't you know? When I asked this, the First Wife stopped smiling and compared Hannelore and me.
"Then you are saying that Hannelore was not needed, and she was not made the subject of the Interduchy Tournament for her own sake?"
"Yes. Inviting Lady Hannelore to Ehrenfest was far too presumptuous. If we won, that condition was to be voided from the start. I intended to do whatever I could to help Lady Hannelore marry wherever she truly wished."
"...From the very beginning, you say?"
When Lestilaut and Wilfried had been setting the detailed rules of the Interduchy Tournament, I had been discussing what would happen if Hannelore and Ehrenfest won. Perhaps they hadn't been listening?
Tilting my head, my adoptive father let out a soft laugh beside me. It was the smile of a warrior who had found a weak point in the enemy and was about to strike.
"Just as you mentioned the example of Ahrensbach earlier, Ehrenfest still does not have the framework to accept a princess from a grand territory. If you wish for your beloved daughter's happiness, please graciously accept our proposal."
My adoptive father proposed that we pretend the talk of Hannelore marrying had never happened. She had been criticizing Ehrenfest's framework so much. With her daughter no longer needing to marry in, she should be delighted.
However, the First Wife looked somewhat troubled. She was being told that her daughter didn't have to marry, yet she wasn't readily agreeing. I couldn't understand why.
"What then if Hannelore herself wishes to marry into Ehrenfest? Will you accept her as First Wife, following convention? Or will you continue to take an unconventional approach?"
"I am terribly sorry, but Ehrenfest has not yet adapted to the ways of a higher-ranking territory..."
My adoptive father smiled sweetly. Being called unconventional didn't matter—what took priority was stabilizing Ehrenfest, which was in turmoil from the purge. We didn't need the trouble of nobles making a fuss.
"You insist on Second Wife, then..."
"Mother, the winner is Ehrenfest."
Hannelore grabbed the sleeve of the First Wife, who seemed about to say something more, with a trembling hand. It wasn't just her hand—her entire body seemed to be shaking in small tremors. But her eyes held a strong light brimming with determination as she looked up at her mother.
"Please stop causing any more trouble for Ehrenfest."
"Hannelore?"
Hannelore slowly turned her gaze toward Wilfried, who was dealing with other territories' nobles at another table. Her expression was soft. Her slightly narrowed, gentle eyes and lips curved into a blooming smile—was it an illusion that faint emotions seemed to dwell within them?
"This was the first time anyone has told me they would protect me on the battlefield. It was also the first time I was given choices rather than having things forced upon me. That is why I truly feel that I could be happy marrying into Ehrenfest."
Saying this, Hannelore lowered her gaze briefly, then looked straight at the First Wife. With a strong gaze that had found the person she needed to confront, her earlier soft expression was nowhere to be seen.
"But you said Ehrenfest does not have the environment to accept a grand territory's lord candidate. That the framework is not in place... If so, wouldn't I simply be a burden? You forced the match and now, as the loser, you would impose further on the winner? Should you not at least grant the winner's wishes?"
The First Wife looked troubled by Hannelore's words. She appeared bewildered, as if caught off guard by an unexpected development.
"Hannelore, you..."
"Mother, it is not beautiful to force something on someone who does not want it. Dunkelfelger women distribute benefits to those around them and use that to help fulfill their own desires, do they not? In this negotiation, you failed to offer anything of benefit to Ehrenfest. Step back for now, and start by learning what would benefit Ehrenfest."
Hannelore, smiling as she said this, was unmistakably a woman of Dunkelfelger.
It turned out rather long, so I'm splitting it into two parts.
The First Wife, who tried to tighten the silk cord but failed.
Rosemyne, who cuts the tightening cord with a snip.
And the awakened Hannelore.
Next is Part 2.