In the 414th year of the Elgrand Kingdom, spring is in full bloom.
　King Juke's Palace", which would eventually be handed down to future generations, opened with much joy and secret sorrow. The number of side chambers, which had numbered about 20 when it was first established, continued to increase as more and more nobles voiced their desire for an heir, and came to an end in the summer when Deanna Crester was welcomed into the Red Rose Room at the end of the Sky Moon.
　The total number of side chambers, including Deanna's, was more than double the initial number, at forty-eight. Even though they are all the same on paper, they naturally rise and fall in rank according to their family's title, their position in the royal court, and their achievements.

In a nutshell, last year's palace became a microcosm of the power struggle that has been going on for years in the outer court. I'm not sure what to make of that. I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to do this, but I'm sure I'll be able to do it.
It's okay, Deanna. I'm sure there's no one here who knows everything about the inner and outer palaces.

　Yolanda responded with a wry smile to Deanna's words, who had inevitably become the facilitator by providing the location for the secret meeting. The others nodded in unison at her words.
　I'm not sure what you mean by that," she said, raising her hand.

I'm not sure if this is a good idea or not.　I'm sure you're aware of that.　The only people who had a clear hierarchy were us, the named ones.
This was last year, right?　I'm not sure what to make of that. When the palace was first established, the administration of the palace was still very traditional, so those of us who were given the Named Rooms were considered candidates for the regular queen and were given a higher rank than the others.
Even within the 'named rooms,' there was a clear ranking according to the rooms given to us. Traditionally, they were ranked in order from the top: peonies, water lilies, bellflowers, and violets. In our case, Laia in Waterlilies and I in Violets were practically of equal rank.
If Yolanda gets on top of you now, you'll be wondering if you've offended her or if there's something lurking behind the scenes.
"By the way, is there anyone who hasn't been following the story so far?

In the event that you're not sure what to do, you can always ask for help. In the event that you're not a member of the nobility, you'll be able to find a lot of people who are.
　At Deanna's confirmation, a voice came down from above with a sly smile.

I'm probably the only one who can't keep up, right?　Well, I've got a pretty good idea. --So the main function of the palace of the Kingdom of Elgrand was the five rooms traditionally known as the Named Rooms?
I mean, in the first place, the meaning of 'palace' in the Kingdom of Ergeland is probably very different from that of other countries.
"What do you mean, ......?

　I'm sure you'll be able to figure out what I'm talking about. Simply because he is the most knowledgeable person in this room regarding all aspects of domestic and international affairs.

This is something that has become apparent in the last few decades as diplomatic relations between countries beyond the mountains and the sea have increased. Apparently, a palace in a foreign country is usually a place to keep more than one wife of the king for life. Once they are in the palace, they cannot leave unless something happens to them, and they can only be released upon the death of the king they served or their own death.
...... Is there any difference between this palace and the current one?
"In the history of the Elgrand, the current - or rather, the Juke's - palace is the exception. The most important role of the palace in this country is the selection of the queen. The palace was only a temporary residence for a potential queen. It would only be released for the side chambers if the king and queen failed to produce an heir, or if the king found a girl he was attracted to after the selection of the queen.
Oh, I'm starting to see the story now. That's why the people who were chosen to be the 'valet' in the current palace were in a different position from the others from the beginning.

　Kai, who was not familiar with the common sense of the aristocracy in this country, but who had always been extremely quick-witted, seemed to have understood the outline of the situation just from Edward's rough explanation.
　I'm not sure what to do, but I'd like to know what you think.

That's what I'm talking about. Juke was a bachelor, had no favorite princess at the time of his accession, and naturally had no heir. It would have been a different story if he had brothers and sisters and the next generation had already been born, but from the moment a bachelor crown prince with no heir ascended the throne, it was a matter of the utmost importance, especially to the conservative leaders, that the 'next king' be born.
So what would happen if the king were to die by accident?
Don't kill someone by accident. ......
"I know it's a bad omen, but people die in a matter of seconds. I can understand Kai's question. --The throne will probably go to His Excellency the Duke of Mondrea or his legitimate son. The Dukes of Mondria are a venerable family called the "Second Royal Family", founded by Prince Louis, the same brother of His Majesty King Astor. Her Royal Highness has been married off many times, so her lineage is close to that of the Elgrand family. As I recall, several generations ago, Her Royal Highness also married, didn't she?
"Four generations before me, I think. She was my great-grandfather's sister, and she was married to the legitimate son of the then Duke of Mondrea, according to the records.

　The fact that this kind of genealogy comes out immediately makes me feel that they are royalty even if they are corrupt. The Earls of Crester are not an ordinary noble family, so it's actually a minority that has proper records of who their ancestors other than the eldest son married and what kind of life they lived. There are records of those who contacted me frequently, but since the family is basically driven by the desire for knowledge, the overwhelming majority of them probably lived their lives pursuing only their own interests and died forgetting to contact their parents.
　--Anyway.

Four generations ago, that's pretty far, isn't it?
Far, but also the closest. Juke's great-grandfather, three generations ago, had a younger brother, but he was a bachelor all his life and had no children. From that point on, he had no brothers or sisters, including Juke, who was an only child.
Wow. So, seriously, if the king accidentally dies, that's the end of the Elgrand family.
"That's why the conservative leaders, who are obsessed with the royal bloodline, consider it imperative that a successor be born. And that's where the new concept of the palace comes in.
Ah. A "palace" in the sense of having a large number of wives and a large number of children. If you don't think about it, you're making fun of women.
I'm sure you're not the only one.

　I'm sure you'll be able to understand why. She is the daughter of the Marquess of Stresia, one of the oldest noble families in the kingdom, but her mother is from the Stanza Empire, a desert country across the sea. It is a country with one of the largest imperial palaces among Elgrand's neighbors. Although it is only a rumor, it is said that the king has more than a hundred consorts, and including the maidservants who look after them, the total number of people in the palace is more than three thousand.
　According to Raia, whose mother is from a country with such a palace.

Unlike the Kingdom of Ergeland, most of the land in the Stanza Empire is covered with sand. In order to pass on the family to the next generation in such a harsh environment, it is necessary to have many children. Therefore, women are enclosed deep inside the house as sacred beings who bear children, and men are the breadwinners of the family. That's the way of thinking in this country, I'm told.


"...... I see. You have a point.
There's a difference in physical strength between men and women. But in a country like that, the ratio of men to women would be skewed, wouldn't it?　If all the men go out to work, the mortality rate will be higher for men, right?
That's right. I'm sure you've heard of it. One man has multiple wives, the man earns money outside the home, and the women work together to run the household. --Therefore, the number of wives is a sign of the wealth of the family. Therefore, the number of wives is a sign of the wealth of the family. In order to take many wives, the man has to earn a lot of money. The wealthier a man is, the more wives he can have, the more children he can have, and the more likely he is to pass the family on to the next generation. Thus, the strongest and the best will survive, while the poorest men who cannot earn enough money will not be able to keep their blood alive. That's the way the system works.
"How harsh .......

　Juke muttered, and the men nodded in silence. For Elgrandeans, a nation that is peaceful in the best sense of the word and carefree in the worst sense of the word, it may be difficult to realize that such a generation-long survival is taking place just across the ocean.
　Deanna somehow turned to Edward, who was still standing.

I wonder if the descendants of the Cresta family who emigrated to the Stanza Empire several generations ago have many wives and children?
"No. We exchange letters from time to time in connection with the clinic he opened at the end of last year, and apparently he is a married man, which is rare in Stanza, and he has only one wife. His family is quite wealthy, though, so he still gets regular visits from people who want to find him a second wife, and poor girls who are confident in their looks come to him asking if they can be his concubines.
We're a polygamous country and you have concubines?
"Is that what you're worried about?　I don't know the details, but a woman who is officially married to a man is his wife, and while her status is guaranteed, she is expected to be strictly chaste and forbidden to even show her skin in front of anyone other than her husband. A concubine is an unmarried mistress who is not required to be chaste, but her status is even lower than that of a regular servant, and she can't complain about what her wife does to her. ...... or something like that?
It doesn't sound like an easy country for a ...... woman either.
At the very least, it's not a country where a woman accustomed to the Elgrand way of life can just jump in and immediately adapt.

　Laia nodded, shrugged her shoulders and smiled.

For me, Stanza is my mother's home country and the country of my grandparents, but unfortunately I don't think I want to spend my whole life in the Empire. My mother was considered a bit of an eccentric in her own country, which is probably why she and my Elgrand father hit it off so well.
But the idea is really quite simple, isn't it? "But the idea is really simple. The stronger man gets more women, has more offspring, and keeps the blood flowing. A woman can also preserve her own blood by improving herself, becoming the wife of a man with better conditions, and raising her own children without starving them. In a sense, this may be rational, given the instinct of living creatures to continue the species.
On the other hand, since most of the land is sand, which is a very difficult environment for humans to survive in, the providence (system) has been designed to put the survival of the species first.
It is necessary for the survival of the species that the strong survive first. I understand that, and I also understand that a king who rules such a country must have as many wives as there are kingdoms to show for it.

　Common sense changes from place to place. The Kingdom of Ergeland and the Empire of Stanza have their own national systems that they have developed through trial and error over their long histories. Even though the Stanza Empire may seem harsh or unreasonable from the perspective of the Kingdom of Ergeland, it's just another country. If the people living in the Stanza Empire are happy and satisfied with their lives in their country, then there is no need for other people to interfere with them.
　--So the problem is not with the marriage system of the Stanza Empire.

But there is no need to imitate the Stanza Empire in the Kingdom of Ergeland, where most of the land is farmable and livable, where rivers and lakes are plentiful, and where the four seasons change but there are rarely heat or cold waves that kill people.
I know, right?
Right. In fact, the current royal family has had only one child for three generations in a row, and they've all come of age safely, so that alone shows that imitating Stanza is pointless.

　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. Without the king's order, he would not have received an informal proposal for a concubine, and it was Jukes himself who affixed the Imperial Seal to the imperial proposal.
　Leticia, perhaps feeling sorry for the crushed Juke, smiled a little and opened her mouth.

To summarize, the current palace, which was established around this time last year, was created to serve both the traditional role of 'selecting a queen' and the new concept of 'producing as many children as possible for the king', which was adopted from another country. That's right. In the event that you've got any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.
The Kingdom of Ergeland took a long time to unify the peninsula by slowly incorporating several countries. Tolerance of different cultures is actually a kind of national trait.
If that's the case, then there's no need to argue with conservatives and innovators in the first place.

　In the event that you've got any questions regarding the way to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. The words of Shayla, who was badly affected by the "bickering between conservatives and innovators," are heavy for that reason.
　In a somewhat heavy atmosphere, Diana dared to laugh lightly.

The fact that we are bickering with each other openly is proof that a variety of values are accepted. It is precisely because each of us is free to think and express our own opinions that disputes arise between those who think differently. If the ruler enforces only one way of thinking and excludes those who have other ways of thinking, there will be no freedom instead of no disagreement. --It is natural to be concerned about conflict, but even that conflict is not all bad if you look at it from a different angle.
...... Dee is really good at switching perspectives like that.
Dee is really good at switching perspectives, isn't she?　On the other hand, if you only see the positives, you may overlook the big hole that should be right under your feet and cause an unexpected disaster. That's why you should always try to keep your head soft and your vision wide. I know I sound like a big ...... guy, but this is all from your father.
It's the Crestor way, the way of a lord's family.
I think I understand. My father always tells me to make sure that I understand both the advantages and disadvantages when negotiating. Because there is no such thing as a good deal.
That's right. --According to that logic, it is not unfounded for conservatives to be concerned about the rapidly deepening exchange with other countries.

　Calmly, quietly, but with enough force to silence everyone in the room, Keith made a sharp point of some sort. I'm sure you've heard of it, but I'm not sure if you have.

I'm sure that His Majesty and the people at the center of the palace are more familiar with the history of ...... than we are.
It is true that my family was a trader who made a fortune by trading with other countries. However, this was only possible because the government allowed private foreign trade. If rapid exchange with foreign countries is so dangerous, why did the government suddenly lift the ban on all trade without taking the necessary steps?

　As usual, Shayla's thinking is fundamentally logical. Depending on how you listen to her, it could be taken as if she is blaming the government for its actions, but judging from her expression, it seems she is just genuinely wanting to ask.


　Deanna did not respond directly to Shayla's question, but glanced first at Keith, Raia and Yolanda. But the three of them also looked back at Deanna and the Cresta group with rather questioning looks on their faces.
　And then there's the other one.

In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, please do not hesitate to contact us.

　The top of the nation, His Majesty the King himself.
　I'm not sure what to make of that.

I'm not sure what to make of this.　I'm not sure what to make of it, but I'm not sure what to make of it. What were you doing, Alford-sama and also Uncle Volz?
"Well, you could say that, Miss Deanna!　It's a good idea to take a look at a few of the things that you can do to make sure that you're getting the most out of your vacation.
And what about you, Uncle Volz?
Your Excellency, since the time of Juke's accession to the throne, the radical conservatives have been staring at you, and you've had only the minimum amount of contact with them!　I was told later that when Juke ascended to the throne, they took the opportunity to get rid of all the caretakers and educators. I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I'm not the only one.

　If it's ......, it can't be helped, can it? In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site.

...... It's your father's and brother's fault, you know. I'm sure you're not the only one.
"No, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, but I didn't know until now that the Juke didn't know.
Well, you wouldn't think so, would you? --I'm sorry, but I honestly didn't know until now that Juke didn't know. - Well, you wouldn't normally think that His Majesty didn't know that his kingdom was in danger of invasion.

　Deanna's light bombshell froze the uninformed people in place. The only ones who weren't surprised were Chris, who had been told about the backstory of the kingdom as the future Mrs. Clester, and...

Oh really, an invasion?　This country is being targeted by someone?

　I don't care about the country's problems, only this free spirited man. Kai was originally an abandoned child. He was picked up and raised by Sora, who had drifted from another country for some reason, and was not registered as a citizen of Elgrand. I'm not sure if I'd be able to do that if I were you.
　Nodding, Diana looks up.

"It's been a long time. It's a long story.
But to answer Shayla's question, don't you think you need to explain that?　Isn't there a connection between the kingdom's rapid internationalization and the invasion crisis?
It's not that there's a connection, it's just that the kingdom is in danger of invasion and that's why they rushed to internationalize.
Please elaborate on that.

　In the midst of the frozen people, the one who quickly recovered was indeed the king himself, who reigned at the top of the kingdom. This is the first time I've ever seen such a thing.

"Yes, Your Majesty. It's a long story.
I don't mind. It's a matter of national importance, and I would like you to be as detailed as possible.
Please.

　Juke and Shayla bowed to me. In front of the future king and queen, Diana closed her eyes and said.

I'll be the first to tell you about it. The modern history of the Kingdom of Elgrande--a part of its backstory.

　In her beautiful blue sea eyes, she has the radiance of the "sage" that Crestor inherited, and opens her mouth once again.