The 212th day of summoning other worlds [Princess Melancholy]:


'....I wonder what's going on...'

Princess Lupis looked out of the window of her room in the royal capital, Piraeus.
Her pure white dress was wide open at the chest, sufficiently accentuating her beauty.
It's hard to believe that this is the same person as the woman who wore armor and was called the princess general just a few days ago, but she looks so ladylike that it's hard to believe she's the same person as the woman who wore armor and was called the princess general.
But her eyes, filled with sorrow, canceled out the element of brightness from her beauty.

''Hmm...''

A loud sigh escaped her mouth.
From the window, though, the hustle and bustle of the people is so vibrant and full of life that it reaches the castle.
Everyone is hopeful that the civil war is over and Princess Lupis' reign will begin.

With the defeat of Hodram Arleberg and his family by Elena's sword, the civil war in the Kingdom of Rosellia is over.
Hodram, who joined the rebellion from the middle of the war, was killed, and the real mastermind, Duke Gerhardt, is still alive, but by removing Hodram's head, the Roserian Kingdom's membership was preserved.
The civil war is over, and a month has passed today.
However, although Princess Lupis is supposed to be full of hope, her heart is dominated by a certain worry.

''Father.......Is Lupis fit to be the king of this country? How could I be so lost in the treatment of that man?

Time and again, she asks her dead father.
However, it is impossible for a person who is already dead to answer her questions.
But it is impossible for a dead person to answer her questions.
That action clearly shows her mind.

"Hmm....

Again a deep sigh escaped her mouth.

'Your Highness...'

Mertina gazed at the figure sadly.
She had been confirmed as the Commander of the Kingsguard upon Lupis' crowning.
Normally, she had to carry out her duties there, but she was still accompanying Lupis by her side as Lupis' assistant.
........)
From the point of view of brain performance, there is not much difference between Mertina and Mikhail.
However, the age difference of 10 years old is surprisingly hard to take for granted.
Even in terms of influence over the knights, Mikhail's influence is greater than mine.
Even though the civil war is over and it is confirmed that he will become the king of Roselia, his power base is still unstable.
It was natural to wish to consolidate the government with people who could be trusted as much as possible.
But Mikhail is now under house arrest at his residence in the capital.
After the end of the civil war, Duke Gerhardt handed custody of Mikhail to Lupis.
Naturally, Lupis and Mertina thought they would return to their current positions, but that was impossible.
Separately, it wasn't that Ryoma had done anything.
Mikhail was the one who had originally had his punishment postponed.
It had been overlooked in the name of offsetting it with future achievements.
The second time around, Lupis and Mertina were also unable to protect Mikhail from the pursuit of the Earl of Bergston and the nobles who were formerly on the sidelines, in the form of failure.

''Hey........is it impossible to get Mikhail.......back to work? ...I don't mind being demoted ... can't you lift your suspension?

Lupis asks Mertina for the umpteenth time now.
It's been more than half a month since Mikhail was suspended.
It's a question that has been repeating itself ever since.
Mertina shook her head silently, stifling a sigh that escaped her lips.

"Even with the words of His Highness, that's impossible... of course, I would like to lift the house arrest, but as much as I would like to lift the house arrest...

Mertina also wants to fulfill Lupis' wishes.
I don't think Mikhail's presence will help to solve the problem, but because I can trust him as a spiritual support for Lupis, Mertina wants him to be reinstated if possible, which is the same for her.
However, I couldn't easily agree with it under the current circumstances.
From a logical point of view, Princess Lupis's actions are problematic.
No matter how much he was a trusted knight, he couldn't just say that he wouldn't take any action against someone who had made a mistake twice.
The first failure in the form of Cale's scheme could still be mended, but the second failure could be said to be fatal.
Even if it was only temporary, he had ignored his superiors' orders and gone off on his own, and now he was a prisoner of war.
Moreover, it was also the catalyst that changed the original plan and caused him to lose the opportunity to execute the Duke of Gerhardt.
There were even calls for his execution among the top brass.
It was impossible to lift Mikhail's house arrest, even for Princess Lupis.
I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about this in the future.

''Yes........right......Mertina, I'm sorry. I didn't ask you to do it........

Lupis understands that point well enough.
The problem lies in the fact that even if she understands it in her head, she is not convinced by the emotional part of it.
Mertina could only sigh in her mind.

''Well, enough about Mikhail... but more importantly, what's going on with the example?''

Lupis changes her mind and asks Mertina.
Because the problem she has is not only regarding Mikhail.

I can't shove him in, but when it comes to a position worthy of his achievements...

So....

Lupis' face twisted at Mertina's answer.

The issue was regarding the future treatment of Mikoshiba Ryoma.
In the first promise, they are supposed to prove their innocence by having the Kingdom of Roselia stand behind them after helping Princess Lupis.
And after they are proven, they are to leave the country.

Immediately after the civil war ended, Lupis, as Roselia's princess, sent a letter to the various guilds explaining the situation.
This has already been acknowledged by Mikoshiba Ryoma and his associates as not being at fault.
The only complaint is that they couldn't prove the malicious intent of the guildmaster of the port city of Fulzard, Walls Heinekel, and no punishment was given for a clerical error, but that's to be expected.
If Gerhardt's testimony is to be believed, it seems that Cale was the one who made all the arrangements.
Now that that Cale was also killed because of Lioujin, it was extremely difficult to find testimony and evidence.
Even the guild masters in the vicinity can't pursue their colleague Walls without proof.
There was virtually nothing they could do about it.
But now that the innocence of Ryoma and the others had been proven, the promise to Lupis had already been fulfilled.
Whenever they leave, no one can stop them.
But they still remain in the castle of the royal capital Piraeus.
That's because Lupis hoped it would be until after the coronation.



Well....

The majority of people say that we can't afford to put a non-Rosevelian in an important position of national security... well, I'm not sure if that's what they really think, but theoretically, it would make sense... ...It's just that if a man like that joins the Order, one important post will certainly be reduced. It's just a hindrance to someone who wants a higher position, so I'm sure that's part of the sentiment, but...

Lupis' face clouds at Mertina's words.
She is afraid of Mikoshiba Ryoma.
It had grown to the point of overflowing from her heart now that she was supposed to be at an overwhelming disadvantage, but now that she was about to be coronated as the new queen of the Roselia Kingdom, she was about to be crowned.

''I, for my part, do not want to take that man as a knight who is serving close to Your Highness... that man has no respect or loyalty to Your Highness or to the Kingdom of Roselia... that... A man only works for himself I've seen that man's actions over the past few months. At the very least, it is too dangerous to use him as a knight and a shield to protect the royal family.

The reputation for Mikoshiba Ryoma's abilities is high.
This can be confirmed by the fact that he has received the same evaluation from those who are negative about his appointment as a knight.
Therefore, if it was only power, he could be appointed as a knight or whatever.
But when it comes to trustworthiness, it instantly goes down.
A knight is the shield and sword of the kingdom.
It's an armed force that is necessary for the king to control the country.
What if that armed force is ruled by someone who can't be trusted?
We are back to the time of General Hodram.
The king has become a puppet and the country is in turmoil.

Lupis must now rebuild his country.
And yet, there's no way she can get someone whose loyalty to the royal family is questionable to become a knight.
This can be said to be an opinion shared by herself and the leaders of the kingdom.

''But ... we can't just let him leave the country like this! Absolutely not! ...if he is promoted to another country...

Lupis denies it out loud.
Her fear comes down to this.
She is not trustworthy to be used heavily on her person.
But that doesn't mean it's too dangerous to let her out of the country as promised.

You're not going to be able to find a way to make a living out of it. ...I mean...

Mertina opened her mouth hesitantly 《Hesitation》.
Lupis sensitively sensed what she wanted to say from her eyes.

''No, that's.......no matter how much you want it to be!

Mertina shushed Lupis' denial as it was.
A silence passed between the two parties.

A means that Mertina did not put into words.
It is already the means proposed by the leaders, especially the nobles.
That means is assassination.
It is true that if we kill them, we won't have to worry about them being appointed to other countries, and we can also sleep with our pillows high.
I understand that but it's not as if he's working for the enemy and he's still holding up his end of the bargain. And now I'm going to repay him with his death instead of gratitude? (And...)
She was good, for better or worse, and had a certain amount of wisdom.
If she was foolish, she would have made good on her promise to Ryoma and quickly sent her out of the country.
If she was evil, she would have ignored her promise to the drifter and ordered her execution.
I don't want to assassinate her because I'm not tainted by evil.
I don't want to let her leave the country like this because she's not stupid.
But it's also difficult to promote a drifter mercenary as a knight.

And there's another reason why Lupis doesn't want to choose the means of assassination.
A reason that is hidden deep inside her heart, a reason that will never be revealed.
That is........
(If you choose to assassinate him, will you be able to defeat him with the knights in this country? .... if you fail and they find out what I've ordered you to do...
Of course, if a nation's forces were united, Mikoshiba Ryoma would be able to defeat him personally with no problem.
There was no way an individual could defeat a country.
However, it might be possible for him to escape.
If you think about it calmly, the probability of that is less than one in ten thousand.
But it's not an absolute.
And Mikoshiba Ryoma gives me a sense of something that might attract such a possibility.
Just as he made her the king of this country........
That man will never forgive me.
That fear binds Princess Lupis' heart.


Concon.

Excuse me, Your Highness but Mr. Sudo is here to see you. May I take him in?

Lupis and Mertina.
A tap on the maid's door broke the silence that had fallen between them.
Mertina saw Lupis nod.

'Let us in.'

At the same time as her voice, the door to the room was opened and Sudo, dressed in aristocratic clothing, walked in.

''Excuse me, Your Highness.......oh? She seems to be in some kind of distress. I shouldn't........I shouldn't let your beautiful face become so clouded. I may be presumptuous, but if you don't mind, I'll be happy to consult with you. Princess Lupis no, your new queen.

He said this out of the blue as he walked in.
It's hard to call him a polite man to begin with.

'You! How rude to your highness!

Mertina drew her sword from her waist and released it.
In this case, there would be few people who would attack her as having a temper.
Because Sudo's attitude is very difficult to say that he has the courtesy of royalty.

The first thing you need to do is to put your sword away, Mertina Sudo you need to have a little bit of decorum. We'll let you off the hook this time, but there won't be a next time, will there?

It's a good idea to have a good time with them.
But we both understand that this is just a formality.

I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make it work. I'm not busy. Simply put, please.

Lupis gave Sudo permission to be seated and then cut him off without pause.

It's not going to take much time. I'm sure your highness is troubled with the post-war process, so I thought I would relieve you of some of your worries, and that's why I took the time.

Mertina's eyebrows were frowned at.
What did Lupis mean by her face? I looked up at her.
But it was completely unexpected, even for her, and she couldn't find the words to say what to say.

'Well that's reassuring but do you know what's bothering me? Sudo.

Lupis questioned Sudo suspiciously.

''Of course. Or rather, anyone with even a modicum of vision would have noticed that ... regarding the treatment of Mikoshiba Ryoma, right?

At Sudo's words, Lupis inevitably stifles her agitation.
She, who is the king of a country, cannot express her upset so easily.
(No! No! Lupis! Don't let this guy see right through you! (Calm down ... calm down!

What are you talking about? Sudo.

What made Lupis say that? She asked Sudo while tilting her head back.
However, in Sudo's eyes, such a desperate performance of hers was the equivalent of a country play.

It's not a good idea to take up any more of His Highness' busy time.

Sudo said and sat up.
Mertina and Lupis' faces change color.

'Straddle up! Sudo-dono........Your Highness took time out of his busy schedule to listen to you. And now you want to leave without permission!

Mertina quickly and tactfully pushes Sudo aside.

''Huh? But if Your Highness's concern isn't about the treatment of Ryojin Mikoshiba this is completely pointless. It would be awkward to waste more of His Highness' busy time. So we'll leave you to your leisure as it is.

It was an auspicious word, but it was an obvious fact that it was false by the look on his face.
He is teasing Lupis and others.
Lupis would also like to hear Sudo's proposal.
It's because it might lead to a solution to the current situation where we're in limbo.
However, I can't admit that I'm unsure about the treatment of Mikoshiba Ryoma.

''Well Sudo. Since you've taken the time to listen to me, I'll just listen to you. Just talk to me.

Lupis ordered Sudo with the best of his ability to be emphatic.

''Huh. Well then, since we're here,''

Sudo decided that this was the right time to go, and sank his hips into the sofa again.


''From the above, it's very difficult to treat Mikoshiba Ryoma. If he was a person loyal to the kingdom, he could be promoted to a knight, but that's not possible for him as a mercenary.

Sudo's words caused them to change their complexion.
Because what they are troubled about is exactly as Sudo pointed out.

'The knights can't do it, we can't even send them out of the country. But that doesn't mean we can't kill them.......If we kill someone who has done so much, even if it's good now, it will surely leave a bad taste in the future.

Sudo cut off his words and looked up at Lupis with his eyes.
It's a good thing that you're a good sport. The fact is, this woman has no idea how to control a man who has crossed paths with His Highness Prince Shardina.
His eyes coldly assessed Lupis' abilities.

''Huh ... so? And how do you propose to resolve it?

Lupis stopped pretending to be uninterested.
She understood that there was no point in hiding it anymore.
Sudo smiled and said.

''I can't be a knight, and I don't want to send them out to other countries either. Then make him a nobleman.''

His words made Lupis cringe.
It was the same for Mertina, who was listening by the side.

''Nonsense........what are you saying.......commoners........and mercenaries who don't even know where the bones of the horse are from are nobles.... ...to?

Sudo nodded at Mertina's words as she squeezed them out.

''Don't be silly!''

Her angry voice echoes in the room.

'There's no way you could do that! No one recognizes a nobleman from a commoner! It's still more practical to promote him to knighthood!

Lupis could only nod at her words.

'And what about the territory! You're going to chip away at the direct control area!

To be a noble, you need a lordship.
Of course, you can give them estates under the direct control of the royal family, or estates of nobles to be destroyed in the next civil war.
But that wouldn't strengthen the power of the royal family.
Lupis wants to take the opportunity of the upcoming civil war to completely own the sovereignty of the state.
In order to do so, it is land above all else.
Even if the aristocrats unite, the king and his knights alone will need to have enough strength to survive the battle.
Considering the feelings of the nobles towards the commoners, there was no way they would choose to make Mikoshiba Ryoma a new nobleman.

But Sudo had already anticipated their objections.
He pulled a map from his pocket and spread it out on the table.

''What's this? A map of the eastern western continent?

Sudo nodded at Lupis' words and pointed to a point on the map.

''I will make this place his territory. What do you think? The lowest level of baronetcy would be fine... well, if it's just the size of the estate, you need a duke, but that's where it is, you know.

Both Lupis and Mertina were speechless at Sudo's words.
The land that Sudo pointed to was vast.
It is comparable to one-tenth of the entire Roselia Kingdom.
Giving such an estate to a commoner is an insane outrage.
But he's right, there's no fear of rebellion from the nobles.
Since no one would want to take possession of some land........

The Worthenian Peninsula...

A murmur escaped from Lupis' mouth.
Once again, Mikoshiba Ryoma's circle of fate began to turn.