Chapter 352 - Episode 344: An Unexpected Discovery ①
The Grand Duchy of Arqvist is a small country with a territory of about fifteen kilometers in both east-west and north-south directions, but the areas where people reside within the country are dispersed into several locations.
The core is the ducal capital, Noeina. Additionally, at the foot of the Lestio Mountains to the north lies the small city of Kilde, a base for mine development and a future gateway for trade with the Kingdom of Reveland. To the west of the capital is Aspida, which, while also small-scale, is a fortress city serving as the gateway to the Kingdom of Lancel.
Aside from those, there are four farming villages currently under development. These were established by Grand Duke Noein Arqvist to disperse the future population and agricultural production bases, and migration and land reclamation are still being encouraged today.
One such pioneer village is Lagara Village, located about an hour's journey southwest of the capital, Noeina. With a population of about one hundred people, this small village is currently the southernmost human settlement in the Grand Duchy of Arqvist.
Early March of the third year of the Public Calendar. A single boy living in that Lagara Village was lost in the forest.
"What should I do..."
During this season, when spring had arrived slightly earlier than usual, the boy had ventured into the forest to gather the forest's blessings, but he grew greedy and strayed far from the beast paths the villagers used during collection.
In an area where people normally did not enter, he became absorbed in gathering untouched berries and wild plants, and before he knew it, no matter which direction he looked, he could find no way back. Even looking up at the sky, it was cloudy today. He had no idea which direction the village lay.
As the boy wandered the forest in despair,
"...Huh, what is this place?"
He found a decayed structure that should not have existed in the middle of the forest.
.....
In April of the third year of the Public Calendar, an engagement announcement party for Eleos Arqvist and Margarete Rhodeberg is scheduled to be held in Lichthagen, the royal capital of the Kingdom of Rhodeberg.
Although it is a party merely to announce the engagement, there are still things that must be prepared.
For example, practicing Eleos's greetings. Since high-ranking nobles will gather at the party, he is being instructed so that Eleos can recite the greeting formulas to them. He is also having his bowing and etiquette practiced.
Strict etiquette is not required of a child who is only five years old this year, but if he can give a proper greeting even just for form, it will be beneficial as those around him will view him as a promising boy.
Additionally, there is the creation of the ceremonial clothing Eleos will wear at the party.
In the personal letter from Oscar, he was told that if they couldn't make it in time, the royal family would lend him clothes, but the Grand Ducal House of Arqvist is also the ruling house of a nation. In order to provide the attire themselves out of sheer pride, they had commissioned the house tailor based in the capital, Noeina. Thanks to paying a large sum of money to rush the order, it is scheduled to be finished with time to spare before the day of departure.
And then, information gathering.
They would pass through the Kingdom of Rhodeberg and meet the nobles of the Kingdom of Rhodeberg at the party. Noein, who had spent most of the last year and a half secluded within his own country, had simply investigated the reputation of himself and the Grand Duchy within the Kingdom of Rhodeberg from last autumn to the early spring of this year.
The inns where foreign merchants and their mercenary guards stayed, and the owners of the taverns and restaurants they frequented. The Skinner Company managed by the royal merchant Philip. And the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Baron Bart Heidemann, and his subordinates. By utilizing the information networks of such people, various stories would be heard with just a little earnest effort.
Noein had received a compiled report of these from Bart.
"...For the time being, as a general impression, it feels as though Noein-sama's reputation before independence has been carried over directly as the reputation of the Grand Duchy of Arqvist."
The mansion's conference room. Bart was reporting to Noein, Matilda, and the attending aide Yuri regarding the rumors gathered recently about the Grand Duchy of Arqvist. Since it was a gathering of only inner circle members, a relaxed atmosphere drifted through the room.
"If it's been carried over directly, does that mean there are still various things from praise to bad reviews?"
"That is correct. Especially since you accomplished the Wyvern subjugation late last summer, even among the negative reputations, there are many voices acknowledging Noein-sama's ability and the wealth of the Grand Duchy... but irony is inevitably mixed in."
"Heh, specifically?"
"...Then, I shall tell you the rumors exactly as they were heard. First, as for the positive evaluations, regarding the Grand Duchy, there are things like 'a paradise on earth' and 'the Kingdom's small friend.' Regarding Noein-sama, words such as 'a rare and great sovereign,' 'the Kingdom's sworn ally,' and 'a hero of both literary and military arts' are lined up."
"Ahaha, treated as a great sovereign and a hero in less than a year since the founding. They're a bit hasty."
An evaluation of being a great sovereign is usually one handed down by historians of later generations. Noein let out a laugh at the flattering talk.
"And as for the negative evaluations... regarding the Grand Duchy, there are things like 'a nouveau riche state,' 'a gutter where gold flows,' and 'a heaven ruled by a demon.' Regarding Noein-sama, 'greedy brat,' 'the demon of Bezel,' and also simply things like 'lunatic.' Recently, it seems you are also being called 'the lizard killer.' Around this point, it's just simple bad-mouthing."
Noein felt the presence of Matilda, sitting to his right, tightly clenching her fists, perhaps out of anger.
"A gutter where gold flows, huh... It's probably irony regarding the fact that the Grand Duchy of Arqvist is making profits through intermediary trade, but how selfish of them."
"Indeed. Even the northwestern nobles who are bad-mouthing you are mostly involved in that trade, scooping the gutter downstream,"
Yuri said displeasurably, while Noein chuckled airily, not seeming to care about the bad reputation of themselves.
"But there are some quite witty nicknames. 'A heaven ruled by a demon' is well thought out. If I could meet the person who first said it, I'd want to praise them. Also, 'the demon of Bezel' is quite good. Maybe I'll use it as my title in the Kingdom of Rhodeberg from now on."
"...Noein-sama. You are supposed to be angry at that part, for the record."
To Bart, who muttered in exasperation, Noein shook his head while still laughing.
"It's no use if I get angry. I don't have the power to change reputations in other places, and in the first place, independence was also for the purpose of distancing myself from nobles who say such things. It's better to leave such childish bad reputations alone and proceed with trade solemnly... Eventually, they will have to lick the demon's boots to curry favor."
Seeing Noein's smile deepen even more enjoyably as he said this, Yuri and Bart let out small sighs. As if half-resigning themselves to the fact that their sovereign was this kind of person.
"Excuse me, Your Excellency. This is an urgent report."
At that moment, the conference room door was knocked. The calling voice belonged to the Guard Captain, Baron Pence Schoenberg.
While being slightly surprised internally by the words "urgent report," Noein permitted Pence to enter. Pence, upon entering the room, gave a light salute, looked around at the people present, and perhaps deciding there was no problem speaking right then and there given the company, he opened his mouth.
"In the southern part of the Grand Duchy's territory, a slight... no, that would be a lie. A reasonably large problem has occurred."
"Last time it was Kilde in the north, and this time it's the south. So, what happened this time?"
Noein asked Pence, who was reporting with a subtle expression.
"Actually... it seems an unfamiliar ruin was discovered. It's about a few kilometers further southwest from Lagara Village."
"Ruins?"
"Yes. It seems several old buildings were standing in the forest. From the look of it, they suspect it might be some kind of workshop and its warehouse. They are considerably old, appearing to have been abandoned for centuries... rather than ruins, it's already an archaeological site."
At this strange story, Noein tilted his head slightly.
"If you say centuries, is it from the era of the proliferation of small states?"
"...Or perhaps even older, from the era of the Ancient Great Nation."
When Noein responded to Yuri's mutter, everyone present caught their breath slightly.
Because existing documents are few, there are many unknown points, but it is said that the Ancient Great Nation possessed technology and knowledge several levels more advanced than the present day.
If structures from that era were discovered in an untouched state, even if it was small-scale with only a few buildings, it was a terrifying thing. Depending on what remained inside, it could become a huge commotion.
"Pence, how were those ruins found?"
"It seems a village child got lost in the forest and discovered the ruins while walking, and the next day returned to the village on their own using the direction of the sun. Then, the village chief led the men of the village in the direction the child described, and the ruins were indeed there. A report entered the military from the village chief just a moment ago, so for now, I have dispatched one squad of the Guard."
If the Guard was watching over it, the preservation of the site should be fine for the time being. Thinking this, Noein felt relieved.
"For now, it seems best to see the site... Matilda, and I want Yuri to come along as well."
"Understood."
"Roger that."
"Also, Pence, tell Henrik to prepare the carriages. The Grand Ducal carriage, and since we might end up transporting something out of the ruins, two cargo carriages... no, make it three, please."
"Roger that."
"And arrange a pickup for Clara as well. She should be at the school right now."
"The Madam as well?"
To Pence, who asked with a surprised expression, Noein nodded.
"Clara is knowledgeable about history. She should be able to read some classical script as well. I want her knowledge when investigating the ruins."
"...I see. Then I will send a pickup from the Guard."
Answering as if convinced, Pence left the room.
Noein also stood up to prepare for departure, looking toward Bart.
"Sorry, Bart, even though you were in the middle of your report."
"It's fine. My report was almost finished. Besides, the matter of those ruins is obviously the priority."
"Thank you. Then, good work for today."
Seen off by Bart, who laughed as if he didn't mind, Noein and the others left the conference room.