Chapter 356 - Episode 348: Transitions
In the latter half of March, in the third year of the Public Calendar and the 222nd year of the Kingdom Calendar, the party of the Grand Ducal House of Arqvist departed from the public capital, Noeina.
As the head of the house, Noein, the Grand Duchess Clara, the heir Eleos, and the Grand Daughter Philia were all heading to Lichthagen, the royal capital of the Kingdom of Rhodeberg, they were accompanied by many guards and servants, bringing the total size of the party to approximately forty people.
It was a large-scale journey, with seven cavalrymen and fifteen infantrymen guarding a convoy of four carriages in total, carrying the Grand Ducal family and their attendants, puppet mages and their golems, and luggage.
If they were using Betumia-made magic carriages, the journey to Lichthagen would take ten days one way, but because there were many people in the party and they were carrying the young Eleos and Philia, they moved somewhat slowly, taking about half a month, which was longer than usual.
Since there were unlikely to be any insolent people who would openly commit evil acts against the party of a friendly nation's ruling house, Noein and the others arrived in Lichthagen without incident along the way.
Once they had settled in after entering the Arqvist Grand Ducal family's villa in the noble district of Lichthagen, Noein's family first headed to the villa of the House of Count Koenitz.
They went to let Arnold and Eleonore, who were currently living an elegant life in the royal capital, see the faces of their grandchildren, and after that, Arnold and the head of the house would enter into political discussions.
"Even so, you really do run into a lot of trouble, don't you, Noein?"
"It's not as if I enjoy getting into troublesome situations, though."
Normally, the engagement announcement party for Eleos and Margarete should have been the first topic of conversation, but today's discussion was about the discovery of the ruins and the magic tools for attack magic. Regarding this matter, Noein had revealed the details only to the House of Count Koenitz at this stage, other than to the royal family.
In fact, it was Arnold who had secretly relayed the news of the discovery of the ruins and magic tools to Oscar. To prevent the talk of the magic tools from leaking externally even by some small chance, Noein had relied on the connections of his father-in-law in the royal capital this time.
"Twelve magic tools for attack magic, huh. When I first heard it, I thought it was a joke."
The one saying this with a wry smile was Arnold's eldest son, Frederick. Since he was to be introduced to the attendees as the acting lord of the Count Koenitz territory using the occasion of this announcement party, he had also come to the royal capital.
"It is a great discovery... the advantage of possessing them is significant, but the amount of groundwork necessary to avoid conflict is a lot, and it's exhausting."
"The royal family likely won't be able to rejoice together with both hands raised. Even if it is a friendly nation, a foreign country right next door will end up possessing a large number of powerful weapons. His Majesty Oscar will likely have complicated feelings."
As the son and son-in-law discussed this with grim faces, Arnold spoke again.
"However, His Majesty will not do something like forcibly seizing the magic tools from the Arqvist family. Magic tools for attack magic are certainly precious, but they aren't something he would want to the point of antagonizing the Grand Ducal House of Arqvist, which holds territory in a strategic location and, moreover, will become relatives in the future."
"I think so too, but this is diplomacy between countries, after all. I'll do my best to secure an advantageous commitment while spreading smiles to His Majesty... wait, is it bad to put it that way in front of you two, as expected?"
"Hahaha, I'll pretend I didn't hear that."
Frederick gave a wry smile to Noein, who covered his mouth.
No matter how close they were as relatives, Noein had to consider the interests of the Grand Duchy first, and the members of the House of Count Koenitz remained, strictly speaking, in the position of Rhodeberg Kingdom nobles. When discussing things in depth, it could occasionally become subtly awkward.
"...By the way, I heard there will be many young faces at this announcement party."
"Yes. From our side, Frederick will attend, and the eldest daughter of His Excellency Bechtolsheim will also be attending. I hear that the House of Marcel and the House of Shuvalov will only have their heirs attending as representatives."
When Noein changed the subject, Arnold nodded.
"The faction leaders and deputy leaders have reached a certain age. It's about time that a change of generations is being considered. The current Count Shuvalov might be this year or next. His Excellency Bechtolsheim will likely change leadership after spending the next few years fully introducing his eldest daughter's face to those around her. Count Marcel will be a bit later."
It seemed that the person to succeed Marquis Siegfried Bechtolsheim had been decided as the eldest daughter due to her own qualities, and Noein had met her several times.
Even though she was the eldest daughter, she was already in her mid-thirties, an age where it wouldn't matter when she inherited the title.
Noein had met the eldest son of Count Marcel several times, starting with his own wedding, and his impression was that he was an honest and capable person.
As for the House of Count Shuvalov, the Count himself was over seventy, and most of the practical work of managing the territory was handled by his son in his mid-forties. There was even a laughable rumor that the head of the house, Anton, who continued to stand at the forefront of trade political struggles almost as a hobby, was being scolded by his family to finally retire.
"The Koenitz family is no exception. That's why I had Frederick come to the royal capital this time. Once trade with the Grand Duchy becomes more stable and Frederick becomes more accustomed to government affairs, I intend to step down from the position of head of the house. It probably won't take another ten years."
"...I thought I understood, but the faces supporting the Kingdom of Rhodeberg at the forefront are also changing."
"That's how it is. Has it been eleven years since you founded the Arqvist family? After that much time has passed and so many various events have occurred, the noble society and the kingdom society itself change. I've grown old, and you too, compared to when we first met, the atmosphere you wrap yourself in has changed considerably."
Being told this, Noein wore a slightly lonely smile.
Noein was different from when he was an innocent boy of fifteen. He had a country, people, and a family to protect. To protect them, he fought, was wounded, and grew tired.
When looking at his face in a mirror or the surface of water, the number of times he thought he had aged increased. His appearance was still baby-faced as always, but he began to feel a mature air, mismatched with that face, emanating from his own countenance.
Where he happened to cast his gaze, Clara was chatting with Eleonore and Renette beside where Eleos, Philia, and Samuel were playing. She, too, was different from before. Now she had the face of a mother with children, and the face of a consort protecting a country together with her husband. She had become a strong adult woman from a sheltered daughter with an anxious expression.
Matilda, who waited quietly behind Noein, had become more beautiful than before.
Due to the characteristics of rabbit-folk, her appearance was more youthful compared to ordinary humans of the same age. However, the expression of one who had always stayed by Noein's side and layered her life together with Noein's radiated a more deep and glossy charm. Since she continued to train even now as Noein's guard, her body was supple and toned.
She was not merely beautiful. She was not merely obedient. She was not merely reliable. Even more than before, she had become an existence that could be called Noein's other half, an existence that supported all of Noein.
And his son, Eleos, although it was the result of political intentions intervening, would be engaged to his future partner in a few days. Even though not long ago, he was still a baby.
"When I first started the reclamation, I didn't think the day would come when I'd actually feel that I've aged."
"Hahaha, if someone of Noein-dono's youth says they've aged, there's no place for us to stand."
"Hmph, I too used to think I'd be young forever. The more years you add, the shorter a single year begins to feel. Be prepared for that from now on."
Noein responded to the words of Frederick and Arnold with a wry smile.
Things had changed this much in about ten years. He couldn't even imagine how many changes would occur in the next ten years.
Until now, he had been looking only at the future, but before he noticed, he had come to carry a reasonably long past. While that was a bit painful, when he thought that the pain was proof of the life he had accumulated, it felt strangely comfortable.