Chapter 415 - Episode 398: Goodwill Visit
Early July of the fourth year of the Public Calendar. In the dedicated theater of the Grand Ducal Noeina Theater Troupe, located in Noeina, the capital of the Grand Duchy of Arqvist, a certain play was being performed.
"Now! The enemy's formation has broken! Do not let this chance for victory slip away! For the sake of saving our allied nation, advance!"
Shouting loudly atop the stage, clad in a costume mimicking the military uniform of Noein, was the actor playing the lead role. He was a handsome man known as the troupe's star actor.
Beside the lead actor, who stirred the story with a demeanor and appearance that extremely beautified Noein, another lead for this production—a young actress, a newcomer of the beastfolk—raised her voice.
"This is a battle to protect our future! For our families! For the happy future of our descendants! For victory! Let us move forward!"
Instruments clashed in time with the newcomer actress's climactic line, the actors moved, and the play reached its peak of excitement.
What was depicted in this play was the battle against Kaia Virgoa's forces, which took place last year at the border between the Kingdom of Revelant and the former Marquisate of Dale in the northern part of the Adleon continent.
The Grand Ducal Noeina Theater Troupe, which operated under the patronage of the sovereign Noein, had the role of dramatizing Noein's achievements in this manner to increase the love and respect of the Grand Duchy of Arqvist's citizens toward their sovereign.
The joint struggle with the Kingdom of Revelant, Noein's most recent achievement, had also been turned into a war chronicle play, and performances had begun around the spring of this year.
While the audience seats were bustling, Noein—the model for this play—sat in the VIP seats, which were built one level higher at the back center, accompanied by Clara, Matilda, Eleos, and Philia.
Furthermore, beside Noein were the figures of King Gabriel Revelant and Princess Helga Revelant. Watching themselves depicted in the play, Gabriel wore an amused smile, while Helga wore a slightly embarrassed one.
Noein had arranged this theater outing to entertain the two, who were on a goodwill visit from the Kingdom of Revelant to the Grand Duchy of Arqvist. The fact that Gabriel and Helga were depicted as impressively as Noein himself was the result of Noein personally making requests to Carlos, the director of the troupe.
The play depicted the brilliant victory of the Revelant Kingdom army and the Arqvist Grand Duchy army, concluded with Noein and Gabriel swearing unchanging friendship as sovereigns of allied nations, and further, Noein and Helga exchanging words before Noein set out on his return journey.
As the applause of the audience echoed and the post-performance commotion settled down, Noein turned toward Gabriel and Helga.
"King Gabriel, Princess Helga, how was it?"
"It was truly interesting. My own country has performers who put on plays, but you possess a fine troupe as well."
"I enjoyed it very much as well, but... how should I put it, seeing myself depicted as such a wonderful princess makes me feel embarrassed when I think of my own actual immaturity."
While Gabriel spoke in a good mood, Helga shared her impressions with a smile mixed with bewilderment.
"Dramatization is a natural part of stories, so there are times when I am depicted in ways that make me feel embarrassed as well. However, regarding that... let us call it the perk of being in a position where one's achievements are recounted and recorded in history. I shall accept it willingly."
"...Then, I shall think of it as such."
Helga responded with a faint, wry smile to Noein's mischievous grin.
"Even so, it is surprising that in a play from a nation in the southern part of the continent, we beastfolk are depicted so prominently."
"Regarding the previous battle, I felt that the achievements of Your Majesty and Your Highness should be depicted on a large scale. Besides, my country has many beastfolk subjects. Even in a country where the racial gap is small, they are delighted when a person of the same attribute is played by an actor of the same attribute. The actress who played Princess Helga is the first beastfolk actor in the Noeina Troupe; she is still a newcomer, but she has already gathered fervent support with this production."
When Noein answered Gabriel, who had murmured with deep emotion, Helga blushed slightly beside Gabriel.
"Well, somehow I feel happy as if it were my own success... Excellency Arqvist, would it be possible for me to greet the actress who played me?"
"Of course. Please allow me to introduce you both to the director, who handled the script and direction, and the actors who performed."
Nodding readily to Helga's request, Noein guided the two backstage.
.....
After finishing the viewing of the Grand Ducal Noeina Theater Troupe, Noein guided Gabriel and Helga through various parts of the capital city, Noeina.
The commercial district where various shops lined the streets. The central plaza bustling with open-air stalls. The monument built adjacent to the church to honor the warriors who fell protecting this land.
Once the guidance ended, they returned to the Grand Ducal residence, and after a break, they had dinner. After the meal, while Clara and Helga held a tea party as women, Noein talked with Gabriel while tilting their wine cups.
"This has been a truly enjoyable visit... I feel quite apologetic that I had you accompany me in my own country's war, yet I receive such peaceful time during my own visit."
"Hahaha, please do not let it bother you. Last year's crisis in your country was also a crisis for mine. Besides, there was a bit of a commotion in my own country until just a few months ago. I am glad that you could visit during a peaceful period."
Noein answered Gabriel's words with a faint, wry smile.
Last year, Noein was supposed to have made a goodwill visit, but because the Kingdom of Revelant was struck by war, the first visit became military relief.
Visiting peacefully like this, or welcoming the other's visit, was how their relationship should originally be, and it could be said that the exchange between the Arqvist Grand Ducal House and the Revelant Royal House had finally been reset into an ideal form.
Gabriel and Helga spent the first day after arriving in the Grand Duchy and the following two days quietly at the Grand Ducal residence, partly to heal the fatigue of their journey. During that time, Noein guided them through the grounds of the residence, showing them his prized study, the skeletal specimen of a Wyvern's head, and the laboratory for Clara's historical research.
Then, yesterday and today, he guided them within the capital Noeina and arranged the theater outing accordingly.
With this, the schedule for the goodwill visit ended successfully, and Gabriel would depart the capital Noeina tomorrow afternoon. After spending one night in the northern mining city of Kilde, he planned to begin the return journey to the Kingdom of Revelant.
"...Until today, it was fine to simply enjoy the visit, but from tomorrow, I shall be harboring worries. Ah, no, it is by no means that I have anxiety about entrusting my daughter to you."
"Yes, I understand. Since it is your daughter's first diplomacy in the southern part of the continent, it is only natural that you would be worried. Especially since the destination is the Kingdom of Lancel."
Saying so, Noein added another faint, wry smile.
Tomorrow, only Gabriel would depart to return to the Kingdom of Revelant, and Helga would remain in the Grand Duchy of Arqvist, setting out on a diplomatic mission with Noein in one week.
The destination was the Kingdom of Lancel to the west. The purpose of the visit was to attend the wedding reception of the current Queen, Anrietta Lancel, and Klaus Rhodeberg, the second son of Oscar Rhodeberg III.
As Anrietta, who would turn nineteen this year, welcomed a royal consort for the sake of the Lancel Royal House and the stability of the kingdom, the fifteen-year-old Klaus had been chosen. The marriage of the two would become a symbol of the restoration of friendship between the Kingdom of Lancel and the Kingdom of Rhodeberg, and would be a connection that almost certainly guaranteed the peace of that friendly relationship at least until the next generation.
At the end of last year, the schedule for this wedding reception was officially announced by both royal houses, and naturally, an invitation arrived for Noein. Upon hearing this, Helga was the one who offered that she wished to attend as the representative of the King of the Kingdom of Revelant.
Based on the advice she received from Noein last year, Helga had thought about what she must do as the next Queen of the Kingdom of Revelant, and it seemed she concluded that the first step toward the development of the country and the improvement of the status of beastfolk was for her own country to build firm connections with the various nations of the southern continent.
As a small step prior to taking that first step, she would attend an important social gathering of the southern nations, which were intolerant of beastfolk, despite being royalty of a beastfolk nation in the northern continent. She would make that fact a single achievement for the future. That was Helga's objective this time.
When Noein, requested by Helga, sounded out the Kingdom of Lancel regarding her attendance on a "nothing to lose" basis, it was unclear what political intentions were at work, but a reply arrived stating that Helga was welcome in the name of Anrietta. Therefore, Helga was to visit the Kingdom of Lancel together with Noein.
"...Certainly, I hoped that my daughter would grow into a person fitting for the next Queen. The fact that my daughter is showing an attitude of thinking for herself and acting for the development of the country and the improvement of the status of beastfolk in the southern continent while still a princess is likely something to be rejoiced in, both as a king and as a parent... but, as expected, I do become worried, and somehow I feel lonely. It is embarrassing to admit."
The expression of Gabriel, who spoke in a tone drifting with melancholy, was not that of a king right now. He was just a father, like any other, who found it difficult to let go of his child.
"Since I also have a daughter, I believe I can imagine Your Majesty's feelings."
A long time ago, before Clara married into Noein's house, Arnold had shown a face similar to the current Gabriel. If the day comes when Philia grows up and leaves his own hand as her father, he will likely wear such an expression as well. Thinking of such things, Noein smiled gently.
"Please be at ease. My excellent guards will also accompany the visit to the Kingdom of Lancel. I promise that I will do my utmost to protect Princess Helga, both in terms of physical safety and political safety."
Protecting Helga's physical safety was the responsibility of the Revelant Royal House, namely Gabriel, and naturally, Helga would be accompanied by attendants and guards from the Revelant Royal House's side. Even if some unfortunate event occurred, it would be the responsibility of the Lancel Royal House who invited the guest, or Gabriel who decided to send the princess; Noein would bear no responsibility whatsoever.
Still, Noein spoke thus from the position of a friend who was a fellow sovereign, in order to put Gabriel at ease even a little.
"...I am grateful. You have done nothing but treat me well."
To Gabriel, who gave a wry smile as he said this, Noein laughed and lightly raised his cup, telling him not to worry about it.
This was a favor that could be sold with sincere words and attitude alone. It was better to sell as much as possible. While wearing a gentle smile, Noein was thinking such things in his heart.