-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The inner castle was completely in a festive mood.
What was peculiar was the diversity of attire worn by the people bustling about.
From those dressed in luxurious clothes like nobles to those dressed in stiff, cheap cloth, and even those wearing tattered rags.
All the citizens of the kingdom were freely coming and going from the palace.
"It's really open, the royal palace."
"Is it because it's a special day?"
The spacious garden was filled with ample food and drink, and people in various outfits gathered in small groups to enjoy the party.
Just then.
"Davian! Latia! Liber!"
Clins, who had been an independent soldier, approached, waving his hand high.
Liber also waved back.
"Clins!"
Alongside Clins were his wife, Arina, and his son, Roman.
Seeing the three of them dressed in clean silk clothes, they felt quite different from when they had met last year.
"Wow, Clins. Seeing you like this, you really look like a noble, don't you?"
"I did become a real noble. But it's not just us who look different."
Although it was a small country, it was the wedding of the kingdom's princess.
She was about to become queen.
Davian and his friends were also dressed in neat formal attire today, instead of their school uniforms.
"Wearing this, Lady Latia not only looks beautiful but also exudes elegance. Like the young lady of the first ducal family of a great nation."
Liber nodded vigorously.
"How did you know? Latia is from our kingdom... Ugh."
Latia covered Liber's mouth.
"Don't come all the way to another continent and say unnecessary things."
Clins smiled brightly, as if he understood roughly.
"Come this way. Her Majesty the Queen is waiting."
"She's become queen now?"
"Of course. She will become a great ruler, essential for the new Colonia Kingdom."
Following Clins' guidance, they entered the royal inner chamber.
His wife and child went separately to the party venue.
"Tell them the benefactors from the Pax Continent have arrived."
"Yes, Marquis."
Liber asked in surprise.
"Clins! You were a marquis?"
"That's what I've become this time."
After a while.
The attendant who had gone inside came out, opening the large doors.
"You may enter."
Entering through the large doors, they found an audience chamber that was more sizable than they had expected from the outside.
A long purple carpet was laid on the floor, and at the end of it were six steps symbolizing the throne and magic of Colonia.
On the throne sat a familiar face, Princess Kartia, with a bright expression.
"We greet Her Majesty the Queen."
Marquis Clins, who had walked in first, paid his respects.
Taken aback, Davian and Latia also bowed their heads.
Liber, who was bowing his head together from behind, whispered.
"The atmosphere is completely different!"
"I know."
Queen Kartia opened her mouth.
"Raise your heads, Lord Clins."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"And you don't have to pay respects like that."
The Queen, who had risen from the throne, came down the six steps and stood in front of Davian.
"I can't say it enough. Once again, on behalf of the Colonia Kingdom, I express my gratitude. Thanks to you, we were able to become an independent kingdom again. Of course... I don't know how long this peace will last."
That's right.
In fact, even if this small country officially declared independence.
It was obvious that if the Marino Empire's regular army pushed in once, it would become a colony again.
But it was impossible to give up on everything and live the life of a colonist just because they didn't know how long peace would last.
Davian, Latia, and Liber didn't know it.
In fact, significant changes were beginning to be detected here and there on the Manum Continent.
This happened after the Colonia Kingdom officially declared independence.
Even if they managed to drive out the stationed imperial army somehow, it was true that they couldn't cope with the imperial regular army or the imperial armies from neighboring colonies uniting and coming.
For that reason, the colonial states had been avoiding friction with the colonial headquarters as much as possible.
But.
Because Emperor Kaiser Lapax had entered closed-door training, the Colonia Kingdom was still maintaining its independence.
Of course, the fact that the emperor had entered closed-door training was known only to a very small number of officials.
So, to other colonial states, it could only appear that the Colonia Kingdom had achieved complete independence.
This fact instilled a strong sense of inspiration in many colonial states.
Colonial states that had been secretly forming alliances while avoiding the eyes of the Marino Empire emerged one after another.
The number of independent armies in each kingdom also increased significantly.
Of course, battles and friction with the imperial army became much more frequent.
Even if the Marino Empire's military power was overwhelming, the number was insufficient to suppress all the numerous colonies on this vast continent.
For that reason, there had also been a tendency to carry out more fear politics, but even that didn't work well after the Colonia Kingdom independence incident.
The fact that the Colonia Kingdom had become independent and the fact that the emperor had entered closed-door training were all related to Davian.
In other words, it was ultimately Davian Naone who had stirred up a huge wind of change on the Manum Continent.
"Have there been any movements from the imperial army since then?"
"Fortunately, not yet. In the meantime, the chief wizard has regrouped the wizards who were hiding and established educational institutions. It won't be as good as before, but a magic corps for border defense will soon be operational again."
"That's a relief."
"It's all thanks to you."
Liber asked.
"The wedding is tomorrow, right?"
"Yes. We'll have an eve party tonight, and the formal wedding is at noon tomorrow. But in fact, tonight is the biggest event."
"But the wedding is tomorrow?"
"It's more important to enjoy a party with the people who are alive now than to present the marriage contract to the former kings. They've been living under oppression for a long time."
Latia nodded.
"You'll be a good queen."
"It's awkward that only I'm speaking informally. You guys can speak comfortably too. You're not citizens of our kingdom."
Their ages were similar.
"Should we? Okay, then. Anyway, congratulations on your wedding."
Liber looked at Latia with a surprised expression.
Even though it's not our kingdom, how can they speak so comfortably to the queen of a country?
"Who's the groom?"
This time, she looked at Davian with an even more surprised expression.
Even you, Davian.
"Oh, he'll come tonight. The youngest son of Grand Duke Poluman."
"Grand Duke?"
"He's a grand duke family that has had an alliance with the Empire since before the Marino Empire started a full-scale war of invasion. It's the largest in scale on our continent as a single family. It hasn't been targeted for invasion because it hasn't had a bad relationship with the Empire from the beginning, and instead, it has been recognized as a grand duke and is living peacefully."
Liber asked.
"There was a place that wasn't invaded by the Marino Empire? No, there was?"
"Well, it's not a kingdom or a tribe. It's just a single family, but it's incredibly large in scale."
"How big is the scale? No, how big is it?"
Queen Kartia shrugged.
"I've never been there either. I only know that it's bigger than our kingdom, of course, and it's the second largest power after the Marino Empire's imperial family."
"It's a huge family..."
"It has an unbelievably large scale as a single family. Lord Clins has worked hard for this marriage."
Marquis Clins bowed his head.
"I have only done what I should do for the kingdom. Rather, I am once again grateful that Your Majesty made a quick decision."
"What. If it's for the peace of our kingdom and people, it doesn't matter who I marry."
Davian nodded.
So.
By maintaining a good relationship with the Marino Empire's imperial family and marrying the grand duke family, which is the largest power after the imperial family, they are trying to guarantee the kingdom's safety.
Perhaps Clins and the other ministers came up with the idea.
The queen, who knows well that the kingdom is in a situation like a candle in the wind, seems to have accepted the marriage without hesitation.
'They are also living fiercely day by day.'
Queen Kartia clapped her hands.
"Now, let's go out and enjoy the festival. Eat as much delicious food as you want. Ah. Lord Clins, is that ready?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. Someone there!"
At Marquis Clins' shout, a royal attendant came in with hurried steps.
In his hands, he held something wrapped in purple silk.
"I don't know if this will have any meaning, but it's our Colonia Kingdom's honorary citizenship. The three of you can enter our kingdom at any time. You can also ask our kingdom for help at any time."
A boisterous royal garden.
On one side, nobles were dancing to the accompaniment of string music.
On one side, commoners were drinking.
Some people, wearing cloth that was hard to tell whether it was clothes or rags, were lying on the grass in the corner, having eaten their fill, and had fallen into a deep sleep.
No one gave each other a look or tried to forcibly mingle.
They were just enjoying the eve of the Queen's wedding in their own way.
"This is my first time at such a free-spirited party."
"I know. The atmosphere is very different from the Alkanxia Kingdom. A party where nobles and beggars enjoy together."
Davian replied.
"The desire for free citizens would have been the same."
"Has the Marino Empire united the people of the kingdom even more?"
"But we shouldn't have to go through something like this."
Just then.
"Liber!"
It was Marquis Clins.
"Yes?"
"There is someone who wants to meet you. If you have time, would you like to come with me?"
"Who is it?"
"He's a wizard who has been researching mental magic, and he seems to have been quite shocked by the mental magic you showed on the day of the final battle."
Liber's eyes sparkled.
"Really? Then I should meet him."
"Follow me."
"Davian, Latia. I'll be back."
After Liber left his seat.
Latia raised her hand towards a passing server.
"Davian, a glass of wine?"
"Wine?"
"Because it's a good day. And everyone looks happy."
As they became 4th graders, Davian and Latia turned over 20 years old.
Until last year, they were only old enough to drink low-alcohol beer, but now they were old enough to drink all kinds of alcohol.
Of course, this is not the Alkanxia Kingdom, so the laws there do not apply.
The server placed two glasses of wine on the table where Davian and Latia were sitting.
Latia raised the glass filled with red wine.
"Davian."
Davian also followed Latia's lead and brought the wine glass to his mouth.
Perhaps because the climate was different, it tasted different from the wine of the Pax Continent.
It was sweeter and more fragrant.
"Yeah?"
"Who do you want to marry?"
"Suddenly?"
"No, just. I was wondering if Queen Kartia's married life would be happy. She's getting married because she needs a force to protect the kingdom."
"That's true. She's still young, but her heart is great."
"So Davian, you?"
"Huh?"
"Who do you want to marry?"
Comments
Post a Comment