Chapter 2 - Falanya's Resolution
“—We need to talk about the meeting between the Imperial children.”
Rewind back to a meeting room in the palace of Natra lined with only the most important vassals. They were looking at one thing: Crown Prince Wein sitting at the head of the table.
“As I believe you’ve already heard, the children of the Imperial family will be gathering in the city of Mealtars, located in the center of the continent. On paper, our invitation is for another ceremony hosted in the city at the same time to entertain the most influential players in all the land, including Natra.”
Wein didn’t even pause for a second. “Make no mistake. This meeting is incredibly important. It would be the most proper if I were the one to attend. Unfortunately, however, we are in the middle of recovering from war. Which is why I’m bringing it to you. Let me hear your input about whether I should attend.”
Wein took a sweeping look at his vassals, asking each one of them for input.
They started to offer their opinions.
“As you said, Prince Wein, we are in the middle of a transitionary period as a nation. We must tread carefully. Things might take a turn for the worse if you left the kingdom right now, Your Highness.”
“Please. It’s not just the Imperial children who will be in attendance. The greatest minds of each nation will be present, too. If the next emperor is chosen at this meeting, it would reflect badly on us as an allied kingdom if we fail to send a proper representative.”
“How do we know they’ll actually assign someone to the throne? Is it worth neglecting your country for a mere hypothetical?”
“Then we can support the nation in His Highness’s absence. Or is there nothing useful in that skull of yours?”
“What was that?!”
“Quiet, please. You are standing before royalty.”
The meeting room filled with varying opinions flying left and right. Wein listened for a nugget of wisdom within the fighting words.
Looks about fifty-fifty.
If this had happened a year prior, they most likely would have insisted he attend. However, in a short amount of time, the Empire had declined in power, and Natra had actually gained territory. Things were looking up. This had made the vassals a little too overconfident.
—At this rate, they’ll decide I should sit it out! Wein thought gleefully.
He never had any intention of going. There were a number of reasons for this, including that he was simply too busy, especially since the war with Cavarin had led to the expansion of the kingdom’s territory. Nothing like it had ever occurred within living memory, which meant they currently had no system in place to handle it.
That was why there were reports of confusion and disorder in the newly gained territory. It was like mashing together gears that didn’t fit. Wein had his hands full.
Another reason was Lowellmina. All of the surrounding nations believed Natra sided with her faction, because he had a hand in suppressing the civil insurrection in Earthworld.
Naturally, Wein had no plans on joining her side. However, if he accepted the invitation, he knew for a doggone fact that Lowellmina would use every method at her disposal to get him to aid her cause.
And there’s absolutely no way I’m letting that happen! Backing her would be more trouble than it’s worth!
That said, a chance to meet with the Imperial princes would be huge. Wein wanted to talk to them if he could. But if he accepted the invite, he would have to side with Lowellmina, which meant instantly making enemies of the three princes. And that wouldn’t be good at all.
Well, it’s not like they’ll decide on the emperor anyway.
The summit was an opportunity to discuss who would be the next emperor. But Wein could tell this event was mostly a performance.
The internal strife had damaged the standing of the Empire, and the people were anxious about the lack of a new emperor. This meeting was supposed to pacify them, let the people know the Imperial family wanted to decide who would inherit the throne with words instead of violence. This was also meant to show the Empire still had the clout to assemble all the major powers in one place.
If the Imperial throne was to remain empty, Wein could atone for declining the invitation using diplomatic strategies at a later time. For all these reasons, Wein had ultimately decided to turn down the request.
Heh. I can practically see the look on Lowa’s face when she gets the news that I’m not coming.
As Wein continued to think about the most pointless things, he suddenly realized a pair of eyes were on him. They belonged to a young girl who was sitting a short distance from him—his younger sister, Falanya.
Wein wasn’t the only one from the royal family in attendance, as he was joined by the crown princess.
Hmm? What’s up?
She was staring at him as if she wanted to say something but found it hard to actually give voice to the idea. Wein considered the possibilities before it finally hit him.
Oh, I bet she’s thinking I’ll have time to play with her if I turn down this invitation.
Now that he thought about it, he realized Falanya had recently found a reason to follow Wein around. She must have gotten lonely because she hadn’t been winning his attention. Though he had been busy, Wein was disappointed in himself as an older brother for not realizing this sooner.
Rest easy, Falanya. I’ll find a way to make time for you.
Maybe they could enjoy a dance or some poetry together. They could also go for a long ride on horseback.
Wein turned to his younger sister and smiled.
In recent days, Falanya Elk Arbalest had one fear: There was nothing she could do to help out.
The source of her worries was Wein, who was positively overworked.
Ever since he’d assumed the role of prince regent, he had been burdened with a great number of duties. It wasn’t just the usual work involved to keep the nation running. He had to deal with foreign diplomacy and orchestrate wars and perform a whole slew of other miscellaneous tasks.
Hoping to lessen his burden, Falanya had earnestly applied herself to studying politics and attended meetings in his stead. These tasks had given her a modest amount of confidence.
But even that had been squashed when their borders grew and Wein’s workload exponentially increased.
I can’t even handle 10 percent of his job… I have to find something that I can do…!
With her strong sense of duty driving her, Falanya had opted to follow Wein around. She kept out of his way, searching for something she could do in his place.
I wonder if I can attend the summit for Wein…
She was the crown princess of Natra. That gave her the right to attend. It would also allow Wein to focus on the kingdom’s internal politics while she handled the external stuff. This arrangement would be mutually beneficial.
But…
It was an armchair theory. Never mind talking to important foreign officials, Falanya had never even been outside Natra. Could she be trusted as a diplomat?
What does Wein think…?
Falanya glanced over at him. He was her big brother. He had to know what she was thinking. All she wanted was for him to say she should go in his place. Then she could nod without hesitation.
Wein must have noticed her gaze, because his eyes shot toward hers.
gh! Falanya was floored.
Her brother’s normally kind and gentle eyes had narrowed in focus as he appraised her. Like a parent waiting for their child to stand for the first time. It was both affectionate and solemn.
I’m so weak, Falanya scolded herself.
By wishing he would support her decision, she had practically hoisted the responsibility of the choice onto Wein. That would never do in meetings with foreign dignitaries.
Falanya’s mind raced. Wein is waiting…for me to think and act for myself!
Wein stifled a yawn. Crap, I almost fell asleep.
Ninym stood dutifully behind him. I feel there’s been a grave misunderstanding…
As the lords continued to shout at one another, Falanya stood up resolutely.
“—I shall attend the summit in Wein’s stead.”
Her declaration took the vassals by surprise. Wein’s eyeballs practically shriveled up and plopped out of his skull. Ninym stared up at the ceiling.
This moment cemented Falanya’s debut on the diplomatic stage.
I never imagined Princess Falanya would be the one to attend… Lowellmina’s brain churned as she looked at Falanya sitting across from her.
After Wein’s younger sister finished up the formalities, Lowellmina had suggested they chat over tea. Things had been okay until then—but this conversation was going absolutely nowhere.
“How has your time in Mealtars been? Were you surprised by how different the weather is from Natra?”
“Indeed.”
“I highly recommend visiting our markets to see the goods we import from all across the continent.”
“If the opportunity arises.”
“……”
That was the gist of it.
There were a few reasons to account for this behavior. Falanya was nervous. It was hard to find a topic of mutual interest. But it was mainly because Falanya had all her defenses up against Lowellmina.
I did see a glimpse of this when I met her before. But…
It wasn’t the first time Lowellmina had met Falanya. They had spoken on occasion when the Imperial princess had been in Natra, though their exchanges had been limited to a brief word or two. But that was because Falanya had handled domestic affairs of state while Lowellmina and Wein were busy leading the war effort.
That contributed to the mystery. Why was she being so cautious? She had no reason to like or dislike Lowellmina.
If anything, Wein or Ninym might have said something to her.
Lowellmina glanced behind Falanya, straight at her attendant who was standing up. It was Wein’s aide, Ninym. Under his orders, she had accompanied Falanya as her temporary assistant.
Lowellmina and Ninym were childhood friends. But at this moment, it seemed Ninym wouldn’t act in that way, even if Lowellmina were to affectionately look her way.
So she won’t mediate this discussion with Princess Falanya, huh. Well, this is a royal mess…
It had to be Wein’s doing. It wouldn’t shock her if he had told Falanya a whole tangle of lies and warned her to stay on her guard. Maybe something along the lines of:
You won’t find anyone with a worse personality on this entire continent than her.
She’s the type to stab you while wearing a huge grin.
You know, I bet she wears a push-up bra.
All he did was meddle in her affairs. Lowellmina hoped to avoid souring her relationship with the representative of the kingdom that she wanted to join her faction.
We can start by talking about Wein to loosen her up.
Clearly, Falanya had a soft spot for Wein.
With the intention to use him to open up their conversation, Lowellmina began to speak.
As it turned out, Lowellmina’s assumptions were largely correct.
Once she had been chosen to act as the representative of Natra, Falanya immediately began poring over anything that could be even remotely pertinent to the meeting, which obviously included information on Lowellmina. Falanya thought back on their little lesson.
“Let’s start with the Imperial princess.” Wein turned toward Falanya, who was perched on a chair in the meeting room. “After she managed to stop the revolt in the Empire, enough citizens flocked to her side to be recognized as their own faction.”
He went on. “The princess could have led them and declared her claim to the throne—”
“But she didn’t, did she?” Falanya asked.
Wein nodded.
Even though Lowellmina had spoken to Wein and Ninym about taking the throne, she hadn’t made a formal announcement that she was thinking about exercising her right. Obviously, it wasn’t because of a change of heart. The real answer was shockingly logical.
“The people have sided with the princess only because they’re tired of the fighting that’s going on between the three princes. It’s not because they stand behind her vision or particularly want to see her on the throne. I think she knows that if she lets the public know that she’s vying for the position, they’ll shut her down and accuse her of trying to prolong the infighting. In essence, she’s made her faction a patriotic one.”
The main concern of this group was the future of the Empire. Lowellmina had gathered these Empire-loving people under her banner by hiding her own ambitions. Their aim was exceedingly simple. They needed to avoid a falling-out between the princes, as that would cause the civil conflict to surge up again and fracture the Empire. They had gone around to all the lords, convincing them to come together to decide on the next emperor.
“Compared to the princes, her faction has negligible military strength. But she’s using this to her advantage, positioning herself as the one who cares only about the future of the Empire. If anyone tries to forcibly silence her, they’ll become a public enemy.”
Lowellmina was correct. The populace thought the matter should be diplomatically resolved, but the three princes were unable to do that. After all, each was convinced they would be the best emperor.
And she alone had managed to find a logical approach. The princes didn’t have the grounds to claim she was wrong, and they couldn’t employ violence either, lest it become cause for censure. They were in a gridlock.
Lowellmina had single-handedly undermined the princes’ authority, while her own reputation skyrocketed. She was practically entering the bonus round with her high approval rating.
“…She’s the worst.”
“You’re telling me,” Wein said, nodding at her observation.
Says you! Lowellmina would have screeched if she’d been in the room.
“When the princes finally hit rock bottom, that will ignite something in the loyalists, and she can waltz in, promoting herself as the replacement. I’m guessing that’s her long-term plan.”
“Does that mean this summit is intended to make the princes look bad?”
“I think that’s one thing she’s after. Well, I doubt it’s the whole story. In any case, Falanya, be careful of Lowellmina. She’s the type to stab you while wearing a huge grin—”
—That had concluded their little discussion before her departure.
According to Wein, Princess Lowellmina is an overambitious woman vying for the throne…
That was what her beloved brother had told her. Falanya had no reason to doubt him. Plus, she had two other reasons for being especially weary of Lowellmina.
There’s no way I’ll let her marry Wein!
That was one.
Talk of marriage had come up between Wein and Lowellmina. Circumstances at the time had prevented any concrete decisions, but that didn’t mean the idea was completely off the table. There was a possibility she would become Wein’s wife one day.
I won’t ever let that happen! Wein belongs with Ninym!
Wein was an older brother worthy of the highest respect. And Falanya knew the only one who deserved to stand by his side was Ninym. She was like an older sister to Falanya, not to mention that anyone could see there was a deep bond between Wein and his aide. Was there room for others to come between them? Not a chance.
Basically, Falanya shipped Wein with Ninym. A romance with Lowellmina would never be canon. Given the latest developments, some people were hoping Wein and Zenovia might get together, but Falanya was completely devoted to backing Wein and Ninym as the one true pairing!
“Though I feel fortunate to take this opportunity to see you, Princess Falanya, it is unfortunate that Prince Wein will not be joining us. It would have been marvelous to see the two of you side by side.”
“My brother is a very busy man.”
“I heard Natra took control of Marden after the war. Your brother is quite active on many fronts. You must be very proud, Princess Falanya.”
“Yes…”
“Come to think of it, did you know we were classmates when Prince Wein was studying abroad? Even at our military academy, he was incredibly—”
Lowellmina failed to notice Falanya’s lackluster reaction, continuing to blab about Wein. Falanya had realized her true aim: By praising Wein, she was trying to whittle at the barrier between them.
Heh. How silly. You thought that would make me lower my guard?
Hearing Wein receive praise made Falanya as happy as though she was being complimented herself. But everyone had been praising Wein lately. And she’d grown tired of hearing empty flattery.
I’m not being cautious only because of Wein’s warning and my own personal concerns.
The third reason was that she had a duty to fulfill.
This was Falanya’s first foray into diplomacy, and it would be unrealistic to expect anything significant to come out of it. Falanya was well aware that if she tried to negotiate with the Imperial princes or any other important figures, they would likely manipulate her into promising something strange.
That was why Wein had strictly ordered her to simply sit in attendance and then come straight home. Satisfying that bare minimum was enough diplomacy for the time being. The bar had been set very low.
When she had arrived in Mealtars, her duty was essentially already halfway done. After that, all she had to do was remain quiet until the meeting came to a safe conclusion. There was no need to make friends with Lowellmina. This explained why Ninym had been wordlessly overseeing the course of events.
I heard the princess wanted to be on good terms with Natra, but Wein saw through her act. Poor princess. Falanya mentally snorted.
You’ll regret looking down on me as the type of easy girl who will be swayed at the mention of Wein’s name…!
Ten minutes later.
“And then Prince Wein translated the Church’s hieroglyphic ledger and used that to prove the corrupt nature of the priests. He scattered the evidence around town to threaten them.”
“Goodness gracious. Did he really go that far?”
“Absolutely. But while we were trying to negotiate with them, our classmate Glen slashed at a priest out of righteous indignation. There are so many twists and turns to this story and—”
Lowellmina was speaking of her school days animatedly while Falanya hung on to every word.
—She has a good eye for character!
Falanya had already surrendered.
Her earlier vigilance was nowhere to be found. She was fully receptive to anything Lowellmina had to say.
Lowellmina’s eloquence was to blame. She was a great conversationalist and spoke with an undeniable charm. Plus, Falanya knew little of Wein’s time in school. It was understandable why she soon became engrossed with those stories.
Lowellmina painted Wein as an especially impressive figure. He was daring and fearless, calm and collected. But even he messed up on occasion and could be mischievous at times.
Falanya knew this humanizing portrayal of him to be accurate.
In recent days, it seemed everyone in Natra had something good to say about her brother. This delighted Falanya, but there was something she’d always wanted to say.
—You’re all late to the party! And you’ve barely scratched the surface!
Falanya had known Wein was totally amazing since she was very little. But it seemed the public was only just beginning to discover this for themselves. They were behind the times! That was what she had been trying to hold back.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, Wein had only been praised for his many accomplishments, which was totally superficial.
They’ve gotten it so wrong! That’s not what makes Wein great!
After all, those were nothing more than a matter of chance. There would inevitably be times when he failed, even when he did everything right, when fate and circumstance would conspire against him.
But did failure make her brother any less amazing? Obviously not.
He took up the position of prince regent at a young age and bore the responsibility of national politics. For years, he’d endured the pressure and expectations of those around him. There was no way he wouldn’t be amazing.
She knew his true greatness came from his ability to smile, even on the most soul crushing of days.
And that was exactly how Lowellmina spoke of him.
“He’s constantly surprised me with his thoughts and actions. It’s like he goes above and beyond people’s expectations.”
Uh-huh.
“Well, sometimes that gets him into predicaments.”
I know!
“But he still manages to smile, even in the most unpleasant situations. He’s a strong person. That must be his true power.”
I totally agree!
There was no way Falanya could refuse her. It was obvious she would get along with this Lowellmina girl who was also a fan of her brother.
Well, I still won’t accept the marriage.
Those were two separate things.
Falanya gently set that issue aside in her heart.
“Come to think of it,” Lowellmina started, “I’d love to hear about Wein before he came to the academy. I hear he has been wise since his early days.”
“When he was younger?” Falanya dug through her memories. “My brother never changes. Wein has been kind and dependable for as long as I can remember. I’m always proud of him. Suffice to say, he was a bookworm when we were children, though he’s too busy now to indulge.”
Everyone in Natra praised Wein’s abilities as natural talent, but the truth was that much of his achievements were only possible because of the vast amount of books he had consumed.
As one of the longest standing nations on the continent, Natra had archived many documents that dealt with governance: the successes and failures of industries—including details on necessary budgets, timetables, and staff—records of public opinion, plans that went smoothly, plans that led to the unimaginable, et cetera. Those documents were their predecessors’ blueprints, and they played a huge part in shaping Wein.
“He also studied the sword, debated with the vassals, researched farming methods…”
“I see. As extraordinary as the rumors say.”
“Yes, but—” Falanya realized she had spoken without thinking and desperately held the words back.
“Is something the matter?”
“…It is nothing.” Falanya coughed and zipped up her lips.
Naturally, Lowellmina noticed this. Once she confirmed Falanya had almost made a verbal gaffe, the princess raced to think of a way to draw it out.
“—Please excuse me for interrupting your conversation.” Ninym’s voice cut in as if trying to cut her off. “I’m afraid the sun will be setting shortly. We must prepare for the ceremony, and I believe it would be best that you return to your manor.”
“Ah…you’re right. It appears we have been talking for quite some time,” Falanya said with surprise as she peered out the window.
Time had flown by during the tea party that she had been initially wary of.
Ninym and Lowellmina threw daggers at each other as Falanya continued to gaze outside. A few seconds later, Lowellmina sighed, signaling her defeat.
“I am reluctant to part with you, but it appears to be time. Still, this conversation has only further confirmed that Natra is an irreplaceable ally to the Empire.” Lowellmina smiled and stretched out her hand.
“For the friendship between our nations, I certainly hope we can chat again sometime, Princess Falanya.”
“Of course, Princess Lowellmina.” Falanya reached out, and the two shook hands firmly.
Ninym watched over them closely.
“Whew Am I beat.”
Falanya flopped down on the bed as soon as they returned to their room in the manor.
“You did a fine job today, Princess Falanya. Though this is bordering on unladylike.”
Falanya rolled around on the bed. “It’s okay. You’re the only one watching, Ninym.”
“I’m afraid that is not the case. Right, Nanaki?”
When Ninym called out, a boy with white hair seeped out from the shadows.
Nanaki Ralei. Falanya’s guard and aide.
“You called? …Whoa.” With one hand, he caught the pillow that came whizzing toward him.
He traced the projectile’s path back to its source and caught sight of Falanya, bright red, fixing the hem of her outfit.
“Ugh! Get out, Nanaki!”
“……” Nanaki handed Ninym the pillow, thinking to himself that this was awfully unfair, considering he’d only come out because he was called.
“Urgh… Sometimes I forget Nanaki is right there.”
“It’s proof he is an excellent guard. Though I should caution him about a few things as an aide.” Ninym flashed a dry smile as she passed the pillow back to Falanya.
The princess hugged it. “…Hey, Ninym, did the conversation between me and Princess Lowellmina go all right?”
“Of course. I was only there just in case, but as a vassal, I admired the way you held your head high even before Princess Lowellmina.”
“But I got really sucked into the conversation… Didn’t Wein say I should keep my distance from her?”
“Yes. Princess Lowellmina wishes for Natra to join her cause. But it would be more prudent as a kingdom to keep a safe distance from the struggle for the throne. That said, the only important thing now is for you to attend the ceremony and safely return home. To that end, Prince Wein has said he does not mind even if we become a little sidetracked in the process.”
“That’s true, but…”
If it was possible, Falanya wanted Wein to praise her for performing admirably. She was his little sister, after all.
Ninym understood. “Of course, I think it is wonderful that you’re striving to do your best, and I will do whatever I can to support you. But we’re speaking of Prince Wein. He will be happy that he could depend on you, even if there are some setbacks.”
“…Do you really think so?”
“I do.” Ninym nodded with confidence.
Falanya showed her a shy smile. “Hee-hee. Okay. I’ll let Wein indulge me then.”
“That’s for the best.” Ninym grinned back. “It’s growing late. Will you be retiring to bed soon?”
“Not yet. I’d like to stay up awhile. Ninym, will you stay here and chat?”
“Understood. I can bring us something to drink.”
“Thank you.”
Ninym bowed and silently slipped out of the room.
Falanya squeezed her pillow and laid down on the bed. “I know I just said that, but I really want to bring Wein some good news.”
To do that, she had to stand strong, even at her very first foreign ceremony. She couldn’t fall for all the sweet talk like she had today.
“…Oh right…”
Falanya had remembered something from the tea party.
She was so thankful that Ninym had jumped in before she had accidentally let something slip to Lowellmina.
It wasn’t anything that ought to be said in front of a foreign dignitary.
“I can’t tell her I used to be scared of my brother because he barely seemed human…” she whispered to herself.
No one was there to hear her confession as the faint words faded into the night in Mealtars.
The ceremony that would soon prove that this was a city of clashing ideas drew ever closer.
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