The royal castle is made of stone, with a lot of white stone used in its construction.
If I were to describe it in one phrase, it would be a magnificent chalk-white fortress.
A single tall tower stands in the center.
It seems to be modeled after a unicorn, and there’s a relief carving of one on the gate.
My memory is a little hazy, but I believe the royal family’s crest was also a unicorn.
“This way. Follow me.”
We were able to pass through to the inner castle without issue.
It’s only natural, since we’re practically with the current highest authority.
The resigned faces of the guards when they recognized the former King Spike were quite memorable.
“Katia, how is Tim doing?”
“Um, is it okay to talk while we’re walking?”
Around us, guards and people who looked like scholars were walking about.
It’s far from the solemn and quiet image I had of a royal castle.
I don’t know what it’s usually like, but it’s a bustling scene, as I had heard beforehand, whether because of the spirits or the influence of the Tournament, or both.
“It’s fine. I’ll save any sensitive topics for when we’re in a room, but I want to hear about Tim right now.”
He’s impatient, isn’t he?
Well, I guess it’s to be expected since he went out of his way to come here himself…
“Please give up, Katia-dono. Spike-sama is just this kind of person.”
Midir sighed as she muttered this.
“Grandpa is healthy, except for his back. He’s currently being looked after at the village chief’s house.”
I don’t mention the village’s name.
Grandpa is hiding his whereabouts, after all.
I don’t want it getting overheard by the wrong person.
“Oh? That man, who tries to do everything by himself, is being looked after by someone? No, it’s not that Tim is bad at writing letters, but he hardly writes about himself.”
“Then, what kind of letters do you exchange?”
“It’s pretty much a child-rearing diary. Like, ‘Katia stood up for the first time,’ ‘Katia started learning swordsmanship,’ ‘Katia cooked me a meal’—”
“…”
Grandpa… I’m happy, but it’s embarrassing.
It feels like someone secretly showed others the video of my elementary school sports day.
“He says this, Katia-dono, but Spike-sama’s letters are similar.”
“Midir, stop! Don’t say that!”
“Their letters are just full of boasting about their grandchildren. The exchange of information about the political situation is more of an afterthought.”
What the heck.
I thought the political stuff was the main focus since they made it sound like they were still exchanging letters with serious faces.
It seems the reality was the opposite.
“Midir! Why are you exposing our correspondence?! My dignity will be gone!”
“Zero multiplied by anything is still zero. Spike-sama, why don’t you remember what it was like when you were reigning?”
“Nuu! But, I want to look cool in front of my old friend’s granddaughter, at least.”
“I don’t think there’s any value in plating that peels off so easily.”
I wonder.
It’s probably partly because Midir has a personality that doesn’t hold back, but he’s quite an approachable old man.
“Um, is Spike-sama always like this?”
Spike-san is snapping back at Midir-san, so I asked the two who are his old acquaintances.
“I went to meet him all braced, but it turned out there was absolutely no need. He’s impatient, makes accurate decisions, but he’s also full of openings. He’s a funny person.”
“Yeah, the old man is someone you can talk to. The only thing that’s high and mighty is his way of speaking.”
“Huh. What do you think, Neil-san?”
“I was surprised too. I heard about it from Midir, but I thought more than half of it was a joke.”
I see.
This is… I bet my earnest and serious Grandpa had a hard time… I finally realized it after meeting him.
I’m sure he’s the type to be liked as a leader, though.
“You’re as sharp-tongued as ever, Midir. If I were to judge you as disrespectful, you could be punished.”
“Spike-sama wouldn’t do that, would you? That’s precisely why you’ve been loved by so many.”
“Hm? Fufu, that’s right, isn’t it? Praise me more!”
He got carried away so easily.
Is this old man aiming for some new kind of moe character?
It’s entertaining to watch, though.
“Ahem. Anyway, Tim is in good health, right?”
“Yes, he’s doing well.”
“That’s good. Oh, right, Fina. Your painting is displayed here.”
“Oh, really? …Wow, this brings back memories. Was it five years ago?”
At the top of the wide central staircase of the royal castle, several paintings drawn in a familiar touch are displayed.
It’s the portraits Fina-san said she painted before.
There are three of them.
These two portraits of unfamiliar faces must be King Alan and his wife.
A nervous-looking man with brown hair and a woman with silver hair and mysterious features, almost like a doll.
And the other one is Spike-san.
Hm?
“Oh, the hair.”
The portrait shows a full head of brown hair.
I accidentally spoke out loud.
“It’s a sad thing… My son and my hair have both gone…”
“Um, that’s hard to comment on. Who is this woman?”
“Silvia, Alan’s consort. She wasn’t a bad woman as my son’s wife, but as the mother of their children… She said she wanted to spend the rest of her life mourning Alan, so she’s no longer in this castle.”
That’s even harder to comment on.
Is that a state that can be called “better off alive”?
I wonder what it means to leave behind three children.
“Um, maybe I shouldn’t have touched on that.”
“There’s no hair left to touch.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“Don’t worry about it. Thanks to Silvia, all three of my grandchildren are blessed with good looks. Not everything is bad.”
“Incidentally, Princess Lily, whom King Spike is particularly fond of, is the spitting image of former Queen Silvia.”
“I see. She must be a beauty.”
“Do you want to hear it? My boasting about my granddaughter.”
“I’ll pass.”
It seems like it would take a long time if he started talking.
“That’s a shame. Hm, Kyoka! What about Lily’s guard duty?”
A black-haired woman, looking somewhat flustered, is walking towards Spike-san.
Judging from Spike-san’s words, she seems to be the princess’s bodyguard.
“Spike-sama, Lumia-sama has arrived, so I came to look for you. The princess is with Lumia-sama.”
Lumia-san is here?
I wonder if she used a carriage or something. It seems she overtook us at some point.
I guess it means that it’s okay for the bodyguard to leave if a Title Holder is nearby.
For a moment, I braced myself, thinking that the princess might be in danger.
“What bad timing. Kyoka, guide these people. Midir, come with me.”
“Yes.”
“Then, excuse us, everyone. Well then, Neil, see you later.”
“Yes. Midir, see you later.”
Leaving the woman behind, Spike-san and Midir-san hurriedly walked away.
The black-haired woman looks at us.
She’s probably about the same age as Fina-san, around twenty years old.
“Nice to meet you all. I am Kyoka, the princess’s bodyguard. Sensei, it’s been a long time.”
With that, she gave a polite bow.
The fact that she calls Lyall-san “Sensei” means…
“Oh, Kyoka, you’ve risen in the ranks. To be the princess’s bodyguard.”
“Um, Lyall-san, could it be…”
“Yeah. She’s Mizuho’s older sister and a graduate of the dojo.”
I knew it.
I had a feeling when I saw her black hair.
“Oh? You know my sister? Sensei, is my sister causing you any trouble?”
“No, she’s doing a good job as a leader for her peers. You sisters are very polite.”
“Lyall-san, the letter, the letter.”
Fina-san pokes Lyall-san’s side.
Come to think of it, Mizuho-san had asked him to deliver a letter to her sister.
“Oh, that’s right. Kyoka, a letter from Mizuho.”
“My, that girl, using Sensei as a hikyaku.”
Translator’s Note
Hikyaku is an archaic word for a foot courier or express messenger, common during the Edo period.
Hikyaku, what era is she from?
I’m pretty sure the people who deliver letters in this world are usually called delivery people.
“Don’t worry about it, it was no trouble.”
“Thank you very much, Sensei.”
Saying that, Kyoka-san carefully put the letter away in her pocket.
Then, she turned to me.
“Are you Katia-san?”
“Yes. Nice to meet you.”
The fact that she knows about me is probably because she’s in a special position as the princess’s bodyguard.
It’s not particularly strange.
“If everything goes well, you’ll be my colleague, right? I’m looking forward to the Tournament. …Well then, everyone, I’ll show you to your rooms.”
She gave me a sidelong glance as she started to guide us.
Hmm, her words are polite, but there’s a wall, or rather, I even feel a vibe that somehow rejects me.
I wonder why?
It might be premature to say this when we have only just met, but I wonder if I’m just imagining things.