Chapter 60 – Prince’s Rest

With a vast domain, the capital city of Katzbarie was exceptionally large.

The lord’s mansion had a considerable area and the building itself was large. There would easily be over a hundred servants. Additionally, Katzbarie was prosperous in the dyeing industry, dealing with various coloured fabrics and materials.

Right now, I’m looking at the merchandise lined up with Rina and Mayo, with a cloth merchant called.

“This colour here is beautiful, isn’t it?”

“It might be a bit flashy…?”

The two of them purchase fabrics they like and then have some clothes made. One of them plans to order a quite luxurious dress.

Before long, I will have complete control over the land ruled by this alliance of lords. At that time, I will declare the founding of the Zeltreich Northern Empire and hold a grand debutante ball.

The dress being made now will be for the two of them to wear at that time.

“Hey, Vyril. Which one do you think is better?”

“Hmm…?”

Rina was hesitating between a fabric dyed in orange and yellow, and one where the colours transitioned from light green to white.

It’s definitely a tough choice…Considering Rina’s personality, skin tone and her dark blond hair, a dress made of bright fabric would likely suit her. However, the shade of light green also isn’t bad, giving off an image of grassy plains.

“…Let’s have dresses made from both fabrics.”

“Huh!? B-but won’t that be expensive…?”

“It’s for Rina’s clothes, it’s not expensive.”

Moreover, it’s because nobles spend high sums to purchase that dyeing artisans, weavers and tailors who facilitate circulation become wealthy. This leads to job creation and the refinement of higher skills.

Of course, there’s no room for wasteful spending but it’s a matter of balancing the degree and economy.

“What about you, Mayo?”

“I think I’ll go with this one…”

Mayo’s choice was a dark shade of red, akin to adding red to black. It wasn’t too dark or too flashy but rather had a calmness to it.

“Oh… that’s nice!”

It would complement Mayo’s fair skin and glossy black hair well. After deciding to order one more dress like Rina, Mayo chose a light blue fabric.

I talk with the merchant and have the servants proceed with the payment process.

“Thank you very much. It will take some time for the delivery, though…”

“Of course. However, I’d like both dresses to be ready within two months.”

“Then, we’ll prioritise making the dresses.”

Normally, Rina and Mayo would discuss with a designer about the design from this point onwards. However, neither Rina nor Mayo knows much about dresses, and of course, neither do I. So, this time, we decided to leave it to incorporate current trends.

The three of us have lunch together and confirm our plans for the rest of the day.

“Today, Rina, you’re spending time with your family, right?”

“Yeah! It’s been a while since everyone in the family got together.”

Rina’s parents and Karan-san had also arrived here. Today, they’re planning to spend time as a family without any interruptions.

I usually ask my mentor to guard Rina, but even my Master will take a rest today.

“Vyril, I’m looking forward to tomorrow!”

“Yeah.”

Tomorrow, I’ll also visit Rina’s family to greet them, and then we’ll ride horses together all the way to Lake Labrie. There, we plan to move our bodies by hunting and have fun.

After finishing our meal, Rina headed towards the mansion where her family was waiting. I spoke to Mayo, who remained in the room.

“Well then, shall we go too?”

“Yes.”

I escorted Mayo out while holding her hand. Then Shizuku and Shamia, who were waiting, followed us. They’re technically our escorts.

“It’s okay for both of you to rest, you know…”

“We don’t know where thieves might be lurking.”

“I just like observing Vilgard-sama~”

“That’s news to me!?”

Since I’m dedicating tomorrow to spending time with Rina, today is planned to be with Mayo.

Mayo’s family is no longer here and her hometown is far away. She has few acquaintances here, so as someone who has pledged allegiance, I want to be with her.

After changing into comfortable clothes, the four of us head out to town. First, we’ll do some sightseeing.

“Well… the people here seem calmer than I expected.”

“Yeah.”

The lord fled and their rulers changed but the townsfolk relatively accepted us. Apparently, many were anxious from the moment the lord was fighting against a prince, fearing they might also be accused of disrespect and punished along with the lord.

But I recently released those recently conscripted and spared the lives of the majority who fought. And since I declared the townsfolk innocent, the town now seemed lively and without problems.

This is a highly populated town. It serves as a hub for economic activities, so it’s not easy to crush. Besides, being close to the Imperial territory, both this capital and the capital of Clostova are prime candidates for me, who overlooks the Imperial Capital, to establish a base.

Mayo and I wandered through the town, peeking into various shops. Then we rode out on horses, casually touring the outskirts of the capital.

Mayo sat in front of me, with a thick cushion beneath her.

“Fufu. The view is quite high from here. I’m petite, you see… So, having such a high vantage point is quite refreshing.”

“Yeah…When I first rode a horse as a child, I was amazed by the height of the view.”

“Araa, it seems like my comment sounded childish, doesn’t it?”

“Huh? Oh, no… That’s not what I meant…”

“Hehe…”

The wind feels pleasant. And having Mayo leaning against my back like this while riding a horse together is very comforting for me.

By the way, behind us were Shizuku and Shamia, also on horseback and further back were several cavalrymen.

Considering our position and status, it’s not possible for just the two of us to leave the town’s outskirts alone. It’s a bit regrettable that we’re depriving them of their rest, but…Well, it can’t be helped. We can’t exactly give all soldiers a day off simultaneously.

“Who would have thought that after leaving the Imperial territory, I would end up travelling the continent with my husband like this… Life is indeed strange.”

“…Indeed. I truly feel the same way.”

As a warrior of the Empire, I had intended to spend my whole life there. Yet, here I am, rising up, aiming to unify the Empire and become Emperor.

I think there were various triggers but the key event was undoubtedly the time spent in the darkness of the underground.

Thanks to that year, I was able to develop something like a sixth sense. Without it, I wouldn’t have been able to fully utilise the strong nomadic warriors on the battlefield.

“Thank you for always fighting to reclaim the Empire, my husband.”

“No need for thanks. Didn’t we vow to risk our lives? Besides, reclaiming the Empire is also my heartfelt desire.”

Although it was a complete losing battle at the time, it’s because of that fight that I am here now. It paved the way for my future growth.

“Hey, husband. Don’t you think it’s about time we welcomed a third consort?”

Suddenly, Mayo brought up the topic of concubines. But it was something I had also been considering.

“We don’t understand the Imperial style of dress… and I think it’s necessary to have someone who has received an education as a high-ranking noble of the Empire. And to fully integrate the Lords Alliance…”

“Yeah. Marrying a daughter from a family closely associated with the Grand Lord would be the quickest way.”

Yes. This situation is similar to when I talked about wanting to marry Rina.

I’m still in the process of incorporating the Lords Alliance, but eventually, I will have complete control over them. Now that I’ve set the stage, the outcome is inevitable.

And if I marry someone from the bloodline of the Grand Lord, it will demonstrate a deep connection between me and the Lords Alliance. It’s not just about power and the brand image of being a prince. Creating visible connections is also important.

And nobility is about building relationships through offspring, generation after generation. But there are problems.

“I can’t marry someone from Katzbarie or Clostova, where they’ve suffered a big mistake. Taking a wife from Linzent, my ancestral lineage, might pose some problems in governing this area.”

If it might seem like I’m favouring the Linzent family too much. That could cause some friction.

“Then, what about Diltak?”

“If we go by process of elimination, that’s probably the safest choice. Well, it’s a problem we can still put off for a little while longer. Let’s shelf it for now.”

Once we’ve gained control of Clostova , even if Diltak harbours rebellious thoughts against me, they won’t have any means to resist. In fact, they’ll be surrounded by my forces, the Imperial forces and the western bandits. There will be no choice but to submit to me.

It would be safest to marry a woman from a family connected to Diltak’s bloodline or from a closely related house. If that seems difficult, then we’ll have to look to families with strong ties to the Linzent family.

“First, we need to quickly bring this area under control… Let’s head back now. Your body must be getting cold, right?”

“Yes, you’re right. Fufu, tonight, I’ll have you all to myself, husband.”

“Yeah.”

After enjoying the scenery for a while, we headed back to the capital.