Arc-7 Ch-01

Foolish. Truly foolish.

No matter how great their power may be, those fellows are, in the end, nothing more than naïve simpletons. Even if the people of the kingdom fawn over them as saintesses or heroes, they are merely children who have lived for only a few decades. Goodness and pity are nothing but conformity pressure imposed by those who hold superiority in numbers.

Such people saved the kingdom?

They should have simply let the beasts fight over their territories as they pleased. Ugly, dull-witted creatures whose sole talent is reproduction, spreading across the land, filling the earth, and strutting about as though it belongs to them. Detestable. Every time their numbers increase, it feels as though the world itself is being defiled, soaked through with filth.

This era of humiliation will soon come to an end. Time is an absolute arbiter from which no one can escape. The blade of time, unavoidable even for us, can at times work to our advantage, depending on the circumstances. As the moon waxes and wanes, as the seasons turn, we grow stronger and more vigorous.

To reclaim our former glory. To once again fill the earth and reign supreme.

“A little better.”

Hmm. Have you envisioned our utopia?

Your awakening is truly the will of the divine. This is no exaggeration. It may rightly be called heaven’s mandate. We shall reclaim our rightful place. This is the first step toward that glorious beginning!

“Thank you for the grand speech, but could you please listen to what I have to say for a moment?”

What is it?

“What exactly is this ‘utopia’ of yours?”

Is it not obvious?

We shall drive those ugly, foolish hordes from the world and erase the history of humiliation! The discrimination and poverty they created will disappear, and a utopia filled with wisdom and abundance will once again manifest in this world! When I close my eyes, the scene rises vividly before me. A world returned to its rightful form!

“I would like some proof that such a thing truly existed in the past.”

What do you doubt!?

There exists nothing in this world superior to us! The most beautiful, the most wise, the most powerful shall rule the land! There is no truth greater than this! Your very existence is proof that the utopia once existed!

That day, twenty years ago! Had you awakened then, that insolent girl who dared call herself a saint would have been no match for you! Now that the watchful eyes have grown lax, this is the time to lie low and prepare! Here and now, we proclaim the return of the utopia!!

“…Fine. Do as you like.”

Ignorance is not shameful. No mother would condemn an infant for not yet knowing the name bestowed upon it. No wise man would scold a child for being ignorant of the ways of the world. Knowledge is the continuous weaving of effort, the very thing that makes a person human.

Ignorance is not a sin. Then, is knowing good? Is learning progress?

The “knowledge of ignorance,” by which a fool recognizes his own inadequacy, can at times surpass the arrogance of a proud wise man. If the one who knows all is God, then what fate befalls the wise man who refuses to heed His words?

Fairy tales are passed down. Myths convey the passage of time to those who listen. What ending this tale will reach, The future is equally unknown to both the wise and the fool.

※ ※ ※ ※ ※

“It’s true there are obstacles such as family status, age difference, and distance. But I believe that child can overcome trials of that degree. Our own marriage was hardly without its problems, after all. Ahh, but Nicks-sama was so wonderful when he came to rescue me, mowing down the sky pirates ♥”

“…I see.”

“That was when I knew for certain. ‘Ah, I’m going to marry this man ♥’ That’s what I thought. You must have felt the same when the count came to your rescue, didn’t you?”

“…Well, yes.”

“As I expected, perhaps sudden events are necessary to deepen bonds between men and women. You know those stories where childhood friends who grew up like siblings suddenly begin to see each other as the opposite sex once they reach a certain age. But I don’t believe a long-standing relationship can change so easily simply because their bodies mature. Ah, don’t misunderstand. I’m not saying they must begin as man and woman from the start. The arrangement between our two houses wasn’t like that at all.”

“…Hmm.”

“But surely they could show at least a minimum level of consideration, don’t you think? Your son is old enough to enter the academy now. He should possess that much discernment.”

“…Understood. I’ll speak to him as well.”

“Is being oblivious to a woman’s feelings a trait of the Bartfort family? Don’t misunderstand me. I’ve never once complained about the gifts Nicks-sama gives me. Rather, just imagining Nicks-sama racking his brain over what to give me makes my mind melt ♥ …Ah, I’m getting excited right now ♥”

“…Stop it. Don’t get excited.”

I have no desire to hear, much less imagine, the intimate affairs of my brother-in-law and his wife. I want nothing more than to leave this writhing woman behind and return to the mansion at once. However, I am the one who invited her to today’s tea party. Therefore, as the wife acting as head of the house in the absence of the lord, it is my duty to attend to the unusual guest before me.

I direct a cold gaze toward my brother’s wife, who has begun uttering lewd remarks, and drain the remaining cold tea in my cup in a single gulp. The tea has long since gone cold due to the length of the conversation, but it is convenient for cooling the hot, humid air radiating from the writhing woman before me. I am truly grateful that I had the children sent elsewhere. This woman is as detrimental to moral education as a talking obscene object.

Is the woman who endured the agony of childbirth unaware that, as a side effect, I have begun to regard the nephew and niece born between her and my brother-in-law with caution?

An indescribable emotion wells up in my chest, but this too falls within the scope of crisis management. It is only natural for me, as the current lord’s wife and the mother of the next lord, to pay attention to potential marriage candidates for my beloved son.

“…Dorothea.”

“Ahh, Nicks-sama ♥ It’s still bright outside. We mustn’t ♥”

“Dorothea.”

“The children are playing outside ♥ If someone sees us, we won’t be able to make excuses ♥”

“Dorothea.”

“You say you like being teased ♥ But you’re the one who made me like this ♥”

“…Viscountess Bartfort.”

“What is it, Countess Bartfort?”

When I address her by that title, she responds normally, as though her prior lewd behavior had been nothing but a lie. This is the most effective means of restoring her composure when her mind is overheated, a method I finally mastered after more than ten years together.

The reason is simple. She wishes to be addressed by that title at all times. She refuses to compromise in performing the role of the perfect viscountess, allowing not even the smallest blemish as the wife of the man she loves.

That is why, when addressed by the title of viscountess, her demeanor toward others changes as abruptly as a spring-wound doll snapping into motion.

Her name is Dorothea Fou Bartfort, Viscountess.

She is the wife of Nicks Fou Bartfort, Viscount, a feudal lord of the Kingdom of Holfort. My name is Angelica Fou Bartfort, Countess. I am the wife of Leon Fou Bartfort, Earl, also a feudal lord of the Kingdom of Holfort. We are women who married into the Bartfort family, which governs the Bartfort territory, from other noble houses.

“Let us return to the matter at hand. So you are dissatisfied with Lionel’s behavior?”

“That’s right. Theresia has been lamenting that he’s grown quite cold since enrolling at the academy in the capital.”

As I listen to Dorothea’s murmured complaints, I pour tea from the pot into my cup. The tea inside has grown lukewarm from the prolonged discussion, and the bitterness of over-extracted leaves is strong. For someone forced to endure endless grievances, however, it serves well as a stimulant. The reason I am presently keeping Dorothea company is that we are sisters-in-law, and as the wives of the nobles governing the Bartfort territory, we must share information.

At present, the Bartfort territory is jointly governed by two nobles. First is my husband Leon, the ruler who received this floating island from the Kingdom of Holfort. Second is Dorothea’s husband Nicks, who inherited the Viscount Bartfort family, Leon’s birth family.

Under normal circumstances, Leon alone should govern this land, while the viscount family inherited by my brother-in-law would merely lease land within the count’s territory. This arrangement is highly unusual. It arose because Leon was still a young man in his late teens when he was ennobled. No matter how talented he was, it would have been nearly impossible for him to develop and manage a territory alone with only limited funds.

To assist him under such conditions, his birth family relocated from their former lands to this territory, bringing their retainers with them. Indeed, during the early stages of territorial management, the contributions of my father-in-law and brother-in-law exceeded even Leon’s own. In recent years, Leon has earned the deep trust of the Holfort royal family and is frequently summoned to the capital or appointed to important posts.

Although I am entrusted with governing the territory during Leon’s absences, there are inevitably areas in which I fall short. Most notably, I lack military experience, and thus my ability to manage armed forces is limited. This territory itself originated from the military achievements Leon earned during the war against the former Principality of Fanoss. Given the martial spirit of the Kingdom of Holfort and Leon’s own convictions, a corresponding level of military strength is required.

During Leon’s absence, the one who assumes responsibility for military affairs is my brother-in-law, who serves as deputy commander of the Bartfort army. This arrangement, however, inevitably distorts the balance of power. It is not uncommon for soldiers to place greater trust in a familiar field commander than in a distant supreme commander whose face they scarcely know.

In particular, while my brother-in-law lacks Leon’s exceptional military talent, his honest and upright character has earned the admiration of the people within the territory. My brother-in-law himself harbors no ambition. However, the same cannot necessarily be said of his subordinates. Since ancient times, it has often been the betrayal of trusted guards that allows military men to assassinate their lords.

Nearly twenty years have already passed since Leon received this floating island. Development within the Bartfort territory has progressed sufficiently. If agricultural output is to be increased any further, it will be necessary to discover an uninhabited floating island and connect it in order to expand the available land.

In other words, we have reached the stage at which the Bartfort count family and the Bartfort viscount family should be clearly separated. However, both my husband and her husband are ill-suited to political maneuvering and the customs of noble society. After all, their upbringings were far from those of orthodox nobles. One was raised as a second son, little more than a spare to the legitimate heir of a poor rural lord. The other was a third son who had no option but to leave home and live as a commoner.

Furthermore, Leon and my brother-in-law share a close bond as siblings. It is one of the unreasonable aspects of this world that such closeness does not always yield favorable results.

The kingdom’s court records contain countless examples, easily found by anyone who bothers to browse them, of cases in which parents indulged a harmonious relationship and postponed necessary decisions, only for power struggles in the children’s or grandchildren’s generation to escalate into bloody conflict.

Supporting my husband, the lord, and preventing the Bartfort territory from falling into such a fate is precisely where a wife can demonstrate her worth. Under the guise of tea parties held with the children present, Dorothea and I have continued to exchange information several times each month.

“It’s not just Lionel. I’ve also checked the letters from Ariel. He is not indulging himself in pleasures in the capital. He appears to be studying diligently. He should be sending regular updates not only to me, but to you as well.”

“Do you truly believe that those report-like letters are appropriate for a fiancée candidate? I can only see them as something he sends perfunctorily because it is troublesome.”

“............”

When she phrases it that way, I find myself at a loss for words. This year, our eldest son Lionel and eldest daughter Ariel both turned fifteen and enrolled in the Royal Academy in the capital this spring. The academy, which was reopened as part of the reforms following the war with the former Republic of Fanoss, has undergone sweeping changes.

The atmosphere that once tolerated the tyranny of noble sons and daughters was deemed a breeding ground for the Kingdom of Holfort’s decline. The former system, under which nobles could enroll unconditionally, has been replaced with admissions based on written examinations and interviews.

In particular, the upper class, which young nobles of marriageable age once used as a venue for networking and seeking marriage partners, has been transformed into an institution dedicated to cultivating the youth who will shoulder the kingdom’s future.

Those of noble blood who fail to enroll in the Royal Academy are now regarded as having either exceptional circumstances or deficiencies in intelligence or character, making advancement in life effectively hopeless. For the children of court nobles aspiring to become palace bureaucrats, or the legitimate sons of feudal nobles raised as future lords, enrollment in the upper class has become an absolute requirement.

Fortunately, Lionel was able to enroll in the upper class without issue. Ariel, on the other hand, detests studying, and it took considerable effort to push her past the entrance examination. The letters Lionel sends home on a regular basis are meticulous, yet utterly devoid of warmth.

“On the ×th day of ○ month, I studied □△. I received a favorable evaluation from the instructor.”

“On the ▼th day of ◆ month, it was a holiday, so I read books in the library.”

The phrasing is such that they would be more convincing if described as reports submitted by a distant subordinate. The first time I read one, I felt a faint despair, wondering whether we had erred in how we raised him. By contrast, the letters Ariel sends sporadically, which emphasize enjoyable events or convenient happenings while glossing over matters such as grades or conduct, feel far more appropriate for a child her age. That realization troubles me. They are twins whom I carried in my womb for ten months and gave birth to, and yet their personalities could not be more different.

“In particular, the package that arrived from the capital a few days ago was dreadful. Can you guess what was inside that large envelope?”

“I have no idea.”

“Several catalogs from shops in the capital.”

“…For what purpose did he send such things?”

“It was apparently a response to the letter Theresia sent last month. She wrote, ‘I am looking forward to big brother’s return. Please tell me about the fashionable items in the capital.’”

“Well, that sounds like a perfectly ordinary sentiment for a girl of her age.”

“And his reply was, ‘Please tell me which items you want from these.’ Does your son find even the act of thinking about gifts for his fiancée candidate so troublesome?”

A headache began to form, and I gently pressed my fingers against my temple. At the same time, I roughly grasped Lionel’s intent. He had likely read Theresia’s letter and taken its contents at face value. Theresia did not truly desire items sold in the capital. She merely raised the topic of trends as a means of conversation with Lionel, whom she admires.

However, Lionel, who lacks any understanding of a maiden’s heart, interpreted her words literally. In other words, he concluded, “Theresia wants fashionable items from the capital,” and sent the catalogs with the thought, “Tell me which ones you want, and I will buy them and bring them back.”

It is a simple and rational line of reasoning. Still, I could not help but sigh at my son’s conduct, which is riddled with openings and devoid of consideration for the other party’s feelings. In noble society, gifts carry significant meaning. Anticipating the recipient’s gender, age, and preferences, and selecting an item suitable for the occasion, constitutes the bare minimum. Sending money is unthinkable among nobles. Sending catalogs is something even worse.

“I apologize. I will send him a letter later. I will also reprimand him when Lionel and the others return, so please forgive him. He acted according to his own reasoning. His life at the academy is likely hectic, and he could not spare the attention. The distance between here and the capital is considerable, after all. He could not return to ask which items she wanted, so please forgive him for resorting to this method.”

The current Royal Academy, influenced by postwar reforms, requires all students to reside in dormitories, and the use of personal servants is prohibited. This policy was implemented because slaves employed by students were involved in crimes that disrupted discipline within the academy, and during the war with the Republic of Fanoss, they leaked information belonging to nobles.

When I was enrolled in the upper class, noble-born students competed ostentatiously in the number of slaves they employed. Numerous facts came to light during postwar investigations, forcing the Royal Academy to close for nearly ten years. Now that it has reopened, the accompaniment of servants is, in principle, forbidden, with exceptions made only for royalty or international students. The children of our family are no exception and are expected to manage their own affairs.

While it is possible to hire caretakers provided by the academy to handle tasks such as room cleaning or laundry, there have been no reports that the frugal Lionel has made use of such services. Balancing his studies with daily chores, he leads a busy life. It is reasonable to conclude that, under such circumstances, he inadvertently treated his fiancée candidate back home with insufficient care, a failure befitting his age.

“I will refrain from responding for now. But remember this. The happiness of myself, my husband, and my children is my highest priority. We approved the engagement between our daughter and your son solely because it was beneficial to us. I consented only because Nicks-sama was pleased.”

“…I understand.”

I reply while striving not to be overwhelmed by Dorothea, whose presence has grown increasingly formidable. Many mistakenly believe Dorothea to be a woman who lives only for romance, but in truth, she is exceptionally shrewd and capable of making cold, precise judgments.

A noble’s life is inseparable from the house into which they are born and the house into which they marry. No matter how beloved a partner may be, if the union offers no benefit to the house, it will not be permitted. Even a child born after agonizing labor may be discarded if doing so is necessary for the house’s survival. Dorothea’s standards, however, are entirely different.

To her, only herself, her husband, and her children matter. Everyone else is, at best, merely “the masses.”

To protect those she deems important, Dorothea Fou Bartfort is the sort of woman who would choose any ruthless means without hesitation. The reason she enjoys tea parties with me at present is simply because the Bartfort count family is advantageous to her. The moment she concludes that Lionel is incapable of making her daughter happy, she would replace the fiancé without the slightest hesitation. That is precisely why I must deal with her carefully and avoid making her an enemy.

“If he lacks the ability to make Theresia happy, then the fiancé does not have to be the eldest son. Fortunately, you have borne several other boys, so changing the arrangement should pose no difficulty.”

Dorothea shifts her gaze toward the children playing in the garden. My children with Leon, excluding our eldest son and eldest daughter who are currently in the capital, are laughing together innocently, unaware of anything.

The second son, Leah Fou Bartfort.

The second daughter, Roxanne Fou Bartfort.

The third daughter, Melanie Fou Bartfort.

The third son, Dylan Fou Bartfort.

Already, the length of time I have spent in this land since coming here and marrying Leon has surpassed the time I spent as the daughter of a duke. I myself believe that having six children in a little over ten years is indeed excessive, yet controlling childbirth is not something that can be accomplished by human effort alone. It is absolutely not, absolutely not because Leon and I are excessively lustful.

In fact, even Dorothea, who is questioning me right in front of me, has borne four children with my brother-in-law thus far. My brother-in-law is roughly two years older than Leon and me, and Dorothea herself is another two years older than him. Yet she appears so youthful that one would never imagine she is approaching her late thirties.

“When opportunities for face-to-face meetings decrease, stagnation in the relationship is a common problem among the young. The academy will soon enter a long vacation, so there should be plenty of opportunities to deepen their bond from now on.”

“I certainly hope so. But by the time Theresia enrolls in the Royal Academy, your eldest son and daughter will have already graduated. She was lamenting that they will not be able to spend time together at the academy.”

“On the contrary, even when the distance is close, it does not necessarily mean that a relationship will deepen.”

“Well, for someone like you, who married His Lordship the Earl who didn't ever attending the Royal Academy, that may be true.”

“I have heard that you spent an entire year together at the academy, and yet you did not even speak to one another.”

“Be quiet! That was the greatest blunder of my life! To think that my future husband was so close by, yet I failed to notice his very existence. I must have been completely out of my mind!”

When leon enlisted in the army without attending the Royal Academy, my brother-in-law enrolled as a student in the regular class. At that time, Dorothea was already in her final year. It seems that my brother-in-law often watched Dorothea from afar as she behaved harshly toward other students. It was close to the worst possible first impression, and I was told that my brother-in-law’s reluctance toward his engagement with Dorothea stemmed not only from their argument at the evening party, but also from her attitude during those days.

“To think that Nicks-sama was watching me… If only he had spoken to me during our school days, we might have reached an engagement…”

“No, that would have been impossible.”

At that time, it was inconceivable for the eldest daughter of the prestigious Roseblade house of the Kingdom of Holfort to become engaged to the second son of the long-established yet impoverished frontier Bartfort family. Such a match would have brought no benefit to the Roseblade house. Moreover, my brother-in-law only inherited his family’s title because the man originally treated as the eldest son refused military service and had his nobility revoked. Even if the two had encountered one another during their school years, it would likely have ended without so much as a conversation.

“We wasted nearly ten years without meeting. If we had married immediately after graduation, we could have had two more children.”

“Do not compete with me. What meaning is there in competing over the number of children?”

“Oh? And yet you have also spent quite a long time separated from the count.”

“............”

She is a woman who strikes precisely where it hurts. I truly cannot afford to lower my guard around her. Around the time I gave birth to Leah, Leon was promoted to Earl and appointed as a military advisor. Although he resigned from that role a few years later, he has since been repeatedly recommended for new positions whenever a certain period passes.

First, military advisor. Then, advisor to a state-run financial institution. Next, director of the agricultural policy council. Currently, he serves as a collaborator with the newly established Holfort Kingdom intelligence agency. This latest position is one related to financial policy, which I proposed to the royal family by drawing upon Leon’s experience. However, each time he assumes a new post, the number of occasions on which Leon must leave the territory increases.

Ever since he became a collaborator with the intelligence agency a few years ago, Leon has been summoned to the capital whenever an incident arises. The reason is simple. The information Leon secretly obtains is extraordinarily valuable. While accompanying Saintess Olivia on her visit to the Alzer Republic, Leon acquired certain information and passed it on to the Sacred Tree Priestess.

This was highly praised by the leaders of both the Kingdom of Holfort and the Alzer Republic as one of the factors that prevented civil unrest within the republic. As a result, Leon, as a feudal lord, became entangled in the shadowy affairs between the two nations during the aftermath. Why is it that Leon always achieves such accomplishments and gains the trust of the queen, the saintess, and the priestess, even though he constantly insists that he wishes to retire?

My resentment grows toward the Holfort royal family and its leaders, who continue to make use of Leon, as well as toward my own family, the Redgrave ducal house. I know the reason. It is because Leon is capable, and because he possesses information that ordinarily should never be known. Only Leon and I know the source of that information.

Because of the schemes of those who operate behind the scenes and the will of the nation’s rulers, the periods during which we are separated as husband and wife have increased over these past few years. However, that hardship is finally drawing to a close. The intelligence agency, having brought the republic’s disturbances to a conclusion, appears ready to release Leon from his role as a collaborator.

With Lionel and Ariel also returning home for the long vacation, a long-awaited time of family togetherness is finally upon us. I will have Leon devote himself to the management of the territory for a while. If possible, it would not be unpleasant to spend some time alone together as husband and wife.

“You have endured much. If we could not spend time together, I would never allow Nicks-sama to shoulder such responsibilities. I would have him live here, gazing only upon me and the children. I would spare no effort to make that happen.”

“…I sincerely hope that meeting you was not my brother-in-law’s misfortune.”

“Too bad. Nicks-sama and I are destined to meet and be bound together, no matter which path we walk ♥”

“And which dubious curse practitioner did you pay, and how much, to hear such words?”

Dorothea would very likely strike a bargain and twist the results of any divination. I cannot help but sympathize with my brother-in-law, who is fated to be loved and entangled with Dorothea regardless of how he lives his life.

“If you doubt it, then I will tell you something special. When I once visited a certain place, a renowned individual personally divined my fate. ‘You and your husband are bound by a powerful bond. No matter what destiny you follow, you will surely meet, and even should unavoidable death draw near, you will still love him’ ♥”

“They likely took your status as a viscountly couple into account.”

“What? Are you jealous? If you are dissatisfied, you should have your marital harmony with the Earl divined as well. Although, even if you went, there is no guarantee they would divine for you. But we were divined for. Does that not make you think our bond is truly fated? ♥”

“If you wish to boast of your affection, do so to someone other than me.”

“It is entertaining to torment the mother of the fiancée candidate who neglected my daughter. If you are frustrated, then try to produce results that surpass ours ♥”

Dorothea’s provocative words and behavior are truly infuriating. I am beginning to wish to sever ties altogether. Yet Dorothea is an indispensable woman within the Bartfort territory, and my brother-in-law is indebted to her in numerous ways. Furthermore, both her family, the Roseblade house, and my family, the Redgrave house, hoped to strengthen ties through engagements between our children.

Perhaps it is because my own engagement was once broken that I harbor such aversion toward marriages among nobles. Suppressing my pent-up irritation, I drain my tea once more. As I gaze at Dorothea, who boasts of her affection without regard for those around her, the flavor of the tea scarcely registers.

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Author’s Note

┻━⁠━━━━⁠━━⁠━━━⁠┻

Thank you for waiting. This marks the beginning of the seventh part.

From this chapter onward, the story will feature many original characters and will be set in the future, approximately twelve years after the sixth part. In addition to Angie and Leon, their children and previously unseen original characters will appear. I would be delighted if you would continue accompanying the story.

Today is also the release date of the final volume of the MobuSeka comic adaptation, illustrated by Jun Shiratori. I hope it helps pass the time for everyone awaiting the study-abroad arc or the second season of the anime.

Addendum: At the requester’s request, Kimi-sama also illustrated this chapter as well as the commemorative illustration celebrating the completion of the kingdom arc of the comic adaptation. My sincere thanks.

Completion commemorative illustration- Pixiv

Chapter illustration- Pixiv

Addendum: At the requester’s request, illustrations were also drawn by Mr. Pizashi, Mr. PainGoro, and Mr. Kuanero. Thank you very much.

Pizashi-sama: Pixiv

PainGoro-sama (r18): Pixiv

Quanero-sama (r18): Skeb

I would greatly appreciate your opinions and impressions as encouragement for future work.