IABCBMH Chapter 48

Disclaimer: Some words or phrases may be lost in translation. The word might not have a literal translation in English or there may be sayings in Korean culture that I am not familiar with.

(athanasiafrost)

In the grand castle, Johannes assumed the role of guiding the esteemed guests, while I chose to stay behind, using my injury as a pretext. Braeden, understanding my need for rest, promptly led me to my room.

“Why does the duke act so carelessly? And why does the princess not confront him, given her strong personality?”

Perplexed, I turned to Braeden, feeling that it was the opportune moment to seek answers.

“Anyway, considering she’s a Princess of a Kingdom, her status should be on par with the duke’s, shouldn’t it?”

“That… That’s because the pecking order have already been sorted out.”

“Order?”

It was a word that could only come out of the beast world. When I was puzzled, Baden eagerly explained.

“During the Northern War, Princess Yujei acknowledged her inferiority to the Duke. Despite building her own kingdom and becoming a princess, they abide by a code where strength defines their relationships, not external status, they have lived by those values all their lives”

“Oh, I see.”

It was savage, but convenient. Braeden’s words continued.

“Nonetheless, the Empire demands that we welcome foreign guests, as dictated by its law. Since the Emmenta Kingdom is also recognized as a kingdom, proper diplomatic procedures must be followed if they visit us.”

Understanding dawned upon me as Braeden elaborated. Despite Johannes’ reservations, he meticulously prepared to greet the guests to uphold the Empire’s image. Admirably, he was unwavering in his commitment to avoid any actions that could tarnish the Empire’s reputation.

“Besides, any interactions with foreign countries must be promptly reported to the Empire. We can’t cut ties on our own; it’s an unavoidable aspect of being part of the Empire.”

I realized that Johannes eagerly wished for Yujei’s swift departure from the castle.

The visit of this unwelcome delegation added to his vexations, and my presence, too, contributed to his frustrations. It was a reminder of the meticulousness of the Empire’s diplomatic processes, which I now appreciated.

“So, if I understand correctly, the Imperial Castle was promptly informed about the upcoming visit of the Emmenta delegation?”

“Yes. As soon as I was notified, I wasted no time in sending a telegram to the Imperial Palace. It is our duty to follow the law in such matters..”

Having clarified the matter, Braeden proceeded to inquire further, ensuring that I was apprised of all the arrangements.

“To start with, a welcoming dinner is scheduled for today, and various ceremonial events are planned over the next week. You are aware of all these details, I presume?”

“Yeah, of course”

I responded nonchalantly, for even though I hadn’t been directly involved in organizing the welcome for the guests, I had still been privy to the discussions.

“Ah, they’ve also planned a hunting competition that will span the week,”

The hunting competition was to be the centerpiece of the ceremonial events. Unanimously decided, it was believed that the thrill of Yujei hunting down animals day and night would be more captivating than any extravagant spectacle.

Personally, I thought hunting was well-suited to Yujei’s character. Her strong and muscular form, the imposing trident she carried on her back – all suggested she could take on several wolves single-handedly.

“Traditionally, the true purpose of the visit is discreetly discussed during the protocol event, and diplomatic matters are earnestly addressed at the farewell dinner…”

Braeden mused, scratching his chin,

“However, given Princess Yujei’s nature, it is highly likely that she will engage in extensive conversations during today’s welcome dinner. After all, it is not an imperial decree, and there seems to be no reason to strictly adhere to such customs. I advise you to prepare yourself accordingly.”

“Ah.”

I understood what he meant without him needing to spell it out. Perhaps, being weak and confined here, I might be perceived as an imposition on the empire. Yujei might propose to Johannes that he divorce me and join her in her pursuit of northern independence.

Naturally, I knew Johannes would not entertain such a suggestion. He was more obsessed with obtaining the ‘Blue Ruby’ than seeking northern independence. If they achieved independence, the justification for seeking the ‘Blue Ruby’ would disappear.

(athanasiafrost)

While many criticized Johannes for being overly devout to the temple’s orders, I suspected there was more to his fixation on the ‘Blue Ruby.’ Evidently, he didn’t hold the priests in high regard.

‘Looking at priest and seeing the temple bastards and whatnot… I couldn’t help but feel distanced from any sense of godliness. Moreover, during the wedding ceremony, Johannes didn’t seem wholly devoted to the sacred proceedings. The more I observed him, the more I questioned his sincerity.’

Lost in contemplation, I was interrupted by Braeden’s cautious words.

“Do you know that the madam is expected to attend the welcome dinner as well?”

Braeden’s concerned gaze rested upon me.

“Princess Yujei is going to jump out in front of a lot of people, but… Perhaps the Duke will protect you. He probably acted like he did earlier to press down on her energy from the beginning.”

With a shudder, I recollected the audacious display Yujei had made earlier. Yet, I couldn’t deny that Johannes’ actions, though seemingly extreme, had effectively contained her energy. Even from the beginning, Yujei couldn’t budge Johannes from his resolve.

Upon reaching my room, Braeden politely bid farewell and withdrew.

“Then, get ready and I’ll see you at dinner.”

“Oh, wait.”

But before he left, I seized the opportunity to inquire about something that had piqued my curiosity earlier.

“A while ago, the princess mentioned something about an ‘oath of loyalty’… What does that entail? Why would she speak of loyalty to the Duke of the empire?”

“Ah, that is.”

Braeden rolled his eyes once and replied faithfully.

“Have I ever explained that the Emmenta clan is capable of folk magic?”

“Ah, yes.”

“’Loyalty’ is one of those spells. It is a kind of contract that you make with a strong person you recognize, regardless of your position or status. It is said to make a direct proposal to an opponent who has shown overwhelming strength.”

“If it’s folk magic, you mean it has magical powers?”

“yes. You have to obey orders unconditionally once, and you can never reveal them to others because of the law of prohibition.”

“Wow, really?”

“Once the ‘loyalty’ magic is performed, the physical abilities, the Emmenta tribe in this case, are enhanced. They must then unconditionally obey the orders of the person to whom they’ve pledged loyalty. However, due to their pride, they would never make an offer to someone weaker than themselves.”

“Wow, is that so?”

“Perhaps the princess’ infatuation with Johannes is not only due to rational admiration and possessiveness, but it may also be connected to this ‘loyalty’ magic. Given Johannes’ strength, it’s difficult for her to find someone stronger than herself.”

“Aha.”

Upon comprehending the explanation about the ‘loyalty’ magic, I nodded in understanding. It was evident that the Emmenta tribe’s power would enhance their physical abilities after pledging absolute obedience to a stronger individual.

Johannes’ reluctance to engage with Yujei was now crystal clear, as he seemed determined to avoid any entanglement with her. Even my own presence here was likely a result of his efforts to keep me safe from Yujei’s advances.

Every piece of information was crucial to me, as it appeared that Yujei might possess what I desired.

“The Emmenta tribe indeed possesses remarkable abilities. The shamans, for instance, can temporarily lend their powers to others, which grants them great confidence even against the Empire,”

“I see. That’s cool. Well then, I’ll see you later at the welcome dinner,”

It was the time when I was about to enter the room with a deliberately unsentimental greeting. A Katie was coming towards me from afar.

“Katie?”

“Ah, madam.”

Katie approached me carrying a large box, and I immediately recognized the mahogany wooden box she held.

“… A letter came from Zion Renoir. And with this stuff… .”

“Ugh.”

I sighed and shrugged upon receiving it.

“I had explicitly asked him not to respond… Well, he’s not a person that listens. Come in and put it down, Katie. It is heavy.”

Katie placed the box in my room, and I first read Zion’s letter.

“Eloise, your brother is dying to see you. Considering how Vincent doesn't respond whenever I make a fuss about it, he probably misses you quite a bit too. But I'm so afraid you've forgotten the South. Please don't forget your southern childhood memories, represented by this little teddy bear and your favorite toy."

Vincent’s lack of response was unexpected, but it wasn’t an urgent matter. I carelessly tossed the letter aside and opened the wooden box.

It was collection of odds and ends, from wind-up metal dolls and large music boxes to small iron toys that only children play with.

Obviously, it wouldn’t have arrived just now, and it was evident that the box had already gone through all the inspections by the Duchy’s personnel before arriving. I said with a slight smile.

“I want to burn the letter, but these items definitely remind me of the past. Thank you, Katie,”

Winding the rusty mainspring of one of the dolls, its arms moved grotesquely with a squeak.

“Then I’ll say my goodbye… See you at the banquet.”

Seeing me like that, Katie nodded bluntly, said that she would see me at dinner later, and left the room.

Seeing no issues during the inspection since the items were ordinary metals, I swiftly got to work as soon as Katie left.

I carefully removed the arm from the wind-up metal doll and extracted the screws that acted as needles from the inside of the music box. Assembling from the pile of metal junk wasn’t a difficult task, as I simply had to combine the parts based on the shape of the scratches on the metal.

In a short while, I successfully constructed a functional handgun from the seemingly innocuous items in the box.

(athanasiafrost)

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