By Zephyria This week, during Imperial Genealogy class, we learned about the royal family.
Starting the first lesson with figures of lower titles and gradually increasing the rank was helpful in many ways. Firstly, it increased interest and immersion in the lessons by starting from those closest around us. Secondly, it trained us to prioritize information, which could be equally applied when learning about high-ranking nobles. Thirdly, by learning about nobles and gaining a certain level of knowledge, we could begin learning about the most complex and confusing imperial family tree with half the information already acquired.
“The current Emperor, Beneto Loki Sheeran, has three children. Beneto married Melatia Floyd, the Third Princess of the Floyd Kingdom, at nineteen, and they had 1st Prince Richard Flo Sheeran.”
It was quite impressive how casually the current Emperor’s name was spoken, as if he were a neighbor’s child.
“After Melatia died of illness before Richard’s first birthday, Beneto remarried the following year to Kate Antines, the second daughter of Marquis Antines. From this union were born the twin prince and princess you often see on the Academy grounds, Rubel Anti Sierran and Lucilla Anti Sierran.”
I recalled faces I had seen just this morning.
In the Sierran Empire, noble titles precede the family name, and the surname is determined by which parent’s title the child inherits. If they can inherit the mother’s title, they take her surname; if they can inherit the father’s, they take his.
Only the Emperor’s direct descendants use both parents’ names. They use the country’s name as their surname and the mother’s name as a middle name, inserted between the given name and surname.
Therefore, the 1st Prince is Richard Flo Sheeran, taking two characters from Floyd’s surname. The 2nd Prince and 3rd Princess, Rubel Anti Sierran and Lucilla Anti Sierran, took two characters from the Marquisate of Antines’ surname.
Most people, nobles and commoners alike, considered monogamy the norm, though concubines were occasionally kept.
The current Duchess of House Kiadris was such a case. She held absolute power within her family as she could determine the succession, and it was said she treated her husband, whose status was lower, poorly.
I was briefly surprised that a woman could lead a house and keep concubines, but having encountered all sorts of women in the Central Plains, I simply accepted it.
Were there not many individuals in the Central Plains who lived with their wives taking in husbands?
Especially in Sacheon Danga, which specialized in poisons and hidden weapons, they never let their bloodlines go outside the family, often taking in men with suitable bodies as live-in sons-in-law.
I myself had once eaten poison in my sleep at an inn and was nearly kidnapped in a sack, so what was there to say?
For the common folk struggling to make a living, marrying a wealthy wife would have been considered good fortune, but for me, it was a disaster.
If I hadn’t desperately prayed not to have my meridians crippled for marrying a woman who inherited the Danga surname without the elders’ permission, I would have had to live my life as a live-in son-in-law.
“…Following Melatia Floyd’s death, the Floyd Kingdom demanded that Princess Amelia Floyd, the seventh princess, be taken as a consort to Sierran, but Beneto Loki Sheeran refused, stating that it was against protocol to take sisters as consorts consecutively. The Floyd Kingdom used this as a reason to raise tariffs by 2%, to which Sierran agreed…”
The explanation that followed was unusually detailed. Thinking that the twin royals, the very subjects of this lesson, were also listening, I felt a strange sense of embarrassment, even though I wasn’t directly involved.
It wasn’t uncommon for half-siblings to have poor relationships, and when intertwined with the power succession, the descriptions of the relationship between the 1st Prince and the 2nd Prince were such that they could be considered lifelong enemies.
The faction supporting the current 1st Prince focused on expanding territory under the guise of diplomacy, while the faction supporting the 2nd Prince desired stability, taking pride in the thousand-year history of the Sierran Empire.
I only now realized that even in this peaceful land, small-scale skirmishes occurred frequently.
I was momentarily surprised and tensed, but checking the map, I saw that these skirmishes were happening far enough away that they couldn’t be reached even by a day’s ride from the Earldom of Ernhardt, so it wasn’t something to worry about greatly at the moment.
However, I knew that if I continued to wield a sword, I would undoubtedly participate in such wars someday.
Everyone here says that swords are not meant for cutting people, but force is like a dagger in a pocket—an uncontainable power. The very peace of the Sierran Empire was maintained thanks to its vast territory and strength, several times larger than that of comparable kingdoms.
Therefore, there would surely come a time when I would have to take lives to maintain peace, and I suddenly wondered if I might arouse suspicion by showing too familiar a demeanor then. My fear of losing the current peace was greater than my fear of dying.
If there were others in this vast world who had experienced such bizarre things as I had, what would happen then? Would my parents still consider me their child, and would these young children see me as their comrade?
Even knowing that there was no one to suspect, as many had watched me from birth, the fear of ignorance was hard to shake.
The more I thought about it, the more I felt disgusted by myself, trapped in a child’s body, and I let out a sigh.
That day, during evening training, we practiced Sword Patterns.
I felt impatient, wishing the new sword forms would quickly become second nature, but I rarely planned training outside of the designated hours anymore. This was because I wanted to become accustomed to the laws of this land. I used the Martial arts training ground until eight in the evening, then went to my room, did my homework, and fell asleep.
❖ ❖ ❖
I practiced Breathing and regulating energy, trained with my sword, attended scheduled classes, conversed with my peers, and ate meals.
There were days when I laughed heartily at the chatter of the children.
It was difficult to immediately keep up with their ever-changing topics and interests, but by listening to the kind children explain things patiently, I could understand about half of it and laugh along.
When wealthy children were gathered and told to pack their own bags, it was natural that their backpacks for hunting and camping trips grew heavier.
This Wednesday’s hunting and camping session involved roasting marshmallows. Marshmallows are soft, fluffy, round things that are somewhere between a cake and bread, and at House Ernhardt, they were often added to hot chocolate.
Since I had never built a fire outdoors myself, it was quite fun to roast the marshmallows, peel off the slightly browned outer layer, and eat them.
In the Central Plains, sweet foods typically referred to red bean paste-filled steamed buns called ‘danggwa,’ or candies made by thinly coating fruits with sugar.
Sweet foods made with plenty of sugar and chocolate always tasted good, no matter how many times I ate them.
When I remarked that perhaps the saying about craving sweets more with age was true, my peers pointed out that I craved them because I was young.
I was inwardly amused but said nothing.
Aside from the enjoyment of finding snacks like these, it was also interesting to directly harvest herbs from the herb garden that Professor Cedric had cultivated with the Academy’s help.
The large greenhouse was divided into five sections, and it was impressive how magic was used to create different environments in each section, with one being particularly humid and another particularly dry.
In each section, we learned to distinguish and examine herbs for external wounds, internal injuries, detoxification, and stomach ailments.
We learned which mushrooms among the medicinal plants could be eaten and which should not be touched.
I made a strong effort to remember these lessons, as they were ways to survive in any land, no matter what happened.
And so, without any particular incident, Friday arrived.
Shayden had been dumbfounded since I mentioned that Benjamin and I would be practicing dagger techniques with the Second Prince, and he seemed to be contemplating for a long time.
I hadn’t specifically asked him to train with me, so I told him that if he didn’t want to practice dagger techniques, he didn’t have to join me, and that he had many other friends. His reply was a masterpiece.
“Of course, you’re not a child, and I’m not a mere accessory who has to follow you everywhere. Right now, I don’t just want to follow you because I like you.”
“Hmm.”
“What I’m contemplating now… is because the Second Prince is the Second Prince. My House Rose has survived for generations by remaining neutral in the succession struggles.”
I recalled him lecturing me when I first arrived at the Academy, knowing nothing. It was helpful to listen quietly in such situations.
Shayden, who had been pacing back and forth in the room, sat down opposite me on the reception room sofa and continued.
“Maintaining neutrality means minimizing damage. Because we don’t take sides, we face less bloodshed later. Especially since our House Rose owns the White Rose Knights, we are likely to be on the front lines if an armed conflict breaks out.”
Shayden had boasted about his family’s knights before.
That force, numbering over three hundred just by headcount, could surely accomplish great things no matter where they were placed. The boy’s green eyes sparkled.
“So, from my great-grandfather’s generation, House Rose vowed to use our military might for safety and justice. By declaring that we would fill the inevitable security vacuum during succession disputes, we were satisfied with maintaining our solid succession titles thereafter.”
“Hmm.”
“However, I am somewhat skeptical about that.”
“Why?”
“Richard, who is currently the 1st Prince, has no significant advantages other than being born first. Furthermore, the Floyd Kingdom is a small nation compared to the Sierran Empire, and Marquis Antines is currently quite wealthy due to his focus on developing new mines.”
“Oh.”
“I believe the Second Prince will become Emperor.”
“…”
“Therefore, if I approach the Second Prince earlier and build a friendship or engage in activities, it will undoubtedly be helpful when the Second Prince becomes Emperor and I inherit the Count’s title, right? After all, people tend to support those who supported them, and the Second Prince is quite fond of you, so I believe he will treat me well, as your friend.”
Unlike Shayden, who had likely considered many things after seeing me get close to Rubel, I hadn’t considered such matters at all and was quite taken aback. Shayden smiled wryly and shrugged.
“However, if that happens… and things go wrong, I will have to lose the lives of the knights who trust and follow me, in exchange for putting aside my ancestors’ will, which has been passed down since my great-grandfather’s generation, into storage.”
I quietly watched the boy, who resembled a red fox, trying to swallow his tears, his heart aching from the breakdown of a friendship. His surprisingly firm expression and calm assessment of the situation seemed remarkable.
Unlike me, who was excited about learning a new martial art, for him, spending his free time was already politics and a battle. Realizing this, my mouth clamped shut as if glued.
My father and grandfather, the elders of House Ernhardt, had never spoken of such matters.
It wasn’t that I didn’t need to know. They had simply spared me the explanation for now, perhaps because I seemed uninterested. They must have had a clear plan for how to handle such situations.
I considered it fortunate that I no longer felt overwhelmed, lost, and dizzy when faced with such stories, as I had before.
“I don’t know House Ernhardt’s stance on this yet, but do I also need to consider such things when I meet Senior Rubel?”
“Hmm, you are a bit… different.”
“Why?”
“First of all, from what I’ve heard, the Second Prince offered you favor first. Refusing him in such a situation could be seen as a form of rudeness. Accepting help isn’t the same as taking sides. No one would think you’re interested in choosing the heir to the throne. Rather…”
“Rather?”
“They think you have the potential to become a Grand Sword Master, so the Second Prince, who aims for the throne, has been treating you well since childhood to recruit you.”
“Ah.”
“In any case, that’s why I’m conflicted. I don’t qualify for advanced swordplay classes yet, so if you let me join your dagger practice this time, I could get acquainted with the Second Prince… but that might go against my family’s wishes.”
“Then, would a meal together be acceptable?”
“Well, if the time comes?”
“Then let’s have a meal together next time you have free time. It wouldn’t be strange at the dormitory cafeteria.”
“Ah, um… That’s true. Alright, but please let me know in advance. I’ll need to prepare myself mentally.”
I felt relieved to have a chance to discuss training with Shayden beforehand. I felt quite apologetic for having judged him as timid based on his unusual deference to the prince.
It was good that my friend showed wisdom, and a part of my heart felt joyful.