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Daytime. Day of the baptism.
A stream of people came to Hilles City way prior to the baptism. A good number of them were from other nations. The majority were from satellite states. They merely came to see Empress Elizabeth and the successor to the throne, Daisy.
The enormous Rosvenor Empire underwent changes with each passing year. Lots of people began to wonder who the successor to the throne was. While they all believed it to be me in the past, I ended up ruling as King of the North, which meant that I couldn’t succeed the throne to Rosvenor Empire. The question, therefore, was whom would the throne be passed to? The answer was Daisy.
Empress Daisy, Troy Galadriel Rosvenor’s daughter, a direct descendant of the Rosvenor Empire, the girl Elizabeth loved was the next monarch of the Rosvenor Empire, was going to appear at the baptism. Everybody was curious as to who the successor to the throne was, which was why satellite states sent their envoys and Princes to see what sort of girl Daisy was.
During the day, Empress Elizabeth, Prince Troy and Royal Princess Nier would meet with the Princes or envoys of the various satellite states. That was the reason behind the huge number of people waiting in the guest hall. Everybody had their mouths shut and didn’t dare to utter a word as they awaited Empress Elizabeth’s arrival.
Empress Elizabeth had never been late, and today was no exception. That was when they heard the sound of boots marching across the area outside. The door swung open with a big push. Two Valkyries stood to the left and right. They respectfully lowered their heads: “We respectfully welcome Your Majesties!”
Everyone lowered their heads and saluted the three in unison. They were slightly surprised, though. In the past, Empress Elizabeth would have a group of Valkyries with her, yet there were only two, actually, three. One of them stuck with her.
Wait… The proud woman with a black face veil was the Empress. She wore a familiar military uniform and boots.
“The young man in white behind her must be the Prince. Where is Royal Princess? There’s only Her Majesty, His Majesty, and the Valkyrie next to them,” wondered the audience.
The Prince’s wedding was ordinary. Most of the people who attended it were envoys who went to Troy City. That was why many Kings, Princes and so forth hadn’t yet seen Nier’s appearance. In saying that, nobody would believe that His Majesty’s wife would wear a Valkyrie uniform on the formal occasion even if she was a former Valkyrie.
“I am very happy you could make it to attend my most beloved granddaughter’s baptism. We have been able to meet many times this year. I’m sure you haven’t harboured any little ‘thoughts’ after having not seen me for a long time. As you can see, I am doing as well as ever. However, I still must introduce my successor to you, and that is my granddaughter, Daisy.”
Mommy Elizabeth sat down; Nier and I sat down on either side of her. Mom was in an excellent mood. She cheerfully looked at the crowd below from her throne and went on: “Unfortunately, I can’t let you see Daisy right this moment. Don’t worry, though, as you’ll get the chance to see my adorable granddaughter at the ceremony. For now, let me introduce to you…”
Mom stood up and walked over to me. She gave my face a gentle pinch. I couldn’t see her face behind her veil, but I was certain she was beaming. I stood up. She introduced, “This is my son. You may all recognise him, but I still want to introduce him. He is my son that I am most proud of, Troy.”
“And this…” Mom walked over to Nier. Nier stood up in her Valkyrie uniform. She looked at the people below, who responded with a slight nod. Mom continued, “This is my son’s wife, which makes her Daisy’s mother, Nier Galadriel Rosvenor.”
The Princes were astonished at the revelation, but they didn’t show it. Elizabeth seemed a little bored, however. She expounded, “She was originally my most trusted Valkyrie. Initially, her marriage to my son made me very… happy. Today, she will be personally protecting her daughter as her mother. She is her mother, after all.”
Elizabeth let Nier sat back down then returned to her throne: “I have received all of your gifts. Thank you very much. But nevertheless, I hope you don’t exceed what your nation can handle or bring me rare items just to please me. I am not after those things. If you destroy your nations, you are putting me in a pinch. That’s all for now. As we have met, we shall meet again in the church. Oh, right, Karana, Nara, you two come to the dining hall. I will have someone bring you to my office later. Everyone else may enjoy what Hilles City, my Phoenix’s Nest, has to offer.”
I was quite happy to meet people I knew. I was happy to have dinner with Miss Karana and Miss Nara. Oh, and Tarak. Mom didn’t stick with me the entire time. Instead, she went back to her office to see some Princes’ and whatnot from the vassal states. Despite the occasion, Mom still did her best to squeeze in time to meet with the leaders of the vassal states in order to share news and assign them their next jobs. That also gave me time to share a lunch with my friends.
Nara’s attitude toward me most likely changed after the last matter with the guns, but her losses weren’t that disastrous. Furthermore, with Tarak by her side, she didn’t want to let him know about her gambling with the nation’s future. As such, she had to force a cheerful smile. As for Karana, she was on good terms with Troy City, as they had the metal and dye trade. I specifically asked about Troy City and any noticeable changes.
Karana informed, “Troy City has not changed. It is full of life as usual. Plus, thanks to trading, the population has grown considerably. In saying that, due to your absence, its growth has remained autonomous. In essence, it is a free land. Lots of oppressed scholars and politicians go there. That is why the cultural atmosphere is very lively there. It is just that, due to there being lots of robbers and thieves… I think that you need clean up a little.”
“That’s why the new church chose Troy City… A free city… All right, got it. I’ll make a trip back there and ensure it’s how it’s supposed to be. The city is a free city, but that doesn’t mean it’s a lawless city.”