The truth is, I know nothing.

The Heim Kingdom is the southernmost country in the continent.

Since the whole continent is not one with high temperatures or humidity, it’s not difficult to live here, rather it’s a relatively comfortable area.

Heim owns most of the land in the southern part of the continent, making it the top power in the continent.

Also, not losing in terms of size, its military power is also a head or two above the rest of the countries in the continent.

Aside from Heim, there are three other countries in the continent, but it’s no exaggeration to say that Heim is the king of the continent.

North of Heim, is the Trade City of Birdland.

That’s a country located in the middle of the continent, just north of Heim, and it’s often used heavily by merchants and adventurers across the country. Therefore, in there you can find a lot of novelty goods and luxurious items from all across the continent.

When all the countries in the continent were at war, this was a region that remained neutral and where the ceasefire was signed.

Strictly speaking, Birdland is more like a neutral region in the continent and not a nation per se.

The largest merchants have a powerful voice in the decisions made in the trade city.

This because the security and monster extermination around Birdland depends on the adventurer’s guild, and the costs of rewarding the adventurers and maintaining the security is covered by the merchants’ taxes.

Basically, in the case of an emergency, or if the need to have a person in charge arises, the merchant’s guild becomes the de-facto monarch.

East of Birdland and northeast of Heim lies the Rockdam Republic.

That is a country where the head of state is decided based on an election; the winner of said election receives a noble peerage. The land of this country is about half of the northern half of the continent, and it’s the largest country after Heim.

As for what military power is concerned, if they were to go on an all-out war against Heim, they could endure for a month.

They are not weak, but neither are strong, so there’s nothing to be noted about that.

This is a large area where the agriculture is thriving.

And last but not least, is the Dukedom of Euro.

This is located in the upper left region of the continent. The area west of Birdland, northwest of Heim.

Although it’s the third largest country in the continent, the size of its land is only two thirds of that of the Rockdam Republic, so it’s relatively small.

This is a nation with an excellent cavalry, with no equal across the continent.

However, their population is anything but large, so the size of their military is also small.

Although unofficial, in there is a fierce man who made General Logas from Heim taste defeat in a duel.

＊

“(……I reviewed the things I studied some time ago.)”

There should be no country with such a ship, because as far as military power was concerned, no other country in the continent was more powerful than Heim.

“(I just got inside the ship as told. However, I can’t get that question out of my mind.)”

What really surprised me after entering the ship was the fact it vaguely reminded me of a luxurious hotel from my previous life.

A simple laid out carpet, with the interior decorated with high-class items.

It also smelled quite nice.

“Oh my, what’s wrong, Ain? ”

“Mother…… I just don’t know what’s going on.”

“It’s alright, I’ll be in my room for a moment…… let’s talk about it afterwards, okay? ”

“Okay, I’ll be waiting.”

It seems like I’ll finally be able to get an explanation.

Starting with the ring issue, the word “Princess”…… and from then getting in this ship and heading to the sea.

I already gave up thinking about this matter which is way beyond my knowledge.

“Hey, Chris.”

“Yes.”

Chris…… She was the one who said something about a princess, the beautiful female knight who also said she was not an enemy.

Mother was talking to her.

“What explanation should I give to you for the time being? ”

“Everything, but I’d like to hear your real intentions. But even if we don’t inquire about it, back in the home country they’ll dig to the roots of it.”

“I guess you’re right, I wonder if only the events that happened today should be fine? Ain and I are a bit tired. Ain? Would you happen to be hungry? ”

It was quite a rare occurrence for mother to reveal her tired face.

Even earlier, with the whole issue about my father, she never has done such a thing……

It looks like she’s with her mind at peace right now.

“Then…… Some snack and a drink please.”

“That sounds good. Can I ask you to bring the same for me?”

“Yes! You there, go tell the waiter.”

“Right away.”

Chris gave the order to another knight.

Then, that knight, after receiving the order, bowed down with refined movements and left this place.

“You’ll get to eat something delicious, Ain.

“I’m looking forward to it.”

＊

After entering the ship, Ain and the others reached a room who seemed to have been prepared for them.

The door to that room was around five meters tall, and with a beautiful design engraved, making full use of the wood grain.

“I apologize for having you walk all this way.”

“It’s okay. I was the one who suddenly called you here…… right? ”

Chris apologized for the long distance they walked inside the ship.

However, her expression was not that of social courtesy, rather, she had a purely apologetic face.

“Come on, let’s go inside, I want to let Ain sit down.”

“As for me, I’m the one who would like you to take a break soon, mother.”

“Well…… fufu, in that case, let’s sit down together and relax.”

“……After all this time, I’m sure His Majesty will be extremely pleased to have ‘such’ a good grandson.”

“Chris-san? What…… was that just now? ”

“Nothing, please pay no heed to that, here you go.”

He heard some disturbing words, but they were muddled and he was being ushered in, so he didn’t mingle in them.

The space inside had its floor made of a white marble-like material, on which a thick, soft and beautiful green woven carpet was laid.

There were several paintings decorating the walls, and there was this huge chandelier hanging from the high ceiling.

The furniture seemed to be made from the same type of wood the door was made, and all in all, the room exuded a somewhat beautiful and luxurious air.

“Ain, come over here.”

Olivia invited Ain to sit on a large, gorgeous white sofa located near the center of the room.

And Ain sat right next to her.

“Please excuse me. I have brought the drinks first.”

Just as they sat down and their breaths relaxed…… A knock came from the door, and a maid walked in.

“(What’s with this incredibly perfect timing?)”

Ain felt a little surprised since he had never experienced such perfection even during the evening party at the Archduke’s mansion.

“I wonder what did you bring for this occasion? ”

“This here.”

While saying so, the maid poured an orange-yellow-ish liquid.

Ain’s mouth almost watered at the nostalgic smell of apples.

“……Apple juice is it? It’s been a long time. Thanks to this, it seems like I will be able to properly relax. Ain, do you want a glass too? Here you go.”

“Thank you very much! ”

“(Apple, huh? Or at least something that smells like an apple.

……Yeah. It does taste like an apple, but it has a sweeter and richer taste, it makes it feel like a high-quality drink.)”

“How is it? Delicious, right? ”

“Yes. I like it.”

“That’s great. You’ll be able to drink lots of it from now on. ”

“From now……on? Come to think of it, Mother……”

His throat was moistened, and he had relaxed a bit.

Ain then thought, ‘Isn’t it about time to get an explanation, Mother?’ ……

“I’m s……sorry to have kept you waiting, Father! ”

Entering the room while being out of breath was the Archduke’s son…… Archduke Graf Augusto’s only son, Harley.

Archduke Augusto had made an unusual stance of getting only one wife, but thanks to his position as Archduke he was able to succeed in it.

And, this Harley was the treasure, the child he and his wife had been trying for.

And today was the presentation of Harley long-awaited second child and eldest son, Lier.

There were many things he needed to do, both as the house’s host and the event’s host, therefore it was only after a few hours of being called up by Graf that he finally managed to show up.

“You were too slow, Father.”

……Krone, whom by this time should already be sleeping, was also standing next to Archduke Augusto since the time when the separation report was received. After all, she couldn’t sleep since she had met her first love and also the woman who she had admired and held in high regard just recently.

“Ahh, I’m sorry, Krone…… Wait, shouldn’t you be already in bed?”

Alfredo then offered some tea to Harley, who was out of breath, and he received it.

“Sorry, Harley. But, can’t you let Krone listen to this today?”

“If you say so, then I guess it’s okay, Father. Then, can I ask about the flow of events? ”

He took a sip of tea to moisten his throat.

For Harley, the words of his father who had properly raised him carried a weight heavier than his mother’s.

If his father said this was okay, then he’d just obediently accept it.

“I suppose I should speak in order.”

“Please do.”

Harley nodded to Archduke Augusto’s words.

“I didn’t hear this from the concerned party so I can’t go into details, but after the party hosted at our house today…… there was an evening party hosted by Viscount Lance?”

“I’m aware of that. They contacted me in advance and we had a meeting to arrange it in a way that the parties didn’t overlap with each other.”

“And about Earl Roundhart being an attendant to that party.”

“I knew there was the possibility of that happening, so I’m aware of that too.”

The Archduke then started to think.

Does this mean Harley knew of the circumstances from the beginning?

But if so, then he would’ve been able to convey them to the Earl, right?

“Fumu……But then, Olivia-dono asked this to a waiter: Where is my husband? ”

“This is my first time hearing this.”

“I guessed so. I heard about it, then immediately after I heard about the separation.”

“I apologize to have troubled you.”

“Don’t worry about it. After all, this was an important party for Lier.”

While saying “I appreciate it”, Harley lightly bowed his head.

“The rest is easy to infer. Maybe it was Earl or maybe it was the second wife, Alma. One of them deliberately withheld information about the evening party, furthermore, they also hid the fact that I had ordered that only one child would be participating in the party. The fact is neither of them spoke about this issue intentionally.”

“That is too…… I indeed heard that the second son was nominated to be the successor, but that’s going too far.”

“I’ve heard many stories, so I can’t really blame her for doing this…… Still.”

“Do you mean to say the separation was a result from this?”

Listening to Archduke Augusto’s reasoning, Harley was convinced.

Krone, who had been silent so far, was quietly looking at the Star Crystal she had received from Ain while sipping on a cup of tea, since she was already aware of this information.

“Certainly, a separation in an Earl’s family will be a big event for the social community. But is this really something that would make you hurry me this much, Father?”

“I will begin my explanation from here.”

Correcting his posture, he got ready to listen.

“It involves Olivia-dono’s origins.”

“Her origins? According to the stories I heard, she was the daughter of a fallen noble from another country, and she married here.”

“That’s not quite correct. It’s not easy to explain…… Since Olivia-dono’s son was supposed to be the next successor of the Roundhart family, she decided that, until the time was right and it was safe to spread the truth, she would not speak of it.”

When she heard information she didn’t know, Krone paid attention to every word her grandfather said.

“……I wonder why it was necessary to hide the name of that country, grandfather?”

“Sorry for interrupting, but I also think so, Father.”

Both his son and his granddaughter raised the same question.

But that was only normal.

This because, after being stripped of the nobility title, there was no need to purposely conceal the country.

“W-Well…… It’s not like I really care! But the nobility will surely make a huge fuss about me becoming Ain’s wife.”

Krone went ahead and spoke with a tense atmosphere, although was different from the one of Archduke Augusto.

In response, the usual smiling face of the Archduke became even bitter.

“What are you talking about, Krone? I haven’t heard anything of the likes……”

Not knowing the circumstances of Ain and Krone’s feelings, Harley asked her daughter what she meant.

“About that, I’ll explain it later, Harley. And…… I guess you’re right, Krone.”

Seeing the Archduke’s expression softening up for a moment made Krone feel slightly relieved.

“……Indeed, I don’t know if the social rank will be enough.”

“Grandfather……? ”

Krone’s expression hardened after seeing the Archduke’s expression becoming similarly stiffer.

“Harley, Krone. You do know the rough situation of our continent, right? ”

“I don’t know much about the past. But I do know if it’s starting from the ceasefire 50 years ago.”

After the past war that ran all across the continent, all four countries were calling out for peace on the surface now, but it was quite unclear what the future would bring, is what Archduke Augusto had said.

“That much is fine. No matter where you go the culture…… And also, the technological advances have grown significantly.”

“……Yes, I think that’s the case too.”

Although he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, Harley had properly learned history, and had a solid understanding of how blessed the environment in which he grew up had changed, unlike in the past.

“The continent that’s about two days of travel from the Port Town Roundhart…… There’s no way you don’t know about it, right? ”

The continent of which Archduke Augusto spoke of was not the continent where the Heim Kingdom was located, but a continent that lied beyond the ocean.

Unlike this one, that continent had a proper name, it was called Isthar.

“You mean Isthar? ……There’s no way I can forget about it. Even we, after having improved our power for the last 50 years after the war, wouldn’t be a match…… no, I don’t think that we could even hope to reach their feet in culture, technology or military might.”

The reason why Harley couldn’t forget about that fact was because he had gone to the continent of Isthar to study when he was a teenager.

At that time, he saw the level of its culture, the strength of its people, the sophistication if their weapons…… and the scope of its knight order.

“Isthar. There’s only one country in that continent, right? ”

Since Krone had obviously never been there, she asked her father and grandfather.

“That continent might as well be called a country. After all, there are more people who call that continent by the name of the country rather than Isthar. And the name of that country is…… Unified Nation Ishtalika.”

Isthar was a huge continent, about two to three times as large as this one.

And in that continent, there was only a single country, the Unified Nation Ishtalika.

It was built over 500 years ago by a hero, a country to rule over the continent.

At that time, there seemed to be hundreds of small countries, and all of them were unified into one single country.

“Unlike in here, there live many races. Wise monsters……the Mazoku, who are recognized as people, also live there.”

What Krone said was about Ishtalika.

Aside from elves and dwarves, in Ishtalika there were also several half-spiritual races, like the dryads.

“Seems like Krone is studying hard.”

“Thank you, grandfather.”

“So? Why did Ishtalika came out so suddenly? ”

Archduke Augusto wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Harley was surprised to see such a tense appearance from his father for the first time, and Krone, she was surprised since this was the first time she had seen her grandfather appear so human, so ‘normal’.

“The current King of Ishtalika, Silvird Von Ishtalika…… his third child, the second daughter.”

Krone didn’t seem to know what the Archduke wanted to say, but Harley understood.

Only now it started to make sense.

At the same time, sweat could be seen on Harley forehead…… his breath getting a little rougher.

“‘Former’ third place in the line to the throne…… Olivia Von Ishtalika. That is Olivia-dono’s…… Olivia-sama’s real name.”

『Indeed, I don’t know if the social rank will be enough.』

That was what Archduke Augusto, her grandfather had said before, and what Krone had taken in the completely opposite meaning. But only now she started to understand the real meaning behind those words.