Interlude ◆ In the Kingdom of Luminous

After a knock, the Luminous Kingdom’s Prime Minister entered the study alongside the head butler.

Arios paused his pen, rising with a delighted expression.

“Prime Minister! Your visit means you’ve brought Father’s reply, haven’t you!?”

As the head butler closed the door and withdrew, the Prime Minister of the Luminous Kingdom took exactly fifteen steps to stand before Arios’s desk.

“That matter will be addressed later.”

At once, Arios collapsed into his leather chair.

“Why!? Why won’t Father permit my marriage to Meil!?”

He shouted, biting his nails.

The Prime Minister glanced at the crown prince, then surveyed the desk. A brief look at the attendant, who met his gaze and nodded, conveyed an assessment of Arios’s administrative competence.

The only thing this crown prince lacks is an eye for women.

That was the look on his face.

“And he says I can’t take Meil with me when I go out…”

As Arios’s leg shook violently, the Prime Minister shifted his gaze back to him.

A refined face.

His mother’s features, his father’s build—a crown prince of the Luminous Kingdom who could be presented anywhere without shame.

But with a fiancée like that, there’s no helping him.

With a small sigh, the Prime Minister heard women’s laughter carried on the breeze through the window behind Arios.

“Oh, Meil and the noble daughters are having a tea party in the garden,” Arios explained with a broad smile, squinting toward the window.

“I can’t take her to parties, so inviting noble children to the mansion should be fine, right?”

“I was told Meil-jou is currently in training to become the crown princess,” the Prime Minister noted gently.

She can’t speak a single foreign language, so she must learn conversation first, then manners. She needs to memorize the faces and ranks of foreign dignitaries. Dance, piano, classical arts for refinement—there’s a mountain to learn, but isn’t dance the only thing that girl can do decently?

“Everyone needs a break. It’s pitiful. Until recently, she lived a life unrelated to being a crown princess,” Arios retorted, his expression sour.

You drove out Lady Shitoen because you wanted Meil as your crown princess, the Prime Minister wanted to shout but restrained himself.

“Indeed. My purpose for visiting today is this.”

The Prime Minister turned to his clerk waiting behind.

The clerk stepped forward, presenting a letter on a silver tray to Arios.

“An invitation? Can I bring Meil?” Arios asked, smiling eagerly as he took it, but his face soured upon reading it.

“…Is this, by chance, Shitoen and that prince’s wedding?”

“Indeed,” the Prime Minister replied expressionlessly.

A generous kingdom, or are they mocking us? Should I tear up the invitation?

The Tidros Kingdom is inviting Arios to the wedding of Shitoen and Saryu, to be held in a few months.

“…What did Father say?”

“It’s up to Your Highness. You may bring Meil-jou as well.”

A girl who speaks no foreign languages, can’t bow properly, flirts with men, and has only her youth to offer.

“Really!?” Arios’s face lit up.

“Then I’ll go. No, wait, thinking about it, I did something cruel to Shitoen. Attending to offer my blessings might be good.”

Something cruel?

Offer blessings?

Who’s he to say that?

The Prime Minister clenched his fists.

“Have you heard the rumors about Lady Shitoen since then, Your Highness?” he asked, barely containing his boiling anger, his lips trembling.

“Shitoen’s rumors?” Arios looked puzzled, then gave a nasty sneer.

“What, is their engagement already on the rocks? That… what’s his name, the bear prince? Did he get fed up with her repulsive body too?”

Laughing, Arios tossed the invitation onto the desk.

“She’s so gloomy. Not like Meil, who laughs brightly. Always staying in the mansion, never lively at social events.”

She stayed in the mansion because you confined her.

The social scene is for work, not for frolicking.

Since Shitoen left, the social balance, especially among the youth, has collapsed. Despite being so mistreated, Shitoen managed the social scene as a crown princess, holding the reins firmly. No matter how much she was slandered, she had the strength to lead and display her authority.

And this crown prince…

“Lady Shitoen is highly capable and is doted on by Prince Saryu,” the Prime Minister snapped.

Arios’s mouth fell open. “…Huh?”

He let out a dumbfounded sound.

“They say she cured a local disease afflicting the people. The lord of that territory, a high-ranking figure and a peer of Prince Saryu, was so impressed that the Tidros king sent an envoy to the Tania Kingdom to express gratitude.”

The Prime Minister cleared his throat.

“And they brought a contract for special arrangements regarding mineral resources. We believe a new trade route may be developed.”

Arios shot up, his chair crashing behind him.

“The Tidros Kingdom has Prince Saryu guarding the northern and western borders firmly, and the earl, called his right hand, secures the east. Their crown prince enjoys immense domestic popularity, ensuring a stable succession.”

Unlike you, the Prime Minister held back.

“If I may be so bold, Your Highness, did you know of Lady Shitoen’s talents?”

Arios didn’t answer. His hand on the desk trembled faintly.

“…That’s impossible. That girl… she was just a creepy girl.”

He forced the words out.

“Are you referring to the dragon tattoo?” the Prime Minister said with a sigh.

“Yes! That lizard-like…” Arios began.

“Did Your Highness see it?” the Prime Minister interrupted.

“…What?”

“The dragon tattoo.”

The Prime Minister took a step closer to Arios.

“Did you see the dragon tattoo on Lady Shitoen?”

He counted to fifty in his head, but there was no reply. Arios hung his head.

“You didn’t see it?”

No answer, but the silence was answer enough.

The Prime Minister mentally clicked his tongue, inwardly pummeling Arios.

“If I may, I’ve seen a dragon tattoo once.”

“…What?” Arios slowly raised his head.

“Not Lady Shitoen’s, of course. I have an acquaintance in the Tania Kingdom. I had the honor of seeing it on a noble person with a dragon tattoo.”

It’s that significant, he stressed mentally.

It’s an extraordinary thing. A wondrous thing. A once-in-a-lifetime privilege. And you were supposed to marry such a girl.

“It was a man, with a dragon tattoo on his calf.”

“S-scales, right!? Ugly, like a lizard!” Arios leaned forward, spitting as he spoke.

“No,” the Prime Minister shook his head firmly.

“Four cherry petal-sized tattoos, about the size of a pinky nail, arranged in a circle.”

“F-four?” Arios stammered.

The Prime Minister made a circle with his thumb and forefinger.

“About this size. I was surprised at how small it was. When I asked if they’re all like that, he said women’s are even smaller, likely just two.”

“Why didn’t you tell me!?” Arios shouted.

The Prime Minister took a deep breath and roared back.

“Because it’s too sacred to speak of! You fool! It’s all kept secret!”

He slammed the desk in his fervor.

Arios flinched, his shoulders trembling.

“Even seeing it shouldn’t be mentioned! Its form shouldn’t be described! The dragon tattoo is noble, sacred in itself! How can you not understand the honor of receiving it!? You let it slip away! You cast it aside! Are you so foolish you needed this explained!?”

“Your Excellency,” the clerk behind him called softly.

The Prime Minister steadied his breathing and straightened.

“My apologies. I’ll return later.”

With a small bow, he turned away.

He was fed up.

At the corner of his eye, he saw the clerk bow deeply to Arios. He’d leave now; he couldn’t stand looking at this man any longer.

“What should I do!?” Arios’s voice chased him.

What should you do?

The Prime Minister laughed.

“You should’ve married Lady Shitoen at that engagement ceremony,” he said sharply, turning back. Arios didn’t move.

“But you lost her, Your Highness. We did all we could, but the Tania king’s anger couldn’t be appeased. There’s no fixing it now. But we’ve taken measures.”

Arios stared, pale-faced.

“If she can’t be ours, she’ll belong to no one. That’s all there is.”

With that, the Prime Minister opened the door.

The news hadn’t arrived yet, but plans to assassinate Shitoen were underway.

They tried mixing peaches and apples, which cause her severe reactions, into her food, but that was discovered.

Next, they ambushed her at a café, but the third prince of Tidros, famed as the Winter Bear, easily thwarted it. When they camped for some reason, they thought it was a chance, but there was no opening.

Still, this kingdom has elite assassins.

(A pity, she was a fine girl. I’m sorry, but you must disappear.)

The Prime Minister let out a small sigh.

She could’ve surely strengthened the bond between the Tania Kingdom and ours.

She’s doing exactly that in the Tidros Kingdom.

As he left Arios’s study, the lively laughter of women drifted from the window, and this time, the Prime Minister let out a loud tsk.