Chapter 8

Arriving at the empire was a matter of an instant.

Magic is truly convenient.

We were greeted by what seemed to be the country's bureaucrats, and after a brief conversation with them, Prince Dizak escorted me out of the room.

The room where the transfer gate was located was just as empty as in the kingdom, but the scenery changed dramatically as soon as we stepped out.

... Wow, luxurious...

I thought the kingdom's castle was quite beautiful, but the empire was even more so.

It was opulent and lavish, yet not vulgar.

The red carpet laid on the floor must be quite expensive. It made no sound at all as I walked on it.

"This way."

I followed Prince Dizak.

Right, left, up the stairs, down the stairs.

It seems that all castles have a similar complex structure.

As we walked, I noticed that the number of guard knights gradually increased.

I wondered if we were getting close to the room where His Majesty the Emperor was, and Prince Dizak stopped.

Double doors were flanked by knights on either side.

Prince Dizak looked at me as if asking, so I took a deep breath and nodded in return.

Prince Dizak knocked on the door.

The door was opened from inside, and a servant came out.

Seeing us, the servant opened the door wide and stepped aside, so I entered with Prince Dizak.

It seemed to be a reception room.

But as soon as the servant closed the door, he headed for another door, opened it, and looked at us.

Prince Dizak started walking, so I followed and slipped through the door.

I was a bit surprised.

Unlike the previous opulence, this room was not particularly lavish.

It had a sense of quality but felt practical.

There was someone on the other side of a large desk.

His silver hair, which shimmered slightly in the light, was beautiful.

He had somewhat long hair for a man, and he looked to be in his early to mid-thirties.

Our eyes met, and I thought, "Ah."

I inadvertently looked up at Prince Dizak.

... His eyes are the same color.

"I have returned, Your Majesty."

The man called "Your Majesty" smiled.

"Welcome back, Dizak. You must have had a tough time."

His gaze returned to me.

"You are the girl who was caught up in the summoning of the Holy Maiden. Come, we have a lot to talk about, so please sit down."

He gestured to the sofa and table set in front of the large desk.

Prince Dizak sat me on the sofa and took a seat diagonally in front of me.

... This means I'll be facing the Emperor directly!! Isn't this seat supposed to be for Prince Dizak!?

As I panicked internally, a teacup was placed on the table in front of me.

It seemed the young male servant who had let us in had prepared it.

"Thank you."

... I suddenly remembered that Marie wasn't there.

I wondered if she was okay and felt a bit worried.

The young male servant smiled and stepped back.

I picked up the teacup from the saucer.

... It smells really good.

I took a sip as if being invited.

"Delicious..."

It had a faintly sweet aroma with a slight astringency, but it was smooth and easy to drink.

The tension I had felt eased a bit.

"This is a tea that both I and Dizak enjoy."

The Emperor smiled softly.

"To reiterate, I am the Emperor of this empire, Erenfreet Yelk Wielshtrass."

"My name is Sayaka Shinoyama. Shinoyama is my family name, and Sayaka is my given name. Please call me Sayaka."

"Ah, I will do that."

I had imagined the Emperor of the empire to be a more imposing and stern figure, but the Emperor in front of me was the opposite.

... What a handsome man.

Prince Dizak is a handsome man with a somewhat sharp face, but the Emperor is a handsome man with a gentle and sweet face.

They are handsome brothers, just in different ways.

"I've heard the general story from Dizak. You are a civilian who was caught up in the summoning and did not receive good treatment in the kingdom. That's why you wanted to come to our country."

"Yes, that's right. But I never thought I would become Prince Dizak's fiancée, so I'm surprised myself. I am not a suitable person to be the fiancée of the Prince."

"Indeed, being the fiancée of the Prince of another world and a young person like you would be a heavy burden."

But, the Emperor said,

"However, the fiancée of the Prince, Dizak, has no specific role, so I want you to feel at ease. We, as brothers, have no intention of competing for the throne."

"That's true. Personally, I think it's fine as long as I have three meals a day, a place to nap, and no worries about food, clothing, and shelter. I hope Prince Dizak will remain as the Prince."

"You're a straightforward girl."

"I'm sorry, I know it's rude to say, but I still can't quite believe I'm meeting the Emperor of a country..."

He's so far above me that I can't even grasp the reality of it.

He's an incredibly important person, and I understand that, but he's so important that I can't even imagine how important he is.

The Emperor laughed, his eyebrows forming an eight.

"You're a very honest girl. Did you not have a king in your country?"

"Well, there were royal family members who were symbols of the country, but they were different from what you call a king or an emperor here. One ruler does not make all the political decisions."

"Hmm, that's interesting. But let's talk about that another time. It's better to discuss your treatment now."

I nodded in agreement.

"Yes, I was told I don't have to do anything, but I want to know specifically what I can and cannot do, and what my position is."

Just staying in my room would be fine.

But as Prince Dizak said, I apparently have to perform some minimal public duties.

If that's the case, I want to know in advance what is within my allowed range.

"Right, to put it simply, you are the most important person in our country."

"... What do you mean by that?"

"Our country is the largest in the continent, but just being large doesn't guarantee success. There is a reason why other countries cannot interfere with the empire. ... We have a dragon in our country."

... A dragon?

But dragons were treated as monsters in my original world, and since there are magical creatures in this world, they might be one of them...

When I indirectly conveyed this, the Emperor shook his head.

"Let me make it clear: dragons are not monsters. In this world, they are called Holy Dragons, and they are revered and worshipped."

"Oh, I see."

"And the Holy Dragon has been protecting our country for a long time. The empire is not only the place where the Holy Dragon resides but also has the strong power of the dragon as a backing, which is why other countries cannot interfere."

"... I see?"

If a country with a revered dragon is attacked, the people who revere it would raise their voices, and the dragon, being a powerful creature in this world, would likely defend it.

The empire maintains its position as a great nation with the authority and power of the Holy Dragon as its backing.

"And the Holy Dragon is pitch-black. The first emperor was said to have the same black, and since then, the Holy Dragon has been protecting our country."

... Wait. Hold on.

Prince Dizak said the empire desires black.

And the dragon in the empire is pitch-black.

"... Will I be sacrificed or something?"

"Haha, no, nothing like that. Rather, the Holy Dragon favors those who share the same black. For the future peace of the empire, we want you to marry Dizak and become a member of the royal family. Then the Holy Dragon will treat the empire where you are as important."

... My head is starting to hurt.

Wait, I'm not the Holy Maiden, right?

I was just a civilian who got caught up in this, right?

Why does it suddenly jump to me becoming a member of the royal family because a dragon called the Holy Dragon favors me?

"Marriage is the fastest and most reliable way to incorporate you."

... Please don't read my mind.

No, probably everything is showing on my face.

"Does the empire desire black because it can gain the favor of the Holy Dragon?"

"Yes. Well, you apparently have magic power, so you could be trained to become a court magician, but you must become a member of the royal family."

"... Indeed, I am an important person."

I didn't expect to be involved in the empire's power dynamics.

"... Hmm? Then, if I had stayed in the kingdom and the Holy Dragon had favored me, what would have happened?"

The Emperor smiled faintly.

"The Holy Dragon's protection might have shifted to the kingdom. We wanted to avoid that. We are careful not to let too much information about the Holy Dragon's preference for black leak to other countries."

"I see."

If the Holy Dragon had really favored me and I had stayed in the kingdom, the Holy Dragon would have protected the kingdom, and the empire would have lost its benefits.

"That's why we promise you good treatment in our empire. You can live as you please as long as you don't deplete the national treasury or abuse your power to oppress others."

If I stay in the empire, they are willing to make some concessions.

"By the way, I talked with Prince Dizak, and I plan to have a tutor for a while to learn the common knowledge, history, and magic of this world."

"That's good to hear. Even if you don't need to stand out, you will become a member of the royal family, so we want you to have a certain level of education. We will find a tutor for you as soon as possible."

"Thank you."

Even if I'm told I'm an important person in this country, I still can't quite grasp it, but if I'm treated much better than in the kingdom, that's fine.

"Ah, and as Dizak's fiancée, you will eventually become my sister-in-law. I will interact with you more casually from now on. I will share what you need to know and our plans as much as possible."

"Thank you for your consideration."

"It's no big deal. Well, since we're here, let's sign the engagement papers before you change your mind."

The Emperor handed a document to the male servant, who then gave one to Prince Dizak and one to me.

Various conditions were written in it.

... ...

In summary, it guarantees good treatment and safety in the empire in exchange for becoming Prince Dizak's fiancée.

However, it also states that if I abuse power or break the law, I will be held accountable, so I should be careful.

There are no conditions that are disadvantageous to me.

As long as I don't break the law, cause problems, and live quietly and unobtrusively, I can live a comfortable life.

It seems a tutor was already planned for me.

Since I ended up in another world,

I might as well learn about this fantasy world and gain knowledge.

Prince Dizak signed the document in front of him with a pen.

I took the pen offered by the male servant and signed the document.

After exchanging documents with Prince Dizak and signing again, the servant collected them and handed them to the Emperor.

The Emperor tilted his head as he looked at the signatures.

"Is this the script from another world?"

"Yes, it's the correct script for my name. It's four characters, but some characters represent two sounds, so it reads 'Shinoyama Sayaka'."

"It's a difficult script. But it's good that it's hard to forge."

The Emperor seemed in a good mood.

... Well, with this, the favor of the Holy Dragon will probably remain with the empire.

"Well, you both must be tired. Dizak, I will ask for a detailed report later, but you can leave now."

"Understood. Excuse us."

I nodded, and as Prince Dizak stood up, I followed suit.

Prince Dizak placed his right hand on his chest and bowed, and I bowed deeply and followed him as he started walking.

The servant opened the door, and we walked out into the corridor, the door closing quietly behind us.

"Let's go to my palace."

I nodded at Prince Dizak's words.

As he started to walk, he stopped and turned around.

I tilted my head in confusion, and he offered his left arm.

... Oh, an escort.

I gently placed my hand on his arm.

No matter how many times I touched it, his arm was solid.

He seemed to have a good build, but he looked slim in his clothes, and his arm was muscular and hard.

We walked through long corridors, turning right and left, up and down, and eventually exited the castle.

"Ah, Prince Dizak, Miss, you must be tired~"

Ebers was there, and a carriage was waiting.

The driver opened the door and waited, and I got into the carriage as Prince Dizak urged me.

... My first carriage ride.

Ebers and Prince Dizak sat opposite me.

It was a large carriage that could comfortably seat two men.

The door closed, and after a moment, the carriage started moving.

"Is the engagement officially done?"

Ebers asked, and Prince Dizak nodded.

"Yes, from now on, treat her as my fiancée."

"Understood, I will do that."

Prince Dizak's frown deepened slightly.

My first carriage ride was surprisingly smooth, and I enjoyed the ride until we reached our destination.