Chapter 37

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When they arrived at the capital city of Vidar in the Kingdom of Filarus, they were given two days to rest in the castle before the king's birthday celebration. Since the schedule allowed for some flexibility in case of weather or other delays, no official inspections or other plans were made for these two days.

The castle of the Kingdom of Filarus is a long, horizontal structure with three floors, shaped like a wide mouth. The entrance hall is open to the ceiling, where a large painting of an eagle is visible high above.

Olivia and Cyrius were to use the VIP rooms on the second floor. After unpacking their luggage, Olivia went to Cyrius's room next door and they were enjoying a light conversation when the Crown Prince Edward of Filarus arrived.

Edward is a tall young man with honey-colored hair that falls to his shoulders in loose waves and amber eyes. He is about to turn twenty-nine this winter. Though he appears very gentle, Olivia knows that he is actually quite shrewd. She and Cyrius greeted him with a slight sense of tension.

Just a moment ago, they had exchanged greetings, so she wondered what he needed. It turned out that his wife, Elizabette, wanted to have tea with them. Prince Edward, who is particularly indulgent towards his wife, had come to fetch them himself.

There was no reason for Olivia or Cyrius to refuse, so they followed Edward to the salon on the first floor. As they entered the salon, where a tea set and delicious pastries were prepared, a tall woman with copper-red hair greeted them. It was Princess Elizabette.

Elizabette is taller than the average woman, even taller than Olivia, and has a slender build. Her slightly upturned brown eyes and pointed chin make a strong impression, giving her a somewhat strong-willed appearance, but she is actually very gentle and kind.

Olivia doesn't know much about her, but Elizabette is from a baronial family that has produced generations of knights, and she is skilled at horseback riding. Though she doesn't wield a sword, she has extensive knowledge from her father and brothers and often discussed military strategy with Alan.

Elizabette married Edward four years ago when she was twenty-one. Considering that the ideal age for noblewomen to marry is around nineteen, her marriage was a bit late, probably due to her background. Making a baron's daughter a princess would have faced significant opposition.

Knowing Edward's shrewdness, it's not surprising that he didn't give up on what he wanted. When she heard that Elizabette was from a baronial family, she wasn't particularly surprised, but she could imagine the considerable effort it took.

As Olivia sat down at the tea table, she noticed that Elizabette looked unwell. When she subtly asked if she was feeling unwell, Elizabette gently touched her cheek and said that she had been lacking appetite lately.

"Usually, I can't stand the food... but there's nothing particularly wrong with me. Do I really look that bad?"

"No, not really. You just seemed a bit pale."

With the king's birthday celebration approaching, she might be busy and tired. Edward, sitting next to Elizabette, gently pulled her shoulder towards him.

"It might be due to stress. It's probably Eugenia's fault."

Eugenia is Edward's younger sister, the first princess. When Olivia first came to Filarus three years ago at the age of fourteen, Eugenia had already married and left the castle, so they only exchanged greetings at parties. Eugenia is a petite woman with honey-colored hair and amber eyes, similar to Edward.

Elizabette smiled in a troubled manner.

"Princess Eugenia is not at fault. I'm just feeling a bit unwell. You shouldn't speak of your sister like that."

"But she always picks on you."

"That's because there's something wrong with my manners. I can't say I'm refined in my behavior."

"That's not true. You always have good posture and are very dignified and beautiful. And you work very hard. You shouldn't belittle yourself like that."

Olivia smiled wryly at the sudden conversation between the couple. A sweet, unique atmosphere began to flow between them, making her feel uncomfortable. Should she leave the room?

(Hmm, leaving the room might be too obvious. But at least, I should pretend I didn't hear anything, right?)

To avoid intruding on their world, she subtly looked away and slowly sipped her tea. Elizabette suddenly realized and nervously stopped her husband.

"Prince Edward, Prince Cyrius and Lady Olivia are uncomfortable."

Blushing, Elizabette looked at Edward, who calmly said, "I doubt they mind."

Olivia was at a loss where to look, but seeing that Cyrius didn't seem to mind, she smiled at him. To ease Elizabette's concern, she quickly changed the topic. She also had a question for Edward, so it was a good opportunity.

"By the way, I heard an interesting story in the town we visited on the way here. It seems that there used to be a 'Selection Ceremony' for the royal succession in this country, right?"

"That's an unusual interest."

Edward's eyes widened, and Cyrius shrugged.

"It's just Olivia's usual habit. Once she gets interested in something, she can't stop. She was trying to remember if it was mentioned in the history books she's read, but she couldn't find it."

Smiling, Cyrius revealed this, and Olivia covered her cheeks with her hands.

(Oh, you didn't have to say that!)

Embarrassed, she covered her cheeks, and Cyrius watched her with amusement before asking Edward.

"From what I heard in the town, it seems the ceremony is no longer held. Do you know anything about it?"

"Hmm, I'm not very familiar with it, but I think it was a treasure hunt to find a short sword given during the royal succession. You might want to ask my father."

"Does the king have experience with the ceremony?"

Olivia asked eagerly, and Edward shook his head with a slight smile.

"No, it was originally held to select the next king when many princes were born. Since only one prince has been born in each generation since my grandfather's time, my father wouldn't have experienced it. However, he should have inherited a sword during his coronation, so it might be worth asking him then."

"Um... so it's a secret of the Filarus royal family?"

"I don't think so, but you're probably the only one interested in such things. You'll have to ask my father to know for sure."

Feeling indirectly called a "weirdo," Olivia became even more embarrassed. However, she was still curious and didn't want to leave it at that. If the selection ceremony had been held for a long time, the sword must have historical value. She wanted to see the real thing.

As Olivia started calculating when to ask King Wilson, Cyrius sighed beside her.

"You seem determined to get to the bottom of it."

"Yes, we might have to run together again until she's satisfied."

Though she felt like a runaway horse, Olivia couldn't deny her curiosity.

(If the pattern on the sword from the previous king dates back to the time when the first king was a knight, it could have been created when the first king was alive. ...A ceremony from over six hundred years ago... Oh, what if there are new discoveries?)

Olivia decided to ignore the fact that she was called a "weirdo" and a "runaway horse" because the possibility of finding new facts not recorded in history books was more important to her.