Chapter 37

Ah, how nostalgic… Without realizing it, I found myself lost in the view of the capital that lay ahead, reflecting on the tumultuous days I had spent in the capital, which were different from the life in the province.

It was about ten days ago…

“Oh, we’ve received quite a few invitations.”

After the National Foundation Day party, I had the day off and was relaxing at home with a cup of tea. My body wasn’t tired, but I was mentally exhausted. At that moment, while having tea with Mother, the butler, who was standing by, read out the names of the houses that had sent invitations.

“Invitations from the Earl of Monroe, the Duke of Rudolph, and the sycophants from Elria’s family… I’m not going, of course.”

“Invitations have also been sent to you, Miss.”

“I don’t understand at all. Well… I can see why they might want to form connections after yesterday’s party. Iris, do you want to go?”

“Certainly not… I don’t have the slightest desire to go.”

To a tea party hosted by a house that supports the second prince? Absolutely not. Besides, there’s no reason to deepen any connections now.

“I see.”

Mother sighed and took a sip of tea.

“Do you have any other houses you’d like to visit?”

“…The Duke of Dangrey’s house.”

“The Duke of Dangrey? Ah, I remember, Iris, you and the young lady from there were classmates.”

“Yes. We were close at the academy.”

I wonder how Mimosa is doing… We’ve exchanged a few letters, but it’s been over two years since we last met.

“Then, the Duke of Dangrey’s house is settled. Are there any other houses you’d like to visit?”

“Hmm. Which house do you think is best, Mother?”

Despite excluding the houses that support the second prince, we’ve received a considerable number of invitations. However, I can’t be away from the province for too long, so it’s impossible to visit all of them. Still, since I’ve been given this opportunity, I want to form connections with other houses. Given the limited time, it’s important to be efficient. Since Mother is more familiar with these matters, I consulted her.

“Perhaps the Baroness of Messy’s house. And the Earl of Dranbald’s house.”

“The Earl of Dranbald? I remember you saying you and the lady of that house were close.”

I recall Mother mentioning that she often visited the Dranbald house.

“Yes. The lady there is very stylish and a delightful conversationalist.”

“If you say so, she must be quite something.”

“Thank you. …By the way, since the Dranbald house is neutral, when they host a tea party, it’s mainly attended by neutral parties. If Iris wants to understand the factional struggles in the capital, it would be perfect, wouldn’t it?”

Indeed, Mother… I decided to attend the Dranbald house’s tea party.

“If Iris is going, I’ll go too.”

“Let’s go together, Mother. What about the Baroness of Messy’s house?”

“The Baron of Messy fought alongside Father in the Twail War and was granted his title for his military achievements. He usually stays in his territory, which borders Twail, to guard the border, even during the season.”

“The Baron of Messy… Ah, Sir Marvellous? I remember Grandfather mentioning him. He was Grandfather’s close friend.”

“Yes. And he was an excellent adjutant, known as Father’s right-hand man. You know that Father’s troops turned the tide in the Twail War, leading to victory for the Kingdom of Tasmere, right?”

“Yes, of course.”

At the time, the situation was evenly matched, or rather, slightly in our favor. Grandfather turned the tide and brought victory to the Kingdom of Tasmere. As a result, Grandfather was appointed as a general and is still beloved by those under him, regardless of whether they are in the military or the knights. …I remember trying to get Grandfather to tell me more about it, but he blushed and fell silent.

“Yes. The details are in the history books, so I’ll skip them. In any case, Sir Marvellous was also granted a title for his contributions during the Twail War, leading to his current position.”

“Indeed, if that’s the case, it might be good to meet him once.”

It’s a rare opportunity… It might be good to meet him once.

“Yes. Besides, the Baron of Messy supports the first prince, so the gathering will naturally include houses that support the first prince.”

“That makes it even more important to go.”

“Exactly. …If the Earl of Monroe has the time to host so many events, he should focus on guarding the border like the Baron of Messy.”

“…Ah…”

As Mother spoke, I pulled up the map of the Kingdom of Tasmere in my mind. The Earl of Monroe’s territory is adjacent to the Baron of Messy’s and is near the border with Twail. I remember it was the main battlefield during the Twail War. The war started because of the crops in the fertile region. Twail, which extends north of our country, has narrow land, and the target was our country’s rich crops. In the ever-spring Kingdom of Tasmere, the land is generally fertile, making it easy to grow crops. The Earl of Monroe’s territory is in the north of the Kingdom of Tasmere, but precisely because of that, it has four seasons, allowing for a variety of seasonal crops.

“Does the Earl of Monroe often leave his territory?”

“Yes, he does. Usually, he’s in the capital from before the season starts and attends various parties, and he also hosts a considerable number of them.”

“I see…”

Given the location, it’s a bit concerning. We only have a ceasefire agreement with Twail, not a permanent peace. However, that’s beyond my control, so I’ll just keep it in mind.

“Anyway, since Iris doesn’t have much time, I think these three houses are a good choice. What do you think?”

“Yes… As Mother says, I will attend these three houses.”

“Good. Then, let’s send our responses… The closest event is…”

“The Duke of Dangrey’s. The date is the day after tomorrow. This is more of a private event.”

The butler, who was standing by, answered quickly.

“Right. Then, Iris, let’s start preparing tomorrow.”

“Yes, Mother.”

And so, my long-awaited round of parties began. …Although it’s only three.