Surprisingly—or perhaps not—the journey to the empire was proceeding rather calmly. No doubt it was thanks to Mylène’s story on the first day. Ever since then, conversations had gradually increased and at times even grew lively. Considering they had only just met, it was fair to say things were going quite well.
“Well, it makes sense. Those three were bound to get along. I guess the biggest problem is me, huh?”
Allen muttered to himself inside the carriage, staring out the window. His eyes fell on a structure like a fortress up ahead. It stood directly on the border of the kingdom and the empire—a checkpoint. There hadn’t been one in his version of the world, but he’d heard that this one had been built only recently. Apparently, the empire had hastily constructed it after growing increasingly hostile toward outsiders. Looking at it now, he could tell it was new.
Building something like this just proves the empire really does have an allergy to foreigners.
The empire had always expanded by absorbing neighboring lands. The reason they hadn’t had checkpoints before was precisely because they wanted the ability to invade at any time. The fact they’d gone out of their way to build one now showed just how deeply that aversion had taken root.
Maybe it was for the best that I didn’t try to go...
Allen was currently alone in the carriage because the others had gone to handle the formalities. He had wanted to go with them, but they had insisted his presence was likely to cause trouble and told him to stay behind. With Anriette there, they said, his paperwork could be handled without him. Judging by the situation now, that was probably the right call.
Still, if the empire hated foreigners so much, shouldn’t his attempt to enter have been impossible anyway?
Maybe Anriette’s standing is enough to smooth it over.
That would mean she wasn’t just a noble, but a high-ranking one. Noel and the others had said her name was well-known—she must have also been from a marquis family. But then how had she managed to live as an adventurer in a Frontier town? If her background was anything like the Anriette Allen knew, she had probably left home under tense circumstances. Back in his own world, she had practically been under house arrest. Surely her family wouldn’t have let her just walk away. Allen’s musings were interrupted as the others returned.
“Ah... I thought that’d go more smoothly, but it was more of a hassle than I expected,” Anriette sighed.
“Really? I thought it went quickly, considering. If it had been anyone else but you, I doubt we’d have gotten through so easily,” Noel said.
“Impressive,” Mylène added flatly.
“It’s not like I have any power or anything.” Anriette shrugged. “Still, if there’s ever a time to use it, it’s now.”
The conversation linked perfectly with Allen’s earlier thoughts. Before he realized it, he was staring at Anriette.
“Hm? What’s with the look?” she asked, tilting her head.
“Oh, sorry. I was just thinking...even though I couldn’t go, everything worked out fine. So I was wondering what kind of position you hold to make that possible.”
“Come to think of it, we never actually talked about that,” said Noel.
“You’re right. But it’s not like you were hiding it, were you?” Allen prompted Anriette.
“Not really. No one asked, and it’s not the kind of thing I go around bringing up,” she answered.
“Well, around here, the name Anriette Linkvist is famous enough that you don’t really need to explain,” Noel remarked.
So, she was from a marquis house, just like before. But if she was so well-known, what had she done to earn that reputation?
“You’re exaggerating,” Anriette said quickly. “Sure, maybe nobles and the like have heard of me, but that’s about it.”
“The only one who doesn’t realize it is you,” Noel said coolly.
“You’re one to talk,” Anriette shot back.
“Either way, since you haven’t come back since leaving, you wouldn’t know what people say about you,” Noel insisted.
“Well, that’s true but...wait, you’re saying you weren’t joking?” Anriette blinked.
“Why would I joke about something like that? Think about the guards’ reactions.”
“I figured they were just nervous because a marquis outranked them so badly.”
“They were terrified you’d lose your temper and smash them,” Mylène said.
“Huh? What did you do?” Allen asked, alarmed.
“Hey, don’t look at me like that. It wasn’t a big deal. I only beat up my uncles who tried to get in my way.”
“That sounds like a very big deal!” Allen exclaimed.
“They tried to seize the house and lock her up,” Noel clarified. “She didn’t like that, so she flattened them.”
“You mean physically?”
“Physically,” Mylène nodded. “They didn’t show their faces in society for quite a while after that.”
“That’s news to me. It must’ve been after I left. Still, that story’s exaggerated,” Anriette replied.
“In what way?” Noel asked.
“Yes, they did try to seize the house, and yes, they tried to confine me. But the way you put it makes it sound like I had it out for them. The only thing I hated was them trying to cage me.”
“That doesn’t sound very different,” Allen muttered.
“I agree,” Noel said.
“It’s completely different! I didn’t care about the title. Once my parents were gone, I had no attachment to that house. I was ready to let them have it and walk away. But they started ranting about legitimacy and tried to lock me up. That’s when I fought back.”
“So...you beat them up?” Allen asked.
“Exactly.”
“Yeah, it still doesn’t sound too different.” He sighed.
“My thoughts exactly,” Noel agreed.
“You two don’t get it. To noble society, there’s a huge difference,” Anriette insisted.
Noel shrugged. “Regardless, we’re not nobles.”
“Wait, aren’t you? You’re the Elven Queen, right?” Allen asked.
“Ah...how to explain this...” Noel murmured. “It’s not that I’m not recognized as queen, exactly...”
“Didn’t you say elves have low standing in the empire? Is that related?”
“Not quite,” Anriette said. “It’s not just elves. The empire treats all annexed peoples that way.”
“In the empire, the only ones truly recognized as nobles are those who were nobles before annexation or those the empire chooses to acknowledge,” Mylène added.
“Right. If they denied every conquered noble, they wouldn’t have enough manpower to run things. So usually, annexed nobles keep their titles. But they’re still treated as conquered nobles, clearly separate from true imperials,” Anriette explained.
“Which makes elves a special case,” Noel said.
“Exactly. Normally, royal families are wiped out. But the elves were left intact. It’s a special exception, but not one that grants them any higher privileges,” Anriette said.
“That’s why I don’t really know how I’d be judged in imperial noble society,” Noel admitted.
“And I’m just a commoner,” Mylène added.
“The queen’s bodyguard isn’t a commoner,” Anriette said dryly. “Normally that’s a knight’s duty, and knights are at least counted as nobles.”
“Elves aren’t normal,” Mylène said.
“That wording sounds misleading, but...she’s right. Elves don’t have such systems,” Noel admitted.
Which, Allen realized, was probably why Mylène could serve as guard at all. Either way, one thing was clear: Living under the empire seemed difficult. That much was true both here and in the world Allen had come from.
“In any case,” Noel continued, “whatever the nobles might say, to us you were exactly what the rumors described: the runaway marquis’s daughter. That’s why we were so surprised to find you working as an adventurer in some backwater town.”
“Really? I thought it was perfect. That town’s full of misfits. No one pried into my past. I could breathe easy there,” Anriette said.
“Of course, rumor had it you were traveling the world to gain power to reclaim your house,” Noel said with a wry smile.
“People really do talk nonsense. As I said, I don’t care about the marquisate.”
She likely meant it. The Anriette Allen knew had probably felt the same. The only difference was that the other Anriette had been trapped by family obligations. If she hadn’t been, maybe she would have walked the same path as this one—although Allen couldn’t quite imagine her literally punching out her uncles. That thought led him to another question.
“By the way, what’s the elves’ status in the empire, exactly?”
“What do you mean?” Noel asked.
“As we said before, it’s poor,” Mylène answered.
“Sorry, I phrased that badly. I mean...the way you describe it, it sounds the same as the other annexed nations.”
“You’re not wrong, but you’re not exactly right either,” Anriette said. “Other annexed lands are nominally incorporated, but the elves’ territory is treated as a direct imperial domain.”
“I don’t really get the difference,” Allen admitted.
“Neither do I, completely. But I think it means they have more direct control over us,” Noel said.
“Pretty much. Normally, annexed lands get some autonomy. But elves are ruled directly, which is why you feel so suffocated. And with the empire in turmoil, you’re catching the brunt of it,” Anriette said.
“I see... So that’s how it is,” Allen murmured.
That confirmed it: This Anriette had no authority over the Elven Forest. It made sense. His world’s Anriette had only gained that role because she was Anriette. If she held the same power here, everything would be different. But such thoughts were pointless.
“Anyway, getting back to the main issue: There was no problem at the checkpoint?” Allen asked.
“Oh, right. We never actually said,” Noel replied.
“There wasn’t much to tell. With me there, it was obvious we’d get through,” Anriette said confidently.
“True enough. The officer was clearly terrified, though,” Mylène added.
“Now that I know the background, I’d say that’s just bad rumors. I’m not some wild dog snapping at everything,” Anriette protested.
“More like you’ll bite anyone if necessary, which is scarier in its own way,” Noel said.
They could joke like this now only because they’d grown used to each other. Allen cast another glance at the checkpoint as the carriage rolled forward. So far, nothing had gone wrong. But from here on, they were inside the empire.
“Well then...I wonder what’s waiting for us,” Allen murmured under his breath, exhaling slowly.