“C-Could you please repeat that again?” Going through an emotional joyride with each passer-by’s face either looking or not looking like a beast, she somehow managed to make it to her father’s office. Inside, Rosemarie could be heard raising her voice in a shrill and nervous tone. The office had been cleared of people, so her voice reverberated so well that even she could recognize how shaken up she was over what she’d heard.
Rosemarie’s father gave his daughter a cheerful greeting, despite her having kept him waiting since yesterday; he wasn’t angry at her. His face was that of a good-natured and mature man. However, the news she heard from that very man’s mouth seemed impossible.
“An invitation to an evening gala arrived from Baltzar addressed to you.” Her eyes were fixed upon her father. He repeated the news in a deep tone, his forehead furrowed. Despite hearing it again, her thoughts just weren’t catching up with her.
Baltzar was the country to the north, about two countries over from Volland. They’d been on the cutting edge of technology and civilization, far outstripping neighboring countries. They also boasted a large population of sorcerers, and had for some time now.
Seeing as the entire royal family possessed mana, and they had a literal wizard army, one might think they were feared by the surrounding nations. On the contrary, they served an integral role as mediator for international disputes. Peace was assured for any nation under their jurisdiction. On the other hand, making an enemy of them would be a grave error.
From the perspective of the tiny nation of Volland, whose main industries include agriculture and livestock, they were a force second to none on a precipice all their own. “An invitation...? For me? From Baltzar... —?!”
“Yes, from Baltzar.”
“I couldn’t! I cannot go! I am sure you realize how long it took me just to get to the royal offi—”
“I had that letter delivered to you yesterday morning, so about a day and some change. Though I must say, it’s a vast improvement over the three days it used to take you,” Rosemarie’s father said, laughing things off with a hearty chuckle. But Rosemarie shook her head violently, pale in the face.
What transpired earlier was an everyday occurrence in her life. She would positively collapse with shock and fear before she even reached Baltzar. No, if she wasn’t careful, death awaited her.
“This is no laughing matter. Are you sure that, um, well, they only want me? They are not asking for you, Elder Sister Diana, or Charlotte?” Rosemarie had an elder and younger sister, but out of the three, the only one who proved to still be a handful was Rosemarie herself. So if anybody were to represent their father, it surely would have been her elder sister. In fact, her sister had gone to foreign lands as their father’s representative several times now, which made the request for Rosemarie by name all the more odd. Her father placed his hand upon his forehead, letting out a deep sigh. He seemed extremely exhausted as he voiced his concerns.
“Apparently, these invitations have been sent to all princesses and maidens of neighboring nations who are unattached and similar in age to the nineteen-year old crown prince of their land. And, while this evening gala is being held by the King of Baltzar, the blatant pretense for the event is to celebrate the crown prince’s birthday. In other words, the star of the party is the crown prince—Prince Claudio.”
As Rosemarie tilted her head in doubt, her father suddenly leaned himself forward in his seat, filling her with extreme apprehension.
“This evening gala is a front for selecting Prince Claudio’s bride. Obviously I wouldn’t be extended an invitation. Diana is engaged, and Charlotte is barely ten years old. So, given the facts, where does that leave you?”
“...I’m not engaged, and I turned sixteen this spring.”
“Yes, you see my point, then. You have been extended an invitation because you are in the running to be his bride.”
Rosemarie clutched her head with both hands. They must have been willing to go the extra mile to get a wide variety of girls if they were reaching out to nations as small as theirs.
“But why is the literal crown prince of Baltzar not already engaged in the first place?!”
“...You’re unaware of the rumors about Prince Claudio, aren’t you?”
“I’m unaware, and I don’t wish to be aware, for that matter.” She looked at her father reproachfully as he raised an eyebrow in surprise. She already knew firsthand how unreliable rumors were. She’d heard many people spoken of favorably, only to find herself locking eyes with a beast head when she met them face-to-face.
“That fact aside, I-I’m assuming... that there is no option to decline, correct?” If she were to turn down a request from a superpower like Baltzar, Volland would be squashed flat like a flea in no time.
Besides, there were only a handful of people outside of her own family who knew of her unique way of seeing the world. The majority of people knew of her simply as an eccentric shut-in princess with a slightly weak constitution. Rejecting an invitation from Baltzar would have undoubtedly caused an outcry among the retainers.
“I’m afraid there’s not. Sending you out of the country... no, out of this castle is cause for extreme worry and concern. But as long as you are at least seen in attendance at the gala, I see no harm in you excusing yourself as soon as it gets underway.” Her father’s distressed expression made it clear: he wasn’t just feeding her lines. He really was concerned for her well-being. That put her a tiny bit at ease.
“Well, it is a country you’ve been to once before. I suppose it’s a trifle better than any other country, in that regard.”
“—Huh? Um, but I’ve never been to Baltzar before...”
“What are you saying, my child? We’ve taken you there. You came along with us to Baltzar’s National Foundation Day when you were a child. Diana also accompanied us, wanting to show you an outside land at least once in your life. Admittedly, you didn’t see Prince Claudio back then.”
She has absolutely no recollection of this. However, even if she did, it wouldn’t have altered the current situation. She had no choice but to go—to prevent any trouble befalling her country or her family.
“...Okay, I understand. I will try my best, even if it kills me.”
“Splendid. Upon your return, I will reward you with as much Kaola as you wish.” Rosemarie’s father patted her on the head like a little child, prompting a smile that sought to cover the fear and anxiety swelling in her heart.