Every time Lord Reineke demonstrated his power, the people’s faith in him grew. With so many people believing in him, it was decided that the day he and I descended in the temple would become a national holiday. It was dubbed the Moon Festival, and the celebration was held in his temple.
A market was set up around the temple grounds, and the lively atmosphere attracted donations and volunteers. The temple was beautified even more and made into a place where the displaced refugees could live in comfort. Of course, there were plenty of tourists who came for the festival as well.
Marquis Renard attended too and was currently holding a rite to thank Lord Reineke one more time. He wanted to show the people how beneficial it was to believe in the spirit.
Lord Reineke and I climbed the altar. I sat down, feeling rather meek and awkward in comparison to the mighty pleased fox spirit.
Father approached the altar and presented an extravagant offering: a gold bar, the cloth of the gods, salt, and other expensive goods. The sight of these items caused a buzz in the crowd. Their faith changed into a golden light, accumulating in the spirit and pleasing him further. As an extra touch, he created a halo behind both of us.
“I have been appointed as the chancellor by His Majesty,” father announced. “I shall endeavor to fulfill my duties to the best of my ability from my new townhouse in the capital. I humbly request your protection, Lord Reineke.”
He bowed before the fox, who placed his front paw on father’s forehead.
“We, together with Liam, will protect the Renard domain. Rest assured,” Lord Reineke replied.
Although father was always expressionless, his face softened for just a moment. His iron mask was back in place in no time, but I knew what I saw.
It’s really true—everyone in House Renard secretly loves fluffy things.
It was heartwarming to see these rare expressions from them.
With House Cordier stripped of their positions, a chancellor seat held by one of three marquis families had been left open. House Renard had been nominated.
Until now, the Renards had voluntarily distanced themselves from the palace due to their connection to the Lord of Darkness. However, Renard was the only territory that had a great spirit contractor as well as a bond with a legendary dragon, so His Majesty had requested their counsel. Not to mention, given the domain’s newfound prosperity, numerous other feudal lords were eager to consult with Marquis Renard regarding economic management. Therefore, it was judged to be in Garland’s best interest to have him summoned to the palace.
I’m sure we’re headed to a very different future than in my past life.
After all, Hodr was no longer the crown prince, so the possibility of me becoming crown princess was close to zero.
Honestly, I can’t imagine him turning over a new leaf and growing into a capable crown prince.
Hodr was no longer in contact with the former queen’s associates, and he was now a mere prince. I wouldn’t be surprised if his temper only worsened as a result of facing such a disgrace. He was under house arrest in a distant northern villa for the purpose of redoing his education, but from what I’d heard, he was showing no sign of repentance.
In other news, father had confidentially confirmed Bal’s identity to His Majesty. It turned out that the king had provided Bal’s mother with financial support for many years after her escape from the palace. But once his wife found out about it, she’d had Bal’s mother killed. The king had been searching for Bal ever since and was deeply troubled by his inability to find him until now.
His Majesty hoped to take Bal in as a prince sometime in the future, but it was too soon to give him an official title. The queen and crown prince’s demotion had been so recent, and Bal had no support due to being born into his mother’s low social standing. Things were just too volatile for the time being.
Instead, the king sent a request to Marquis Renard, asking to let Bal live in the Renard domain and train under Marcel. He would become a worthy wielder of the holy sword Joyeuse so that everyone would acknowledge him as a prince. That was our plan from the very beginning, so Bal was perfectly happy to stay.
If Bal can become a prince, he won’t need to resort to a revolution. He’ll be able to lead the country to a good future!
He wasn’t alone either. He had his master, Marcel, and a good friend in Liam.
Things are totally different from the past. I can only hope that this new direction is the right one!
Once the rite was over, we exited the temple. We found Liam and Bal waiting outside, then met up with Marcel. We all walked around the market together. The steam of manju rose against the chilly breeze, which carried its delicious fragrance all around. The hot white vapor was a joyful sight.
Children were gathered by the stalls, noisily munching on senbei. Lord Reineke smiled as he walked past them, swatting them lightly with his tail.
The children cheered.
“Lord Reineke’s out and about!”
“It’s Lady Lune!”
“They gave us a divine blessing! Our lord’s gonna be the chancellor!”
The tourists also exclaimed when they saw the spirit.
A lady clad in a dress made of the currently trendy cloth of the gods was holding a soy milk smoothie.
“What’s that shining pendant around your neck, Lady Lune?” she asked. “What a gentle, beautiful color!”
I grinned, proud of the gift I got from Liam.
“It’s an amulet with a gemstone made from pseudo magical ore!” I explained.
“Where could I get one?”
“They’re sold in Lord Reineke’s temple.”