Side: Lowelle (2nd Princess of Gartz)
The information delivered via express courier was simply this:
『Long time no see, Brothers, Sisters, Mother, and Father. I am doing well. I have something I would like to discuss with you, so I plan to visit with my husband. Please, ensure that you treat my husband with the utmost respect.』
That was it. The information is severely lacking.
We heard that the person Sheila married was the one who exposed the Demon King's subordinates operating in the shadows of Roshure. But that's all we know.
What is his background? His social standing? Everything else is a total mystery.
"What do you all think?"
In the conference hall, my father, the King of Gartz, asked his sons, daughters, and high-ranking officials.
"...If we think about it normally, it's most reasonable to assume she's been sent back."
The one who answers is the fourth prince and strategist, Higil.
Actually, it was Higil who proposed the plan to send Sheila away. He sent her specifically to ensure the safety of our messengers and to make sure she wouldn't be treated poorly over there.
He's often misunderstood as being cold and overly intellectual, but among us siblings, he's famous for cherishing his family. He used to spend his own salary every month to send Sheila presents. Yet, since he's always cold to her face, he's just a terribly awkward little brother.
"Normally...? Higil, do you think it's different?"
"Yes. First of all, there's a very high chance that this isn't Roshure's official intent."
"Why?" I asked, puzzled.
I mean, to commit the rudeness of sending back a princess like Sheila implies something shameful happened. If this hero or whoever he is sent her back without going through the proper channels of the Roshure state, he wouldn't just lose his honor—he could be executed.
"...Nee-san—No, Lowelle-sama, try to think a little. No, let me explain it in a way that's easy for you to understand. If this were Roshure's official decision, it would essentially be admitting they have something to hide. You understand that, right?"
"Yeah."
"That's exactly why it's strange. It's like they're going out of their way to say, 'We have a secret'. It's an act that would naturally cause a rift in our alliance."
I see. Certainly, even I would suspect that.
"As a response from Roshure, it's far too sloppy. Considering how they've historically been the first to bow their heads and pay reparations, it's virtually impossible."
"Umu. Just as Higil says."
Father muttered.
"Furthermore, Sheila has been married for barely a month. Sending her back in such a short time would look extremely bad to other countries. Therefore, it is most likely that Sheila or her husband wanted to come here. And they did so without consulting their own government."
Fumu... when you put it that way, it makes sense.
"Oh, maybe she just wants to show her husband her home country?"
When I blurted out that thought, Higil and Father just stared at me blankly.
"W-Well, that possibility isn't zero..."
"...Father, please, say something decisive here."
"...What are you saying? She's your sister; you're the one explaining things."
"...Don't push this on me. Honestly, the one who handled her education was..."
The two of them started whispering to each other.
Did I say something strange?
"...Ahem. As Lowelle suggests, that is a possibility. If so, there is nothing to worry about. However, this meeting is about what we do if there is a problem. We should proceed under the assumption that a problem exists."
It was our eldest brother, the Crown Prince, who spoke.
"Oh, I see! Exactly, Brother. You truly are fit to inherit Gartz."
"...Yes, thank you."
He looked a bit tired. I suppose supporting a nation is exhausting work. We siblings must support our brother firmly.
"Alright, well done."
"As expected, Elder brother."
"...Father, Higil, do half of my paperwork later."
""No way!!""
I don't understand why they hate helping so much. Didn't they see how tired Elder Brother looked just now?
"Well, we won't know the actual problems until we hear them. But we should prepare for different scenarios."
"Scenarios?"
The one who starts explaining to me is the Third Princess, Sharl.
She mainly handles domestic affairs in the country.
"Yes, Onee-sama. So we can respond immediately. For example, if she was sent back as we first feared, we send a formal protest and launch an investigation in the Roshure capital. Or, if Sheila caught wind of some information and rushed back... considering she chose to return so quickly, it must be vital info. She's no fool; we know that better than anyone."
"Yeah, Sheila's a very smart girl."
"Lastly... the pattern where Sheila's husband is an idiot trying to leverage his new connection for favors. Maybe he got a big head after marrying a princess and thought he could do anything, so he begged Sheila to bring him here. In that case, we protect Sheila immediately. If she was forced to agree, there's a chance she's being mistreated."
"That's unforgivable."
Mistreating Sheila is out of the question. I'll take his head on the spot!
As we were finalizing our stance, the doors to the conference room burst open, and a member of the Royal Guard rushed in, looking panicked.
"What happened?"
Elder Brother asked, remaining remarkably calm.
Impressive; I probably would have shouted back at him.
"Reporting! At the capital's entrance, two carriages without horses have arrived. They are almost entirely made of iron and highly suspicious. When we attempted to investigate, we found Sheila-sama and Killue-sama inside!"
"""WHAT!?"""
Even we couldn't stay calm at that.
"W-Wait a second. When did Sheila's letter arrive?"
"Nee-san, calm down. It was yesterday."
"...And it came by express courier, right?"
"Yes, we confirmed that. It wasn't a slow horse either; it was a standard express mount."
"Then what is this...?"
"...I hate to think it, but it means Roshure possesses carriages that can outpace an express courier."
"That's absurd! During the recent conflict, they were using ordinary carriages!!"
"Calm down, Onee-sama... Are you certain it was Sheila and Killue?"
Sharl asked the soldier, soothing me.
"Yes. I'd like to say I was mistaken, but it wasn't just me; the captain and the rest of the squad said it was Sheila-sama as well."
"...No room for doubt then. Where are the carriages and Sheila now?"
"Yes, Maam! Since they were blocking traffic, they have been moved to the external guard garrison."
"Onii-sama, what shall we do?" Sharl asked.
Elder Brother thought for a moment before speaking.
"Right. It would be rude to leave them there. But there's also the matter of these unknown carriages. Lowelle, Higil—take some soldiers and go welcome them. If anything happens, prioritize your own safety. Got it?"
""Yes!""
"Father, is that alright?"
"Umu. You already have the bearing of a king. Want to take over now?"
"No, I am still quite inexperienced. You two, be careful."
Higil and I dashed out of the room immediately.
"Higil, what's the formation?"
"Let's see. We can't waste time, so let's take about 40 of the Royal Guard currently at the castle. For armaments: 5 mages, 5 archers, 10 shield-bearers, and 20 vanguard."
"No specific weapon designations for the vanguard?"
"We have to hurry. If they're Royal Guards, they won't struggle as long as they have their own gear."
"I suppose you're right..."
And so, we set out to meet Sheila.
* * *
Side: Yuki
"Heh~ They really weren't kidding calling it a fortified nation."
I stared up at the massive, thick stone walls looming before me.
"How is it? Impressive, right? It was designed to withstand a dragon's attack."
Sheila explained proudly.
Three days later, we've arrived safely at Gartz's capital as planned.
Since we needed to clearly convey the convenience and nature of the dungeon, we didn't have to get out of the Marauders along the way, which made the trip much faster.
"Still, was it a bad move to roll up to the capital in the Marauders?"
"Hmm, hard to say. We want them to understand our importance, so I think it was unavoidable."
Ratz said, looking at the vehicles.
The Marauders were strictly surrounded by soldiers; it didn't look like we were in a position to get back near them easily.
"Well, anywhere would react the same way if iron carriages showed up without horses."
"True. Those vehicles are quite ominous, after all."
Seraria and Rurua comment.
Hey, Rurua—running over those trolls was for public safety.
Totally justified.
"I-I sincerly apologize! I've just explained the situation to a soldier I know. Please wait just a bit longer!"
Killue bowed her head, looking genuinely apologetic.
"Killue, don't apologize. In fact, this response is a passing grade for a soldier. Not letting in mysterious objects—it's commendable." Seraria responded.
"That's right. We don't mind at all, so it's fine," I added.
It's only natural. No matter how important a person you are, if you're riding something this weird, people are going to be on guard.
"Yuki-sama, once the negotiations are over, would you accompany me for a bit?"
"Hm? Somewhere you want to go?"
"Yes. There is a beautiful spot inside the royal castle that only my sister and I know about. I really want you to see it."
"I see. I look forward to it, then."
"Ah."
I reached out and patted Sheila's head. She squinted happily and let me pet her.
Suddenly, I heard the ground shaking...
"RAAAAAAAAH!! Sheila, ARE YOU ALRIGHT?! YOU THERE—PREPARE YOURSELF!!"
"SHEILAAAA!! ONII-CHAN IS HERE!! MAGES, ARCHERS!! TAKE AIM AT THAT MAN!! HE'S A SCOUNDREL LAYING HIS HANDS ON SHEILA!!!"
...Oi oi.
