It was May 15th, the day after the hot spring facilities had been installed in Reinhard's territory of Kalts Village.
Jin and Elsa were at their mansion in Loizart with the twins when an emissary arrived from the Empress.
"Her Majesty wishes to see me? I wonder what this is about."
Regardless of the reason, the timing was convenient, and refusing wasn't an option. Jin hurried to prepare himself.
"Do be careful, dear."
"I will. I'm off."
Only Jin and Reiko would be heading to the palace this time. They chose to accompany the messenger in the carriage provided.
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"Jin-kun... no, Lord Jin Nidou, thank you for coming. Reiko-kyou, you are welcome as well."
The Empress greeted Jin and Reiko in her office with an uncharacteristically solemn expression. Beside her stood a woman whose features bore a striking resemblance to her own.
"This is Charlotte Arena von Linal Shouro. She is my younger sister and currently first in the order of succession."
"I am Jin Nidou."
Jin introduced himself with a bow, while Reiko offered a silent, polite nod.
"Please, there is no need for such formality, Lord Nidou," the imperial sister said. Her voice was soft, and she possessed dark brown hair slightly lighter than the Empress’s, paired with very similar brown eyes. Her figure was soft and plump, radiating a gentle aura.
Another person was present in the room: a boy of about ten. With his dark hair and brown eyes, he also looked remarkably like the Empress.
"Allow me to introduce him. This is my nephew, the late Emperor's only child. You have met once before, have you not?"
It had happened shortly after Jin and Elsa were married.
"I am Ernst Shouro."
Ernst bowed to Jin, appearing somewhat more grown-up than he had during their previous encounter.
"It is an honor, Your Highness the crown prince."
The Empress spoke up to correct him. "Ah, Lord Nidou, Ern hasn't come of age yet, so he isn't officially the 'crown prince' just yet."
"Oh? He isn't the crown prince?"
The Empress gave a small, knowing smile.
"Did I not explain this before? It is a bit complicated, but such is our custom. Once Ern turns fifteen, he will officially become the crown prince. Only then will I be able to abdicate the throne with a clear conscience."
"Aunt..."
"...At any rate, the reason I summoned you today, Lord Nidou, is because Ern practically begged me for the chance."
"His Highness... begged you?"
The Empress nodded and began to explain.
"Members of the imperial family are forbidden from having excessive contact with outsiders until they reach the age of ten."
This rule existed to ensure an Emperor would never let personal sentiment dictate their rule.
"Whether that is for the better or worse is a separate discussion. Essentially, the predecessors believed that connections formed in childhood are often free of ulterior motives, and thus should be avoided by those destined to govern."
Jin could follow the logic, though he wasn't sure if it was truly the best way to raise a child. Of course, it would have been the height of arrogance for him to voice such a critique.
"Now that Ernst has turned eleven as of May 2nd, the time has come for him to learn about the world. As part of that education, I decided a meeting with you, Lord Nidou, was in order."
"I see."
Raising a child in isolation might prevent the formation of problematic factions, but it also risked creating a ruler with a narrow perspective who knew nothing of the common world. Thus, the age of eleven was set as the debut for imperial children—the age when they were deemed capable of making their own judgments.
"In four more years, Ern will be fifteen and an adult. When that day comes, I intend to formally abdicate."
"What...?"
"Aunt!"
"No, this is a promise I made to my big brother—the late Emperor. I am merely a bridge. Eventually, I must return the seat to its rightful successor."
Her voice lacked its usual softness, replaced by a sternness befitting the ruler of a great empire. The Empress’s resolve was clearly unshakable.
"Four more years," she declared, her tone sharp. "In those four years, I want our nation to climb one more step toward the future."
Then, the Empress broke into a bright smile once again.
"Jin-kun, I ask for your cooperation."
In that moment, her face and voice returned to the familiar Empress she always was.
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"...So, how did we end up like this?"
Jin was currently sharing a carriage with the Empress, Chief Lady-in-Waiting Flora, and Ernst Shouro. They were currently en route to Jin’s mansion.
"This boy is a huge fan of both you and Elsa. I wanted to give him the chance to meet you properly."
"Um, Lord Nidou!"
"Yes, Your Highness?"
"May I call you Jin-dono?"
"...Go right ahead."
"Thank you so much!" Ernst then turned his attention to the automaton. "Reiko-san, you're so cute!"
"Thank you."
Ernst’s excitement remained at a fever pitch until the carriage finally pulled up to the estate.
"I'm home."
"Welcome back... Oh, welcome, Your Majesty."
Since Jin had sent word ahead, Elsa was already waiting by the gate to greet them.
"We're incognito today. Come now, Ern, introduce yourself."
"U-Um, Elsa-sama, I-I am Ernst Shouro! It is an honor to meet you!"
"Ah... I am Elsa Nidou, Your Highness." Elsa seemed a bit overwhelmed by the boy's intensity.
"You already know Flora. She was recently promoted to chief lady-in-waiting."
"Congratulations on your promotion."
After the round of introductions, they moved inside.
"Welcome, Your Majesty, Your Highness."
The 5-Color Maids bowed in perfect unison.
"Wow, amazing!" Ernst stared at them with wide, sparkling eyes.
"It's practically his first time seeing the outside world, so every sight and sound is a marvel to him," the Empress noted.
"Your Majesty, Your Highness, please come this way."
Elsa led the guests toward the drawing room. Jin followed a pace behind, and as he did, Flora leaned in to whisper in his ear.
"...Just between us, the reason Her Majesty feels so comfortable associating with your family is because none of you have any desire for status or power."
Jin felt a sense of clarity at her words.
By the time Jin entered the drawing room, Ernst was already peppering Elsa with questions.
"Elsa-sama, what is the secret to using healing magic effectively?"
"Well... it is important to understand how the human body is built and how it functions. And Your Highness... please stop calling me '-sama'."
"But you're teaching me! In that case... I'll call you 'Sensei'! Elsa-sensei!"
The young prince was clearly a dedicated student, and he seemed the type to never let go of an idea once he had committed to it.