When I stepped out of House Calden’s estate, I had two contracts in my hand.
One was to centralize the procurement of stone, timber, and grain for my new domain within Count Calden’s territory. The other was a formal pledge stating that House Calden would support Alecia during the Selection Ceremony that would determine the succession.
The negotiations had taken less than an hour.
Even after boarding the carriage and taking the seat opposite me, Alecia continued to stare at the contracts as if she still couldn't believe her eyes.
"…I didn't think it would be settled so easily. Up until yesterday, he was being completely non-committal no matter what I said."
"It’s not that you were doing anything wrong. You were just offering him the wrong thing."
"My brother only promised to erase his debts… while we presented a business deal that hasn’t even started yet, didn't we?"
"That’s exactly why he signed. Even if his debts are cleared, if the trade routes don't flow through his land, the same thing will happen again in a few years. Count Calden understood that much. What he wanted wasn't a one-time handout; he wanted a path for gold to keep flowing into his domain."
It seemed Count Calden had wanted to return to our side from the beginning. However, as the head of a house responsible for his vassals and subjects, he couldn't simply reject the First Prince's conditions based on sentiment alone.
—That was when I brought him work that would continue long after his debts were settled.
I would buy the materials needed to rebuild the new domain. House Calden would provide the warehouses and wagons, earning a steady income from the cargo passing through their territory. Alecia would reclaim a supporting house without depleting the royal treasury.
It wasn't a deal where only one party profited. That was why he had signed without any unnecessary haggling.
"Even so, you… you seem to get into a remarkably good mood whenever the conversation turns to spending gold coins, don't you?"
"It’s money that will return as more than what I paid. It’s different from money that vanishes down a bottle of booze."
"You look just as happy when you're spending it on booze, though?"
"…That’s one thing, this is another."
Alecia let out a small laugh.
For the past few days, her brow had been knit with tension no matter the topic. It seemed she had finally returned to her usual self, if only a little.
However, we had only reclaimed one house so far.
I pulled the papers for the remaining two houses from the records Alecia had brought and lined them up on my lap.
"Next are these two."
"House Norden and House Raudel… I've visited both several times, but they refused to come back."
"That’s to be expected. If anything, these people aren't waiting for a payday."
Alecia looked down at the documents.
Marquis Norden wanted to confirm if Alecia intended to listen to opinions inconvenient to her even after she became Queen. Count Raudel said he wanted to hear from her own mouth the reason she desired the throne enough to fight her brother for it.
Neither showed any sign of having received major concessions from the First Prince. That was exactly why bringing them a contract would have been meaningless.
"Even if I go to these two houses, they won't budge."
"…Even you?"
"I’m not the one becoming the ruler. What they want isn't a profitable contract. They want to know what kind of country you intend to build when you become Queen. I believe that’s what they’re waiting to hear."
Alecia fell silent for a while, watching the scenery of the royal capital flow past the carriage window.
"I can recite beautiful words all day long… I will protect the people. I will build a nation where the righteous are rewarded. I will not tolerate corruption among the nobility… But those aren't the words they want to hear, are they?"
"If you understand that much, then you're halfway there. If you just recite borrowed words, men who have been nobles as long as they have will see through you immediately. Why do you want to be Queen? What do you want to change? When someone says something you don't want to hear, will you still listen? Answer those yourself."
"…If I fail, neither house will return."
"Likely so."
"…Couldn't you encourage me just a little more?"
"No matter what I say, you're the one who has to do the talking. Besides, the moment you ask me for the 'correct' words, you've already lost."
Alecia glared at me in dissatisfaction, but eventually, she pulled the records of the two houses toward herself.
"…I understand. I will go to these two houses myself. I will tell Marquis Norden exactly how I handled opposition in the past, without hiding anything. I will tell Count Raudel that it isn't because I hate my brother, but because of what I want to carry on my shoulders as Queen."
"Then I won't go with you. I’d just end up wanting to butt in halfway through."
"Yes… that would be for the best. Sitting still and staying quiet is what you're worst at, isn't it?"
"This country has a lot of rude women…"
"I'm not wrong, am I?"
I couldn't argue with that.
Alecia clutched the papers; her hesitation was gone. Rather than me crafting an answer for her, it was better for this woman to think and speak for herself.
I wasn't the one who would become the ruler.
From here on, it was a job that only Alecia could do.
◇
When I returned to the Razgrim domain later that day, the mansion was as busy as usual.
Even while the royalty feuded in the royal capital, the work of the domain did not stop. Soldiers took turns guarding the gates, servants packed supplies to be sent to the new domain, and craftsmen repaired broken wagons until the sun went down.
Everyone had been working hard while I was away.
I took three gold coins from my pocket and handed them to Mylene, who met me at the entrance.
"Tonight, give everyone meat—the soldiers and the servants. Serve white bread and wine as well. For those currently hauling cargo to the new domain, give them their share tomorrow morning."
Mylene stared at the gold coins in her palm, and for once, she did not reply immediately.
"…My Lord. Are we to use all of these for a single meal?"
"Is it not enough?"
"Quite the opposite! If we tried to use this much for the mansion alone, we would be feasting for days…!"
"Then buy better meat. Don't water down the wine, either. If there’s anything left over, buy preserved goods and stock the barracks and the kitchen."
"The Selection Ceremony has not finished yet… This isn't a victory celebration, is it?"
"These people were protecting the domain while I was handling troublesome business in the capital. I’m simply rewarding them for the work they’ve already done. If you only reward people after the final results are in, no one will give their all when it counts, right?"
After searching my face for a moment, Mylene gently closed her hand over the gold coins.
"Understood! I believe everyone will be delighted…"
"What? What's with that look?"
"I simply thought it was very like you, My Lord!"
Saying something nonsensical, Mylene headed for the kitchen.
After a short while, surprised cheers rose from the back of the mansion. A little later, the smell of meat being roasted with herbs wafted into the hallway. Perhaps word had reached the barracks, as louder laughter than usual began to echo from the courtyard.
I hadn't won anything yet.
Even so, I should pay for the work done today, today.
If I intended to make them work tomorrow as well, then all the more so.
◇
When I entered the study, Clarice was organizing the shipping manifests for the new domain.
Before I could even sit at the desk, she looked up.
"You're back. What happened with the Princess?"
"One house is back on our side. I left the remaining two to Alecia."
"…It’s rare for you to leave things to others, isn't it? Usually, you want to dictate everything from the sidelines."
"They were opponents I couldn't move. Apparently, they want to hear the convictions of the person who would be their ruler."
Clarice looked a bit surprised, then nodded as if convinced.
"…Then there’s no choice but to leave it to Lady Alecia. If she can't win them back herself, it wouldn't matter who else spoke to them."
I thought so too.
However, it wasn't guaranteed that those two houses would return. There was little time left until the ceremony, and I didn't think Regnard would stop his offensive now.
Just in case, I wanted to find at least one more path.
"Clarice… Among the houses that haven't sided with either the First Prince or Alecia, are there any powerful enough to shift the balance of the succession?"
"That’s sudden… If you're looking for that kind of information, wouldn't it be better to ask Lady Alecia? She'd know more about the political landscape."
"I’m letting her focus on her own negotiations for now. Whether I can use them or not is another matter, but I'd rather not be in the dark."
Clarice set down her quill and looked up, searching her memory.
"…There is one. House Eldran."
"A Duke… How powerful are they?"
"They control the vast granaries of the West and command a significant military force. The surrounding Counts and Viscounts would likely find it difficult to even survive the winter without trade with the Eldran family. If that house joins either side, the houses currently maintaining neutrality won't be able to ignore the shift."
"If such a house exists, why haven't they moved yet?"
"Because they won't side with anyone. Both the First Prince and Lady Alecia sent messengers, but I heard they were both turned away. They have no interest in money or status, and the Duke only lends his strength to those he personally respects. He’s famous for being a stubborn old man."
Sounds like a pain.
But if they had enough power to shift the current six-to-four balance and hadn't picked a side yet, there was no reason to let it end without a meeting.
"Where is he now?"
"He should be at his villa in the royal capital… Surely you aren't planning to head back there already?"
I straightened up from where I had been leaning against the back of the chair.
I had entrusted Alecia with the work that only she could do.
In that case, I had to find the work that only I could do.
"Tell me the location. Whether I'm turned away at the gate is something I'll decide once I'm standing in front of it."
Clarice let out an exasperated sigh, but she immediately began writing the directions on a new sheet of paper.
"…You really have no intention of resting, do you?"
"I’ll rest with all my might once everything is over. That’s why I’m working now."
—House Eldran.
It was the final blank space left in the succession struggle that had tilted six-to-four.