I moved to the palace when I was three years old.
Since I relocated from Count Niphthas's estate—where I'd lived until then—to the capital, I should have seen the scenery from the carriage, but I have no memory of it.
"I might vaguely remember being carried inside by Father."
"That did happen. Her Highness the Consort entered first, but he returned the next day."
"He rode in the carriage with you himself to bring Asha-sama in."
Hercov and Wearrel spoke nostalgically.
From what I'd heard, the plan had apparently been to enter the palace quietly and late, with only my wet nurse Hartie. By carrying me in himself, Father made it widely known that I was an imperial prince.
"For these five years, since His Majesty ascended the throne, he has not gone to the summer retreat or the winter palace."
"Those exist?"
When I asked Ikuto, he made a troubled face.
Come to think of it, company presidents in my previous life had vacation homes, didn't they? Of course, there was no way the Emperor—my father—wouldn't possess such things.
"I've never heard about this until now? From the way you say it, was it customary to go once a year?"
"No records of such in the documents from six years ago."
"Hey, Sephira. You can't just read people's diaries without permission."
Sephira Sephiroth said something outrageous while flickering her sphere of light.
"...It was hidden behind a disguised cover."
"That makes it even more something you shouldn't read, I think."
Diaries that can't be left out in the open are especially off-limits.
"Besides, six years ago the previous Emperor was bedridden, so it's natural there would be no records."
You don't move sick people en masse for a vacation.
Wearrel cleared his throat and entered the conversation between me and Sephira.
"As you say, it did not happen when the previous Emperor's condition was poor. However, about ten years ago, a magnificent procession of carriages—what one might call a palace relocation—entered and left this capital every year."
"There was work such as diplomacy and regional inspections, so officials and equipment for that purpose moved together with the Emperor, apparently."
Ikuto supplemented, but from the way he spoke, it seemed he had never seen it either.
"Hmm, that sounds complicated. Perhaps His Majesty finds such things too time-consuming?"
I imagined a procession reminiscent of the alternate attendance system. Those were flashy because they served to demonstrate authority, or so I'd heard.
But Father is still weak in power as Emperor. He's been working hard these five years to strengthen his position. Perhaps he judged that consolidating the interior was more important than making diplomatic appearances.
"Um, Your Highness? You're probably thinking of complicated political matters, but that's not it. The problem is more... emotional."
Hercov interjected as if finding it difficult to say.
But I don't intend to be dull either. Difficult to say, and an emotional problem on top of that. And speaking of "vacances," in Japanese that translates to holiday or family trip.
"Could it be that there was talk of leaving me behind, and His Majesty got angry about that?"
All three nodded in unison.
"This is a good opportunity, so shall we speak a little of geography?"
Wearrel took out a scroll. Apparently, he had intended to use it for today's lesson. When unrolled, a rough topographical map appeared. It was by no means detailed; if anything, it was so stylized it looked like something from a game.
This is because maps are precious sources of information in a world without satellites. Detailed ones are strictly preserved, and apparently only narrow-range detailed maps for necessary portions are lent out.
"This center is our imperial capital. And to the north is the palace."
"Yeah, there's a lake to the south of the capital, and mountains with water sources further north of the palace, right?"
Great highways connect to the capital from all directions, east, west, south, and north. However, the central continent is vast, and within the empire there were several small kingdoms.
"The winter palace is to the east, the summer retreat to the west. To go to either, one must pass through key territories held by ducal houses, and the wishes of the ducal houses cannot be ignored."
Even imperial ducal houses may also be kings of some small country. Such overlapping of status is permitted, and even the Emperor cannot ignore them in peacetime.
Even if that weren't the case, the Duke Lukaios family is Her Highness the Consort's family and dislikes me. They probably don't want to create a fait accompli by treating me as an imperial prince. Duke Eurasion, who surely lost the imperial throne due to Father's emergence, is probably similar—he doesn't want to deal with me, who will definitely become lower in rank in the future.
"Am I not too hated?"
"The one who suspects evil has a base heart."
Ikuto spat venom with a smile.
The Marquis Strateg, Ikuto's superior, is also quite suspicious, isn't he? He still suspects my correspondence with Princess Diora of the Lukiusaria Kingdom. We're just continuing as good friends.
Recently Diora had a portrait drawn and sent to me, but it was confiscated by Marquis Strateg before I could see it. Something about how I mustn't fall in love with Princess Diora who has grown into a beauty...
It ended with me complaining to Revan, whom I value as a superior, not to cause me so much trouble—even though he knows I never said I wanted a portrait.
"Well, His Majesty's stance is that if he cannot take Your Highness, he won't go on vacation. Thanks to that, your younger brothers have never left the capital either."
"Ah, that's pitiful. Maybe you should take them even if you must leave me behind."
When I answered Hercov, he looked at me with a somewhat exasperated expression. But family trip memories are good things, right?
In my previous life, I was only taken to the countryside a few times, but there, away from Father and Mother's eyes, I could spend time happily with relatives. I could play like that during elementary school, but in middle and high school I was too busy with exam prep to spare time for the countryside, so I only have childhood memories. Still, it's better to have happy memories.
"...I want to see the world on my own feet someday."
I don't know this world. If there are surprising things even within this palace, what must it be like outside? I don't need adventures like the ones Ikuto tells tales of. Even so, I think it's a problem to know too little about the world I currently live in.
"Hey, I just want to see the capital a little. Is that no good?"
I appeal further to the three who exchange glances.
"Wearrel, I think it's necessary to actually see things for the sake of geography too."
"The capital is wider than it appears on this map, you know?"
"Ikuto, even a very short time is fine. I absolutely won't do anything dangerous."
"It's not as if I could employ violence against an opponent I cannot see..."
"Hercov, can't I even see a little of that person who sells alcohol?"
"Eh? Well, I've been made well aware that you can protect yourself, through personal experience..."
At my desperate appeal, they showed signs of thinking.
"Is this acceptable, Asha-sama? The security of the palace is far better than outside."
Wearrel said such a thing again. In other words, this is a world with public order problems compared to Japan.
"Even in the imperial capital, there is danger that an eight-year-old child walking alone would be kidnapped."
At Ikuto's outrageous words, Hercov also nodded and continued.
"There are many people, and tall buildings with poor visibility. There is danger."
"Even so, I cannot keep avoiding danger forever. If so, I think it's better to get used to it even a little now."
I appeal to the three who are trying to intimidate me about the necessity.
Then they exchanged glances and sighed.
"It can't be helped. Am I the right person for this case?"
"Probably, since we can't use magic in the middle of the city."
"I live in the dormitory, so I don't approach the city center and am unfamiliar with it."
Wearrel and Ikuto withdrew.
This seems to mean they have consented.
The moment I smiled, Sephira intensified her light.
"Requesting inspection of the entity called lake."
"Ah! You were there too. Please don't speak outside, okay? I don't know what excuse I could make."
Hercov made a greatly pained face at Sephira, who was brightening her light. It was probably just dazzling, but with his fangs showing, it was a frightening face.
And Sephira Sephiroth had casually pushed through her own request.
Daily Update
Next: First Time in the Imperial Capital 1