A Happy Life in the Empire - The Princess Once Called a “Failure” Becomes the “Most Important Person” as a Hostage in the Empire - Chapter 10
Since it was a small village, the ritual was completed in just two days.
After that, no major issues arose, and we departed from Harmene Village.
About half a day had passed since we left the village.
Inside the carriage, I gazed at the scenery flowing past the window.
We had finished traversing the steep mountain path, and now the gentle swaying of the carriage was lulling me into drowsiness.
“Alto, life in Harmene Village was fun, wasn’t it?”
“Yeah, it was meaningful. I was able to learn about the most advanced medical practices.”
“The variety of medicine in the clinic was really surprising, wasn’t it?”
“For you, Sophia, it must have been especially shocking. In the kingdom, medicine relies entirely on magic, doesn’t it?”
“Yes. If someone contracts a disease that can’t be healed with recovery magic, unless they are incredibly wealthy, they usually have no choice but to give up.”
As I spoke with Alto, I reflected on the time we spent in the village.
The villagers were kind, and they showed their appreciation for me and the knights after we finished gathering medicinal herbs.
Alto and I also got the chance to experience mixing medicine together at the clinic.
It was a valuable experience, and it deepened my knowledge of medical treatment.
“Alto, what kind of town is our next destination?”
In response to my question, Alto flipped through some documents and answered.
“It’s not a town.”
“Another village?”
“The opposite.”
“Huh?”
“It’s one of the largest cities in the empire. But before we get there, we’ll pass through several peaceful towns. We won’t arrive today, so we’ll rest in one of them for the night.”
“I see.”
“To answer your question directly, our destination is ‘Grandfell.’”
“Oh! Grandfell!”
Alto looked at me with interest.
“Sophia, do you know about Grandfell?”
“Only the name…”
“Grandfell is a trading city within a duchy. Merchants from all over the empire gather there. Its location is excellent, surrounded by vast plains and multiple rivers, making water transport and carriage transportation easy. Because of that, it attracts an overwhelming amount of goods and is always bustling.”
“A trading city! That means there must be all kinds of rare items for sale! That sounds exciting!”
“Exactly. Grandfell has everything. It’s the economic center of our country. It’s even livelier than the imperial capital.”
“Wow, hearing that makes me even more excited!”
At that moment, I suddenly realized something.
“Wait, if it’s such a large city, wouldn’t my magic be unnecessary? There must be plenty of adventurers and guards…”
If a place was struggling with monster attacks, trade would be difficult.
And since Grandfell was the heart of the empire’s economy, its security should be well-maintained.
“Good observation. You’re quite perceptive.”
I scratched my head with an embarrassed “ehehe.”
“As you said, Grandfell isn’t currently suffering from monster attacks. The adventurers who gather there take the initiative in exterminating monsters.”
“Then why is a ritual necessary?”
“The problem lies with the adventurers.”
“What do you mean?”
“The government wants adventurers to operate throughout the empire. However, that’s just our convenience. From the adventurers’ perspective, they would rather work in Grandfell than in places like Rockwell or Harmene Village.”
“That makes sense. If I were an adventurer, I’d prefer Grandfell too.”
“Solving this problem is difficult. If we implement policies to redistribute adventurers away from Grandfell, then Grandfell itself might suffer from monster attacks.”
“I see. So that’s why you’re performing the ritual. If you conduct it in Grandfell, it will encourage adventurers to spread out while also keeping the city safe from monsters.”
“Exactly. There are many towns around Grandfell that are currently struggling due to a lack of adventurers. However, performing the ritual in each of those towns would take an enormous amount of time. So, by holding the ritual in Grandfell, we can encourage adventurers there to move to other areas.”
“You’re amazing, Alto. You even consider the movements of adventurers and the efficiency of the ritual.”
“It’s my job. Once I inherit the throne, I won’t be able to move around freely like I do now. That’s why I want to improve the country as much as I can before then.”
Alto smiled happily.
He genuinely wished for the empire’s prosperity and peace.
I wished that the nobles who were obsessed with power struggles could see him now.
That day, we rested in a town along the way as planned.
However, due to an unexpected turn of events, we ended up staying another day.
Alto said he wanted to rest the horses.
After both people and horses had recovered, we resumed our journey.
We traveled at a steady pace through peaceful lands where animals roamed freely.
Finally, the walls of Grandfell came into view.
“Wow…!”
I stretched my neck out from the carriage window to get a better look.
The city was surrounded by massive walls, with an impressive gate that was visible even from a distance.
The stone walls and sharply pointed towers gave it the presence of a fortress.
“As expected of one of the empire’s greatest cities! It’s enormous!”
“Impressive, isn’t it?”
Alto chuckled proudly.
“I can’t wait to go inside!”
I imagined the bustling crowds and the shops lining the main streets, my excitement growing.
But just before we reached the city gate, our carriage stopped.
“Huh? What’s going on?”
Alto tilted his head.
Then, our guard captain, Gerald, approached the window and said:
“Your Highness, Duke Edward is awaiting your arrival.”
“The Duke? He’s waiting outside the gate?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Alto let out a small chuckle, shaking his head.
Since he didn’t seem alarmed, there was likely no issue.
Even so, hearing the title “Duke” made me tense up.
A duke held the highest rank of nobility—second only to the emperor.
Naturally, that meant he outranked me, a princess from a vassal kingdom.
“Your Highness, Duke Edward is approaching.”
After Gerald’s report, he pulled back his horse.
“The Duke never changes. Always so formal, even coming out to greet us personally.”
“Does he always wait outside like this?”
“Yes. He’s someone who values excessive courtesy. So, Sophia, I’m sorry, but please wait here for a bit.”
Alto got out of the carriage.
I shrank back and carefully peeked outside from inside the carriage.
Before long, Duke Edward came into view.
The duke appeared to be around 60 years old.
He had a sturdy build and wore high-quality velvet clothing.
Since he was meeting the crown prince, he had a gentle smile on his face, but his sharp eyes gave the impression that he was not someone to be underestimated.
“Your Highness, welcome to Grandfell!”
The duke raised his voice and gave a deep bow.
Alto raised his hand slightly.
“Duke, how many times do I have to tell you that you don’t need to come all the way outside the gate?”
“No, Your Highness, your visit to Grandfell is the greatest honor for us. It is only natural for me to personally welcome you.”
“You’re as formal as ever… Well, as I told you before, I’ll be staying in this city for about a week.”
“Understood! Your Highness, please proceed to my castle! Allow me to guide you!”
“Alright, I’ll leave it to you.”
After finishing the conversation, Alto returned to the carriage.
“Sophia, we’re heading to the duke’s castle now. There’s no doubt he has prepared a grand feast, so you’ll have a chance to show off your noble etiquette for the first time in a while.”
Alto said with a wry smile.
From his tone, it seemed that he wasn’t exactly looking forward to an overly formal reception.
“H-Hah…! I’ll do my best not to make any mistakes!”
I answered, trembling slightly.
Even though I was a princess, I had never been part of a grand banquet.
Since I was a “failure” with no magic, I was never invited to such gatherings.
“Just relax. Even if you make a mistake, the duke won’t be angry.”
“Are you sure…?”
“The duke values etiquette, but he doesn’t force it on others. Besides, he knows you’re one of the most important people in the empire. Honestly, he’s probably more nervous than you. Well, you’ll see when we get there.”
The carriage began moving again.
The massive gates of Grandfell slowly opened to welcome us inside.