A Famous Traitor and Treacherous Genius

230 – Post-War, Behind-the-Scenes Transactions (3)

The word co-queen may sound a little strange, but it is true that it sounds strange.

There cannot be two kings in one country, but now there are two kings.

The throne was divided in half.

Even though the king named Saint Gio Nostrum was still alive, Naria Gio Nostrum became king.

How is this possible?

Legal issues were handled by creating new laws.

There was no rule in the kingdom’s customary law or tradition that there should not be two kings.

It’s kind of a trick and almost unreasonable, but it doesn’t mean that something like a disaster will happen.

From Nostrum’s point of view, having a crown hanging on St. Geo’s head is a disaster itself.

However, it was obvious that if Saint Geo suddenly died, everyone would be in trouble, so it was decided to let Saint Geo Nostrum enjoy himself freely by traveling around the country on the magic automatic ship.

Saint Geo Nostrum obediently accepted Naria Geo Nostrum’s ascension to the throne.

As if it doesn’t matter.

As a result.

Naria became a princess, princess, and queen.

She could not deny or refute anything.

Otherwise, the Kingdom of Nostrum would have to continue to be ruled by Saint Geo, who was possessed by someone like Zeros Barcell and almost destroyed the kingdom in a civil war, and someone had to ascend to the throne.

A position with great responsibility but no luxury.

For Naria, who is in charge of supporting her nation, the ‘negotiation’ with Gibraltar is her her political debut her her as queen, watched by nobles across the kingdom.

Will it be possible to properly negotiate with Gray Gibraltar?

That is the unprecedented interest that the kingdom’s nobles are currently paying close attention to.

If negotiations are concluded properly, Nostrum will be able to maintain the Nostrum Kingdom itself, even if it is in a somewhat abnormal situation.

I just hope that, as some people worry, the negotiations will not break down and Gibraltar, along with Barcelona, will be taken over by the Holladang Empire.

Those who cannot leave Nostrum.

Those who hate the empire or do not want to go over to the empire.

Those who hope that Nostrum’s singularity as just an incompetent king will disappear and that, as someone said, ‘the great Nostrum’ will unfold from Naria Geo Nostrum.

They are hoping.

Naria.

Gray.

The union of two people.

* * *

“Wow.”

From the time I returned, the word engagement was occasionally mentioned in Nostrum social circles.

It’s just that I’ve been dismissing it as nonsense and not paying any attention to it at all, and by actively clearing up the misunderstandings of those who swallowed such nonsense, I made sure that the engagement story no longer became a hot topic in social circles.

But now.

For some people, talk of an engagement began to creep back to the surface.

“Do you know that? The story about having to marry the co-king of Naria to Gray Gibraltar.”

“I know, so I hope you don’t mention it.”

“I don’t like it either. But there are people who spread such slander and slander, so wouldn’t that be why I’m saying this?”

Naria hates it, I hate it, and we have clearly revealed our dislike for each other from the Academy.

“Personal feelings are not important to them. The marriage between the Nostrum royal family and Gibraltar is what is more important.”

“Beggar loyal soldiers…”

For the loyal soldiers, the fact that the royal family and Gibraltar were in a relationship was important.

“I can understand why she’s fired up at the thought that Gibraltar could overthrow Nostrum, but that’s how she tried to get Queen Naria to become betrothed.”

“That’s right. It’s such an absurd thing.”

Neither Naria nor I have any intention of getting engaged to each other.

“Let me ask you one thing. Are you planning on getting engaged to Astasia?”

“Did Astacia ask you to ask?”

“Seeing you avoid answering like that, it seems like you’re trying to postpone something…?”

“Naria. That can’t be possible. We will get engaged. This is something we made clear even before the Territory War.”

The parties also know.

“Naria. This is really a secret.”

“You want to postpone your engagement?”

“Give me some ears.”

“Aya.”

I immediately stood up, grabbed Naria’s head, and whispered softly into her ear.

“So… “

“Ugh.”

Naria shuddered in disgust, and I immediately returned to my seat.

“Do you understand? Please keep it a secret.”

“Let’s do that. Just the ‘method’.”

“That’s it.”

I’m just glad that Naria didn’t cause Astasia’s misunderstanding with the intention of causing trouble for me.

‘It would be better if the people of the kingdom understood it like Naria did.’

Although I will be engaged to Astasia, there is a good day, time, place and atmosphere for the engagement ceremony.

If you hold an engagement ceremony without proper preparation, an accident is bound to happen.

“Engagement ceremony. I look forward to seeing what happens.”

“Yes. I’m sure it will be done quickly, so please keep the rest a secret. I don’t want to get the assassins’ blood on Astasia’s dress for no reason.”

Engagement ceremony.

It is not easy in many ways to just do it.

“If it’s because of the risk of assassination or sniping, then why not go to the imperial palace of the empire and have an engagement ceremony? Oh, you don’t like that because you don’t want to meet the emperor?”

“I would not hesitate to go to the imperial palace for the safety of Astasia, but wouldn’t that diminish the political standing of Naria’s co-king?”

“Isn’t this the sister’s tearful sacrifice her to marry off her her political younger brother her her, who is crazy in love?”

“Wow.”

“…”

Naria glares at me with half-closed eyes.

It’s not because I said something harsh-

“Are you saying you don’t trust me?”

Because Naria noticed the distrust and worry contained in my words.

“Do you think I will not be able to overcome the worries of the nobles of the Kingdom of Nostrum just because the Count of Barcelona, Gray Gibraltar, has become engaged to the princess of the Empire?”

“Even if Queen Carmen and the Duke of Winchester are helping, it’s true that I’m a little worried.”

Will Naria be able to solve the problems facing the Kingdom of Nostrum?

“Although Gibraltar was barely brought down to Nostrum as a marquis, people’s hearts are still full of worries, worries, and insecurities. Yes, anxiety that Gibraltar could fall to the side of the empire at any time, not the kingdom.”

I unfolded a piece of parchment lying on the tea table.

“Nostrum’s map could cause a cataclysm.”

“Is the kingdom’s territory decreasing by the amount of Gibraltar?”

“Is it only the territory of Gibraltar?”

I pointed up and down Gibraltar.

“Seville. Sirene. And many other fiefdoms. Families that were already pro-imperial have now completely turned to the imperial faction.”

In the case of Seville, which is next to the contaminated area, it is being promoted extensively as the area that produced Sword Master Robert.

In the case of Sirene, who traded through the sea route even before the canyon was opened, they are gathering public opinion by demanding an absurd budget for the project, saying that they should build a huge bridge between the straits.

“Those who try to rub up against Gibraltar, like Seville, are noble, and there are also those, like Sirene, who try to create their own connections with the empire.”

“They…”

“Of course, I am announcing the engagement between Astasia and I.”

“It’s the complete opposite of this.”

The kingdom was split in half.

“The farther away you are from the Empire, the more pro-Nostrum. The closer you are to the Empire, the more Imperial. Ha, really.”

The kingdom faction that holds that Gray Gibraltar should be betrothed to the kingdom’s co-queen.

The imperial faction believes that Gray Gibraltar should be engaged to the princess of the empire.

It is only an engagement, but the political calculations at stake in the word engagement are extremely complex.

“Earl Gray. You said you would make me queen at that time.”

“I did.”

“Nostrum’s treasures were empty, the country was ruined, spider webs spread across the castle, and the country was about to fall into ruin, but she ended up becoming queen anyway.”

“…”

In the end.

There are no eternal secrets, and Naria is not a fool.

“At least I think I am a person who can demand the minimum amount of responsibility in this situation.”

“In what name?”

“I need me to maintain Nostrum.”

“…”

“I’m about to take over a house that’s falling apart and lead it out, so wouldn’t I be able to ask for at least some help?”

“That’s why I told you about good talent.”

I sent them some food to keep them from starving in a house that was already on the verge of collapse, but now they are asking me to change the furniture and even the tableware.

“Gibraltar Gorge Scholarship Students. They are very excellent people. International students who went to the Empire or went to the Empire’s Ministry of Education for language training or research trips, etc. May look sane on the outside, but they commit corruption behind the scenes They are like the so-called Golden Dawn.”

Over the past year and a half, I have been picking out gems from Orosol Academy so that Naria can take care of them.

“I picked out the non-rotten strawberries on the strawberry cake and fed them, but now you’re asking me to make the cake from scratch?”

“I wish I could feed you with my own hands. Aang… I understand. I won’t do that, so put down the wand.”

After giving her little warning, Naria’s face fell and her shoulders slumped.

“It would be great if Gray Gibraltar served as Prime Minister.”

“I don’t like it.”

“The Duke of Winchester also said that the country would run well if Gray Gibraltar was by his side.”

“Even if dirt gets in my eyes, it won’t happen.”

“My mother also said I had to catch Gray.”

“The expression ‘catching’ shouldn’t be about an engagement, a prime minister, or something like that.”

“…Heh. I can’t help it.”

Naria sighed and took something out of her arms.

“I wasn’t going to bring this up.”

“…Contract?”

Luxurious parchment.

The finest parchment made with pure Nostrum technology, untouched by any of the Empire’s technology.

It even had a magic circle engraved on the gold string sprinkled with magic stone powder on the outside, so although it looked like just paper on the outside, it was actually a special contract with magical binding force.

“Let’s get engaged. We.”

“…”

“Are these conditions okay?”

“…Hmm.”

I carefully looked at the contents of the contract that Naria opened.

In fact, it is a contract that contains all the remaining provisions so that I only have to sign my name.

“Are you going to announce this to the public?”

“Of course. We will announce it widely. How about that?”

“…Definitely.”

I picked up the feather pen lying on the desk.

“If it’s an engagement like this, it’s okay.”

Just like that, I signed my name in print.

* * *

“So you’re engaged to Naria?”

“Astacia.”

“It hasn’t even been finalized yet, but they’ve already gotten engaged like that!”

“I know everything, but if you keep doing that, I’ll get angry.”

“Hehe.”

A magical contract regarding engagement was made.

Naria and Gray.

In the distant future.

When Naria’s children and Gray’s children become adults, if they both agree, they will get married at the age of 20.

“But who is Naria marrying?”

“If you don’t get married and have children, the contract will be postponed.”

“…”

“Well, wouldn’t Lia and I both have mates? What’s important is that she’s engaged anyway.”