Lutetia Castle wasn’t entirely unfamiliar—it wasn’t my first visit.
The Imperial Palace, at a glance, resembled a medieval castle in its external design. Of course, the interior had been extensively renovated, befitting the residence of the Emperor. Yet, its outward appearance retained a certain rustic charm.
Lutetia Castle, however, felt more like a "palace" than the traditional image evoked by the word "castle."
Perhaps it was because Belvur drew inspiration from France. The opulence of Lutetia brought to mind the splendor of the Palace of Versailles.
This likely stemmed from a fundamental difference in how the two nations approached the concept of fortresses.
The Empire had endured countless wars at the heart of the continent’s chaos, while Belvur had conserved its strength from a safer, more distant position.
While the Fangryphon family waged wars and drew attention across the land, Belvur invested in encircling Lutetia with walls. These walls, though limiting urban expansion, were deemed sufficient to safeguard the entire capital.
In the modern age, such walls no longer posed significant challenges. In a world where aerial warships could bombard from the skies, the meaning of "walls" had faded. Nevertheless, they still held strategic value in deterring ground forces.
"..."
“Are you nervous?”
I asked Alice, who was walking silently beside me. She glanced at me without a word, still upset about the earlier conversation we’d had in the guest room.
The last time, it had been Charlotte who personally went to fetch Alice. Since we were staying at a hotel, this was Alice’s first time entering the palace itself.
"...Hah."
When I kept staring at her, Alice finally sighed in exasperation.
“To be honest, yeah, a little.”
Accompanying us were a handful of Imperial and Belvurian knights, along with a few attendants in butler uniforms.
Though we were visiting as students, it was hard for either government to treat Alice and me as equals to the others. Even if we were fine with it, both the Imperial and Belvur governments were decidedly not.
Our reception as student representatives aside, our status as Imperial princesses was the reason for this formal audience with the King.
“It’s an impressive palace. I admired it from afar last time, but seeing the interior is truly dazzling. For a nation without any real colonies, Belvur’s wealth is evident.”
Alice commented bluntly, gazing up at the palace’s golden ceiling. Perhaps it was my imagination, but the Belvurian knights’ shoulders seemed to rise a little in pride.
“In terms of decor, it certainly surpasses the Empire.”
“Well, Belvur is known as the land of the arts.”
According to the lore, Belvur had many renowned artists—painters, musicians, sculptors. In the streets, one could see street painters sketching portraits for a fee or musicians playing violins and guitars for passersby.
"..."
Alice didn’t respond, possibly out of envy.
It was understandable. No matter how glorious the Empire’s steam, soot, and brass pipes might be as symbols of humanity’s progress, they lacked the artistic refinement of something created purely for beauty.
Realizing that anything I said might not improve Alice’s mood, I simply followed her quietly.
“Alice!”
Charlotte was already in the audience chamber when we arrived. She had said she would go ahead, and I had assumed she would change into a dress and wait, but she was still in her school uniform.
...It seemed our decision to remain in uniform was the correct one.
“Princess Alice.”
“Your Majesty, King of Belvur.”
Although Alice didn’t smile as brightly as Charlotte, the King of Belvur greeted us with a warm smile.
Unlike me, Alice addressed him as “Your Majesty,” though she didn’t kneel. She merely lifted the edges of her skirt slightly with both hands.
Neither the King nor Charlotte seemed to mind this lack of formality.
Had my last visit lowered their expectations too much?
“I’ve been meaning to invite you, and now I finally have the chance. I apologize for inviting you as students rather than as royalty.”
“No need to apologize. This lighter purpose makes it more comfortable for us as well.”
“Hmm.”
The King nodded slightly, his gaze briefly shifting to me.
For a moment, the smile on his face faded. Understandable, given that it would be hard for him to harbor positive feelings toward me.
Or perhaps he suspected I was scheming something?
If so, it felt unfair. This visit wasn’t my doing; it was Charlotte’s proposal, entirely unexpected on my part.
“Since this meeting is not politically motivated, let’s keep the formalities light. You’ll be staying in Lutetia for a while, so there’ll be more opportunities to strengthen our acquaintance.”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
“If you encounter any inconvenience during your stay, let the nearest knight know. I’ll do my best to assist you.”
“While in Belvur, it’s only natural to respect its laws. We’ll adhere to what has been prepared for us.”
“Your words are appreciated.”
The King smiled faintly at Alice’s response.
Hmm.
Maybe my arrogance during my last visit had been the right move after all.
It had given Alice the opportunity to make a strong impression today.
Of course, if I mentioned this to Alice, I’d likely earn a smack.
“Alice, what do you think?”
Charlotte walked out with us after the audience.
“What do I think about what?”
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When Alice responded coolly, Charlotte beamed.
“The Lutetia Palace! Isn’t it beautiful?”
Charlotte gestured grandly with an open palm, and Alice let out a dismissive “Hmph.”
“The Imperial Palace is splendid enough.”
“Oh, of course, the Imperial Palace is magnificent. Its towering presence is visible from anywhere in the capital. But isn’t there a difference between being magnificent and being beautiful?”
It seemed Alice had no intention of conceding, as she continued deflecting Charlotte’s attempts to coax a compliment.
A faint clink echoed from the armor of one of the knights walking beside us. Though their expression was hidden behind a narrow visor, it was easy to guess they had briefly smiled.
It was one of the Belvurian knights.
Alice glared at the knight, who immediately straightened and resumed walking silently.
“It’s a beautiful place.”
When Alice still refused to answer, I finally spoke up. She shot me a glare this time.
“But it’s true,” I said calmly. “This place is beautiful.”
Beauty, however, doesn’t equate to strength. Even a technologically advanced nation supporting a vast population could crumble if its military was weak.
Of course, this wasn’t something I needed to point out to Charlotte.
At least, not yet.
“Yes, isn’t it?”
Charlotte’s smile widened at my answer.
“There’s so much more to show you! During your week here, I’ll do my best to introduce you to all the wonders of Belvur!”
Watching her puff up proudly, I silently hoped my existence had prevented whatever great tragedy might have been destined to occur.