Adelheid 14: Midgard

17th Day of Early Fire Month, 1741 HPE

Your Highness Princess Adelheid,

It brings me great joy to announce that the Ambrosia Firm has expanded its business outside of the heartlands, significantly increasing our profits. Along with your instructions, Addie's Confections has also expanded, with five stores in Midgard, and a shop in each of the ten major trade cities of the Vuldar Empire.

Production of honey has finally reached a sustainable point that we have excess to spare. According to your instructions, we have begun to research new products. Mead is a priority, as honey's scarcity has made it a novelty among the nobles and clergy, so mead is a luxury even rarer than processed honey. We have already received inquiries from the Church of Iras. Along with mead, we have hired apothecaries to delve into creating makeup, skin lotions, and perfume using honey and beeswax. Research has not made much progress as it has just begun.

As for the line marketed towards commoners, we have not made much progress. Honey is not something we can currently sell to the general public without lowering the price and overall profit. However, we have made some advancements in creating jelly candy that can be sold cheaply. If Your Highness has any suggestions, we are happy to oblige.

Included with this letter is a delivery of our newest bottles of refined honey, regular honey, and our newly produced mead. Would Your Highness please sample and advise on what needs to be changed?

On a distressing note, I must notify Your Highness that no more incursions have been made in Whiterun. However, I have a feeling that it is just the calm before the storm. I implore Your Highness to be ready for any concerning news.

Yours faithfully,

Heinrich Auor

Adelheid placed the letter down on the desk of her study and stared at the contents of the package. Stuffed with soft straw to ensure that the fragile contents did not break were two green glass bottles—one taller and skinnier with the other shorter and fatter—three small barrels and several wrapped spheres.

Adelheid pulled out all the contents and laid them on her desk next to the letter. Many voices opposed Adelheid's choice in containers, arguing that more profit could be secured if they switched to cheaper containers. However, Adelheid was insistent on the current containers, and no one could overwrite her decision, including Heinrich.

It had been around two years since the Ambrosia Firm had been created. Adelheid was naturally the leader and chairman of the Ambrosia Firm, while Heinrich was the vice-chairman. While there had been a deficit in the first year, and the firm only continued due to the success of Addie's Confections chain, the second year saw a remarkable profit.

Now, the Ambrosia Firm produced four different grades of honey: imperial, noble, refined, and regular. The imperial grade had the smoothest texture and superior taste and was the only one sold in glass bottles. Noble grade had superior taste but was not as smooth. The Refined grade was smoother than the regular grade, but the taste was the same. The regular grade was the largest grade and most produced honey.

Opening each container, Adelheid tasted all of them and nodded. Next, she uncorked the bottle of mead and took a whiff. Distillation had yet to be invented, so the alcohol content of many alcoholic beverages, including mead, was still rather low. In fact, only wealthy commoners and above could afford to drink clean water, so many poor commoners drank wine since it lasted longer and did not breed bugs.

Adelheid thought about creating a distillery but decided not to. The Ambrosia Firm was still a newborn cub without any deep foundations. If she did something so revolutionary as creating a distillation process, then it would be like attracting wolves to a sheep. Well, more wolves than the number currently eyeing the Ambrosia Firm.

Even before she had established the Ambrosia Firm, there were numerous people causing trouble at Addie's Confections. Jurg Schmid was just one of the many that had come to cause trouble at Addie's Confections. Those instances stopped when more powerful nobles began to frequent the establishment.

Instead, there are cases of robbery of shipments, forcing the Ambrosia Firm to fund a security department, cutting into their profits. Not only that, there had been more cases of incursion into Whiterun of late. Although, the intruders never got far since Adelheid increased the security after the first intrusion. It would only be a matter of time before the secrets of honey farming leaked.

Adelheid poured a little bit of the mead into a wine glass. After taking a sip, she sighed. "This is only the start, but I am already swamped with work. I need to cultivate some loyal followers that are only loyal to me."

"Did you say something, Your Highness?"

Adelheid glanced at Matilda. After two years, the flaxen-haired girl grew like a bamboo shoot. She was now half a head taller than Sofia, who hadn't changed much. Still, despite having grown a lot, especially in a certain area, Matilda remained the same bright girl from two years ago.

In contrast… Adelheid looked at her own petite figure. She wasn't annoyed by her lack of 'development.' She was annoyed by her abysmal intimidation factor. Adelheid sighed, no use fretting over nature's course, and turned towards Matilda.

"You can have the honey if you want," Adelheid acquiesced to the maid's unspoken desire.

"Oh, but I shouldn't," Matilda said, even as her hands were reaching towards the honey bottle and barrels. At least her body was honest.

"At least make your actions follow your words!" Sofia said with a huff. Every time Adelheid received products from the Ambrosia Firm, the princess would gift them to her attendants.

"Sofia is right," Adelheid backed up the dark-haired maid. "Save a barrel or two for her and Leopold."

"See?" Sofia said satisfied, but she quickly backtracked. The black-haired maid twisted her lips and pouted. "That's not what I meant, Your Highness!"

Adelheid chuckled. "Do not be shy. Is it not what happens every time? You should have gotten used to it by now."

Sofia sighed and thanked the princess along with the butler Leopold.

"Recently, you have been really excited to receive honey. Is there any reason why?"

"Ehehe." Matilda made a goofy smile. "Sir Griselda promised to teach me for imperial grade honey."

"Really?" Sofia couldn't help but question. It was well known that the knight captain of the Imperial Guards was a busy woman. Outside of training and her duty, she rarely appeared in public.

"Is that why you have become an aura journeyman so quickly?" Adelheid asked. Two months ago, Matilda reached the rank of aura journeyman and reached the same level as Olga Muller.

"I don't know, but sparring with Sir Griselda is amazing! I feel myself becoming stronger each time!" Matilda said.

"How did this arrangement come into existence?" Adelheid began to suspect the reason behind Griselda's relationship with her maid. It was not that she wanted to be distrustful, but her very identity embroiled her into a web of intrigue.

"I just asked Sir Griselda to teach me, but she only said that she would teach me if I pay with an imperial grade Ambrosia Honey for each lesson. I tried to buy it, but I couldn't find it no matter where I looked. So I can only rely on Your Highness for it," Matilda said.

'Of course, you can't find imperial grade honey on the market. You have to preorder them ahead of time, and they are almost always out of stock.' If it weren't against etiquette, Adelheid would have rolled her eyes. 'Still, why would Sir Griselda teach Matilda? Even if it is for an imperial grade Ambrosia Honey, I cannot help but think there is something more. Even so, it is not like there are no benefits.'

"Then I will get you an imperial grade honey every month.”

"You mean…?" Matilda asked.

"Yes, you can have lessons with your beloved Sir Griselda every month instead of once every three months," Adelheid said.

"Yippee! You're the best, Your Highness!" Matilda jumped in joy, nearly causing the bottled honey to slip out of her arms and break.

Adelheid ignored the commotion around her as she took out a sheet of parchment and began to write her reply to Heinrich. It wasn't just Heinrich but also her cousin Antonia, Giselle Enede Holstein, her brother's fiancee, and Bertina Jutte Irmen.

For the life of her, she couldn't fathom why Bertina was so enamored with her. They had only met once on the Day of Creation, yet the girl constantly sent her letters. Still, Bertina's father was a baron that worked in the Ministry of Revenue, so associating with Bertina did have merits.

Adelheid didn’t solely associated with Bertina, but Bertina was the most eager among the scions that she knew. She hadn’t formed any meaningful relationships with anyone in power, mostly because the one time she appeared in public was during the Creation Banquet every year. Whether it was intentional or not, none of the officials or powerful nobles made any contact with her. That was fine since she was still not worthy of that stage, for now.

Still, Adelheid believed it would change in a few years.

Once she wrote her replies and placed them inside individual envelopes, Adelheid dotted the envelope with hot wax and stamped it with her signet ring. "Leopold, help me deliver these, will you?"

"It would be my pleasure, Your Highness." Leopold took the letters and bowed before leaving.

Adelheid sighed. Even after two years, Leopold still maintained the maximum decorum, giving him a sense of distance compared to her two maids. The princess shook her head. For now, Leopold was enough, but that would change once she started competing for the throne.

After taking care of crucial matters, Adelheid constantly looked out the window at the capital's streets. Her mind was constantly straying. Neither Matilda nor Sofia was surprised. Tomorrow, Adelheid would finally take her first steps out of the palace. Albrecht had finally consented to her requests after she had become an aura novice.

Although Adelheid was a mage of the second circle, her body was still weaker than a regular person. That's why mages were more susceptible to sneak attacks than aura practitioners. That changed when Adelheid became an aura novice. This way, she would have the ability to defend herself in case anything unexpected happened.

No matter how calm and collected Adelheid was, the imperial palace was only so large. After two years, Adelheid was as familiar with the palace as if it were the back of her hand. The imperial palace was like the world's most beautiful gilded cage, but it was still a cage.

-line break-

Adelheid had foregone her usual dress of the standard knight's uniform in lieu of an ankle-length red dress. Her hairstyle was done in such a way that it hid her elfin ears. She still wore her brooch since she still had yet to master her massive mana reservoirs.

Next to her, Sofia wore a dress of less vibrant color. Matilda, in contrast, wore boyish shorts with stockings and a white shirt. All in all, the three looked like a trio of noble scions preparing to go out and play.

"Sir Olga, you will be guarding me today?" Adelheid asked as she saw the female knight standing next to the carriage.

The browned-haired, brown-eyed knight smiled. The knight wore leather armor with a sword at her side like she always did on her days off. "Of course, it's my pleasure to be of service to Your Highness," the lady knight said as she placed her fist over her heart. Despite the formal salute, Olga's tone made it clear that it was only for formality's sake.

"It looks like I will not have to worry about my safety in case any accidents happen," Adelheid said.

Olga laughed. "I don't believe there will be any trouble. Your Highness is a prodigy who became an aura novice a year ago, after all."

"It is primarily due to the number of resources. If you had the same amount of nutrition and resources, you would have become an aura novice earlier than me," Adelheid said.

The palace regularly provided her with materials to train, but it was only after Adelheid started the Ambrosia Firm that her progress increased. Adelheid looked at Matilda. "The real genius is over there."

At the mention of Edmund Avery's daughter, Olga sighed. "With Matilda at Your Highness's side, I seem to be unnecessary."

"I do not believe so. Although Matilda is also an aura journeyman like Sir Olga, how can she compare with your knowledge and experience?"

"Haha, you honor me." Olga smiled at her words. No one disliked compliments.

After the small talk was over, Adelheid and her two maids boarded the carriage while Olga sat at the front seat with the driver. The carriage was constructed of varnished blackwood with a metal wheel system. The outside gave off a plain impression, but the inside was another story.

Inside, the walls were decorated with lush red velvet, cushioned seats filled with the softest fillings, and red drapes used to block the outsider's sight. There was also a foldable table used to hold a plate of jewel-like fruits, but Adelheid was in no mood to enjoy the delicacies.

'I should really advance the suspension system. I never knew brick roads could be so bumpy.' Adelheid glanced at her two maids and saw that they didn't share the same discomfort.

The carriage exited out of the side gates instead of the main gates of the imperial palace. As the carriage moved through the streets, Adelheid opened the curtains to observe the everyday lives of the people. Compared to her fantasies, it was a lot more normal than she expected. There was none of the filth or the poverty that she imagined. Of course, this could be because this was the main street and the capital.

In the capital, there were currently five Addie's Confections stores. Adelheid's first visit was the first Addie's Confections. Compared to two years ago, the menu had expanded but not significantly so. In addition to chiffon cake and ice cream, there were now fruit tarts, pudding, and dessert pies. Naturally, all of them used honey as it was the Ambrosia Firm's calling card. In the future, Adelheid planned to release mead baba cakes since rum had yet to be invented.

Jacob Koch still worked at the eatery even though he was now the head chef of the Ambrosia Firm, responsible for creating and refining new recipes. The two shared a conversation concerning the future direction of the food before Adelheid left.

Next was a store known as the Honeypot. Compared to other stores, it only sold one product, but it was filled with customers. The Honeypot had large glass windows, like Addie's Confections, showing the store's products. It stood out like a sore thumb on the streets, as no other store used glass as it did.

Glass was still an expensive product in the current age, not to mention that it was clear glass instead of the typical green-tinted glass. However, such a novel design easily attracted many passersby. As mentioned before, glass was an expensive product, so it gave the store a high-class feeling and allowed the customers a sneak peek as to what was available.

There were a few cases of people smashing the glasses during the night, but Adelheid… had them taken care of. After that, no one was foolish enough to break the glass again.

"Oh, Young Miss, are you here to buy honey?" Walking inside, Adelheid was greeted by the receptionist. Although Adelheid was the firm's chairman, the regular workers didn't know her appearance, and Adelheid wasn't keen on enlightening them.

"No, I am just here to look," Adelheid said. Along with Sofia, Matilda, and Olga, they browsed the interior. Shelves lined the wall and were filled with all the grades of honey except the imperial grade. Adelheid knew that there was more honey in the store's storage. Once she was satisfied, Adelheid left the Honeypot. Midway boarding the carriage, she paused in her step.

"Is there something wrong, Your High—Young Miss?" It was Olga's duty to guard the princess at all times, so when Adelheid showed any peculiar actions, she immediately asked.

Adelheid shook her head. "It is nothing. I just feel like walking the streets instead of sitting in the carriage."

Olga showed a hesitant expression. Thankfully for her, someone voiced her concerns.

"That's inappropriate. What if someone bumps into Young Miss? Or a lowly thief injures you?" Sofia went on to list a number of possibilities that could occur. However, near the end, her imagination veered off course. "Young Miss is so beautiful, like a doll, there must be evildoers who will kidnap you! Ah, but of course, they would want to kidnap someone as cute as Young Miss. If they don't, it's a crime of the highest order. How can they not be enamored with Young Miss's beauty?!"

There was a moment of silence as even Matilda stared strangely at Sofia, causing the black-haired maid to flush in shame as she covered her face with her hands. Thankfully for her, Adelheid pretended not to hear her, including the earlier remarks. "Let us go."

The pedestrians gave the group of four a noticeable berth as they strolled the streets of Midgard. Despite not announcing their identities and wearing common clothing, the group of four, or rather Adelheid, exuded an air of unmistakable nobility.

She had a natural air that attracted people's attention to her. Coupled with the etiquette drilled into her and her perfect features, no one would take her as a commoner child. Most of the pedestrians would find their eyes drawn to the incognito seventh princess, whether knowingly or unknowingly.

'I need to wear a mask next time,' Adelheid thought, already regretting her decision. However, she pressed on as she didn't know when she would be able to leave the palace again.

Wanting to flee from the probing stares, the Adelheid entered the first store that caught her eye. It was a fabrics store that sold bolts of silk. The name of the store was Golden Fleece. Only associates of the Gold Firm would dare use the word gold in their name. Those that weren't and used gold in their name were driven out of business.

"Welcome!" The attendant smiled and came forth. She was struck in a brief daze by Adelheid's budding beauty before recovering and fulfilling her professional duty. "How may I be of service?"

"Do you have any silk in stock?" Adelheid asked. She had forgotten about her desire for silk after the management of the Ambrosia buried her under piles of work until today.

"Of course, please excuse me for a moment," the attendant said as she entered the back of the store before coming out, carrying a large box in hand.

Adelheid followed the attendant to an empty table where the box was placed. Once there, the attendant opened the box to reveal the snow-white fabric. Adelheid gently caressed the silky bolt under her fingers. "How much do you have?"

"Only this bolt, Young Miss," the attendant replied.

"So little?" Adelheid asked, surprised. The Gold Firm and its associates were the largest importers for silk, yet they only had one bolt in shop?

"Silk is a product in high demand. Most of our stock has already been claimed before it even arrives. Many times, we don't even carry it in stock," the attendant explained.

Adelheid nodded in understanding. If regular silk was so rare, mana silk must have even been rarer. "How much for this bolt?"

"Fifteen thousand kronen," the attendant replied.

"Wasn't the market prince nine thousand kronen?" Adelheid asked, recalling Alfred's words that day two years ago.

"Young Miss, the market price is not definite. A year ago, the supply became difficult, so the prices have risen, not to mention that this product is highly demanded," the attendant answered.

"Alright, I will purchase it," Adelheid said.

"I understand. Since you cannot purchase it, I will bring it ba—excuse me?" the attendant said, her mask of professionalism finally cracking.

"I will purchase some other bolts as well since I only carry platinum coins. I do not want to carry too many gold coins," Adelheid said, shocking the attendant even more.

Adelheid turned towards her two maids. "How about I gift you two new pajamas? It is nearing the hottest time of the year."

"Okay!" Matilda directly agreed, her eyes shining with excitement.

"What abnormal features will be added this time?" Sofia asked, more resigned than defiant by this point. "I recall the previous nightwear sewn from fleece made us look like sheepkins."

"But you two looked so lovely," Adelheid praised unabashedly.

Sofia felt her face flush as she felt Olga's inquisitive glance. Whether it was the result of shyness or shame was unknown. The black-haired maid glared petulantly at her liege. "Then why don't I see you wearing it?"

Adelheid opened her mouth, but no words came out. "...because it is improper for someone of my status."

'There is no way I am going to wear it. It is too embarrassing!' Adelheid thought. Not wanting to linger on the subject, she quickly diverted the topic. Once the bolts of fabric had been purchased and loaded onto the carriage, Adelheid's group of four continued their shopping.

Along the way, Adelheid visited many stores, even a blacksmith, much to Sofia's horror. There, she caught a glimpse of her first dwarf. They were like she imagined, short and built like a barrel. The only surprise she had was that they braided their beard.

As Adelheid continued to walk the streets, she neared the divide between the upper-class and noble sectors. There, in the gap, existed the second grandest structure in Midgard, the cathedral of the Church of Iras.

The cathedral was a monumental structure built out of a combination of white stone and marble with stained glass depicting the War Iras in all her forms and glory. On the tip of the tallest tower where a giant bell hung was the crest of Iras, a spear wreathed in a halo of flame to represent her domain over fire and war.

The cathedral had another name to the residents of Midgard, the clocktower. Called so because the cathedral was responsible for ringing the bell at 6:00 a.m., noon, and 6 p.m.

"Are we going to go in?" Matilda asked with a curious gaze. Despite all her years in the capital, she had yet to venture into the cathedral.

Midgard had over ten churches but only one cathedral. The cathedral also housed the archbishop, leader of all the Church of Iras in the Vuldar Empire. The Beast Kingdom also had their own archbishop for their Church of Iras, each one believing themselves to be the orthodox faith.

"I can't believe a warrior like you hasn't visited the cathedral," Sofia said. "Isn't the War Iras the patron deity of warriors?"

"Ehehe…" Matilda rubbed the back of her head. "Back in Avery County, the Church of Iras wasn't that big. It was pretty much equal to the other Six Pillar Churches. Oh, except the Church of Demiurge."

"Since we're already here, we might as well go in," Adelheid said as she led the group of four into the cathedral.

Inside, most of the visitors were the wealthiest merchants or nobility befitting its status as the premier place of worship. Once inside, Adelheid found herself at a loss as to what to do. "Does anyone have any suggestions? Perhaps a donation?"

Matilda scratched her head, also at a loss. She was more of a believer-in-name only. Sofia stepped up. "Might I suggest a prayer then? As an imperial princess, I believe it would only be proper."

Adelheid hid a frown. She never heard of Albrecht or the emperor praying to the War Iras outside of public occasions like the Day of Creation. "Alright, where's the main prayer room?" she asked.

"This way, Young Miss," Olga said, stepping up. Since her days as a baker's daughter, she had been a devout believer of the War Iras. Even though she didn't usually visit the cathedral, she still came once a year as a form of pilgrimage.

Rather than a prayer room, it was closer to call it a grand hall. Near the entrance to the room were rows of pews where believers could be seen piously praying to the six statues at the back. The most predominant was the fiery-red statue of Iras. She had long wavy hair with an eyepatch covering her left eye. Her features were beautiful, but more noticeable was her calm and steady expression, as if all was in her expectations.

There was a holy-white statue for the Holy Seraphina, a lush-green statue for the Fleeting Lyonis, a sea-blue statue of the Silent Acyss, an earthen-yellow statue for the Bearer Pillum, and finally a pitch-black statue for the Evil Demiurge. So dark was the material used that onlookers could not distinguish the statue's exact features, appearing closer to an ink blotch on the fabric known as reality.

In front of the statues were donation boxes. Naturally, the grandest and largest was the box in front of the War Iras.

Adelheid held out her hand when she reached the front. "Matilda, give me your purse.”

"Huh? Why?" Matilda asked even as she handed over her purse.

Adelheid didn't answer as she opened her maid's purse and took out ten gold coins. Under Matilda's astonished eyes, Adelheid dropped the coins into the donation box.

"Ahhh!" Matilda screamed at the loss of a thousand kronen. It had to be known that a prince or princess's maid of honor didn't pay much. Compared to a commoner, the salary was plentiful, but that was a pittance for nobles. More critical was the honor and connection formed. More often than not, the majority of a maid's salary was bestowments from their liege.

However, Adelheid was incredibly stingy with money. She gifted various rarities such as honey or novel items such as her personally designed pajamas, but prying even a single copper coin from her was a herculean task.

"Young Miss will reimburse me, right?" Matilda asked with worry as she followed Adelheid, who was walking away.

At this time, an unfamiliar voice called out, "Is it Your Highness Princess Adelheid?"

The voice was not soft to the point that the group of four could not hear, nor was it loud enough that it would attract others' attention. Adelheid turned to see a man with long black hair tied into a ponytail. His features were refined like those of a storybook noble's, but the most striking features were those slender sapphire eyes. Two attendants accompanied him.

"I did not expect to see Lord Charles present as well. Did you come to offer prayers to Goddess Iras?" Adelheid asked. She still remembered how Charles III Karlings was surrounded by numerous young ladies during the banquet two years ago.

The exiled prince stilled for a moment before his expression morphed into an amiable expression. "No, I was praying to the Holy Seraphina, the patron deity of the Versaillius Kingdom."

"I see," Adelheid simply said. Thanks to the growing Ambrosia Firm, she had heard some news of the Libre Republic's current situation. Although the senate and their representative still controlled the country, there were numerous parties fighting for dominance, and the country was still undergoing turmoil.

Honestly, this would have been a perfect chance for the Vuldar Empire to swoop in and fish for some benefits, but the Beast Kingdom and Principality of Alvarius were still eyeing them too closely. However, that was good for Adelheid as well. At least this way she would have a chance to gain some achievements when she grew a bit more. Provided, of course, that the Libre Republic's turmoil had yet to end.

'And there is a perfect tool to accomplish this,' Adelheid thought as she stared at the half-prince. "It has been a pleasure meeting you, but I must be leaving now. I still have some business before my curfew arrives."

"Then I bid Your Highness adieu," Charles said, his smile as kind as ever. Once he saw Adelheid's back receding, his smile dimmed.

"Your Highness, even if those rebels have temporarily stolen your country, you are still a member of the Karlings Royal Family. How can Princess Adelheid address you as a mere lord?" one of his attendants whispered with displeasure plastered all over his face. He was a young man only a few years older than Charles.

"Quiet," Charles said. "I currently have no power, just some meager wealth. Some people may reverently address me as Your Highness, but in front of those with power, I am just a waste of space."

"Your Highness," his other attendant softly said. His age was nearly forty, so he still had memories of how glorious the Karlings Royal Family and the Versaillius Kingdom were. The disparity of those paradisiacal times and now was like heaven and earth and made his heart unsettled.

"Our chance will come. Once the opportunity comes, I will grasp that chance. All I need to do is wait," Charles said, but it was unknown whether it was to comfort his followers or himself. "Say, who do you think has a higher chance to attain that throne?"

The two attendants looked around to ensure no one was listening before speaking. "On the surface, Second Prince Albrecht looks to have the highest chance of succeeding the throne. However, if I were to say who among the emperor's grandchildren would have the highest chance, it would be Sixth Prince William. Not only does he have his father's backing, but he already has war merits."

Charles chuckled. "You see things too simply. Although it is indeed true that both Albrecht and William seem to have a higher chance at the throne, it remains to be seen who would attain that position in the end. Wasn't it Emperor Wilheim, an unfavored prince, that rose to the rank of emperor?"

His two attendants shared a look. The period where Emperor Wilheim walked through a road of corpses to attain his current position was known as the Blood Era. However, it was only spoken in hushed tones, and no one dared to discuss it openly.

Charles didn't care, and his gentle smile grew as his slender eyes narrowed. "In my eyes, it is the emperor's grandchildren that have a higher chance of succeeding the throne. Although Albrecht seems suitable, both his children are more outstanding. Even Antonia is quite the contender, being able to rope in those powerful nobles. Even the youngest princess is outstanding. The only lackluster one of the emperor’s grandchildren is Alexander."

"What does Your Highness mean?" the younger attendant asked.

"The nobility system of the Vuldar Empire," Charles meaningfully said.

His two attendants immediately understood. Although they were attendants, they were still nobility, no matter how minor. Well, former nobility, at least. They no longer possessed any land after the fall of the Versaillius Kingdom.

The Vuldar Empire's nobility system had a clause that downgraded the title if the new head did not possess a certain level of position. There were only so many positions and too many nobility. Compared to when the Vuldar Empire was first founded, only four of the ten dukes remained.

Would the nobles be willing to support someone who would eventually rob them of their birthright? The answer was no, so they were more likely to support the weaker side in order to gain greater benefits. Prince Alexander wasn't of much use, but Princess Antonia was different. It wasn't like there wasn't a precedent for a female emperor.

On the opposite side were Albrecht, William, and Adelheid. Which ruler didn't want to have absolute power? At least, unless the three of them started fighting for the throne, the three would be on the same side.

"So, Your Highness is planning on allying with Princess Antonia?" the elder attendant asked.

"Heh, no. That woman is too proud. It is better to influence a younger candidate." Charles's smile deepened as he started to walk out of the prayer room. "Let's go. We stayed long enough."