A Request for Cooperation from Ehrenfest: Part 2

“…Oh?”

Lady Charlotte tilted her head slightly, as though I had said something unexpected. After a moment’s thought, I decided to present Dunkelfelger’s perspective and use it as a way to question exactly whom she had meant by “no one.” With so little information making its way to our duchy, I needed to verify exactly who wished for the ditter to be cancelled.

“Whatever Lady Luzinde’s personal thoughts may be, Gilessenmeyer has not expressed any intention to withdraw to Dunkelfelger. At present, among the four remaining suitors, none have formally withdrawn, and at the very least, their Aubs should be regarded as wishing for the bride-stealing ditter to proceed. Personal feelings and a duchy’s intent are not always aligned. Could you tell me, Lady Charlotte, on what grounds you stated ‘no one’?”

When I posed my question, Lady Charlotte and her retainers appeared momentarily startled.

”…You’re right. Saying ‘no one’ may have been an exaggeration,” she admitted. “In the case of Gilessenmeyer, I was thinking primarily of Lady Luzinde’s words.”

Having acknowledged that she had overemphasized an individual’s opinion, she looked directly at me.

“But surely, if Lord Ortwin had not proposed the bride-stealing ditter, everything would have been peacefully settled through negotiation, wouldn’t it? A bride-stealing ditter is an outrageously unreasonable competition that disregards a person’s existing fiancé and throws all future plans into chaos. I cannot help but think that anyone who actively desires such a thing must be a disciple of Chaocipher the Goddess of Chaos.”

Lady Charlotte’s stern expression no doubt stemmed from memories of Ehrenfest’s ditter two years ago. That event had been a complete rampage led by my brother. I still remember being stunned at how abrupt and unforeseen it was, even to me.

“You’re absolutely right, Lady Charlotte, a bride-stealing ditter is, at its core, a reckless and tyrannical method—used to forcefully interfere in already settled engagements, or to gain a reluctant partner through sheer might. I cannot deny that truth.”

At my words, Lady Charlotte murmured, “So even within Dunkelfelger, it’s not as if bride-stealing ditter’s are fully endorsed,” with mild surprise.

“I heard that both last time and this time, Lady Hannelore, you were dragged into it. Didn’t you find it unreasonable to have a marriage decided with an unwanted partner through a suddenly proposed ditter? Wouldn’t you prefer to resolve things through discussion if possible? It’s more reassuring if the aubs of each side can come to an agreement, isn’t it?”

Lady Charlotte’s aversion to bride-stealing ditter and her desire for it to be canceled came across clearly. She likely expressed such raw emotion because of the past attempt to take Lady Rozemyne by force.

“I, too, found the sudden proposal of a bride-stealing ditter to be extremely unreasonable. However, there is one thing you are misunderstanding, Lady Charlotte.”

”…A misunderstanding?”

“It becomes a ditter precisely because things cannot be settled through discussion. Even if Lord Ortwin were to withdraw and the bride-stealing ditter were canceled this time, there would be no room for negotiation afterward. Should anyone attempt to propose to me again, Dunkelfelger will likely try to invoke a bride-stealing ditter as many times as necessary.”

If the bride-stealing ditter is canceled, it is expected that Lord Sigiswald will use his authority as a member of the former royal family to forcibly push his proposal through. He will likely do everything he can to prevent us from invoking ditter. Regardless of expectations, I had to make it clear that Dunkelfelger had absolutely no intention of settling through discussion.

”…There’s no room for negotiation? That contradicts what Lady Luzinde told me.”

Lady Charlotte furrowed her brows slightly, sensing a discrepancy between the information she possessed and what she was hearing. Her retainers exchanged uneasy glances as well.

“Lady Hannelore, you mentioned that Dunkelfelger is currently having difficulty obtaining information, didn’t you? May I ask exactly how much your side is aware of? There seem to be several inconsistencies that I’d like to clear up.”

I exchanged glances with my own retainers and gave a nod. We’ve encountered many discrepancies regarding the bride-stealing ditter thus far. Even the smallest misunderstandings must be addressed promptly—this much we’ve learned from experience.

“Are you aware that Dunkelfelger is currently being feared by other duchies due to the decision to proceed with the bride-stealing ditter?”

When I tilted my head and asked, “Is it Dunkelfelger that is being feared, and not the insolent party who rudely made the proposal?” Lady Charlotte and her retainers immediately looked troubled. I even heard one of her retainers mutter, “Could the discrepancy really start from there…?”

“Um, more precisely,” Lady Charlotte explained, “there’s a lot of resentment regarding the conditions and reparations imposed upon those who withdrew their proposals.”

“Then… are you saying it’s the rude parties who were asked to apologize, and instead of feeling remorseful, they now bear a grudge instead?”

Lady Charlotte pressed her cheek thoughtfully and closed her eyes for a moment, as though attempting to reconcile the disparity in perspectives. “From Dunkelfelger’s point of view… certainly, it would be fair to call it a grudge born from their own misdeeds. That said, the bride-stealing ditter has caused various complications beyond just that. What is Dunkelfelger’s view on those broader consequences?”

At Lady Charlotte’s words, I turned to look at my retainers. While we understand that Korinthsdaum is working behind the scenes to interfere, when asked about the broader harm to other duchies, the matter feels too vague to pin down. It seems even my own retinue only had a vague sense of possible issues—none concrete enough to offer a clear answer.

Seeing no response from our side, Lady Charlotte’s gaze grew distant, and she softly spoke again.

“Social relationships have been thrown into disarray. We have no idea how to navigate the upcoming social season anymore…”

I turned to my retainers again. A few of them looked as if they had finally understood, but I still could not grasp the issue entirely.

“What does the bride-stealing ditter have to do with the social season?”

Lady Charlotte folded her hands neatly and explained, “First, the Zent declared that any proposal for bride-stealing ditter is an act of hostility toward Dunkelfelger. Therefore, any duchy wishing to withdraw must submit their request directly to the Aub during the interduchy tournament. Because of that, even if a duchy has already withdrawn in private, at this point we can’t tell whether their withdrawal has been officially accepted or if Dunkelfelger still sees them as an enemy.”

I nodded. It was true—we hadn’t clearly stated which duchies had withdrawn or whether Dunkelfelger had officially accepted their withdrawal. The final decision would be made during the interduchy tournament.

Moreover, the Zent had said she wished to avoid troubling Dunkelfelger’s students further with matters concerning the bride-stealing ditter. Because of that, it would be difficult for others to even ask, “So-and-so appears to have withdrawn—do you no longer see them as hostile?”

“Moreover,” Charlotte continued, “Lord Hildebrand from Blumenfeld and Lady Letizia from Alexandria both declared that they would not associate with any duchy that opposed Dunkelfelger by participating in the bride-stealing ditter—not until the match is over. Because of that, any duchy that even once submitted a proposal is now unable to engage with these new duchies.”

It’s true that Blumenfeld was prohibited from engaging in interaction by their Aub. All personal contact has likely been completely cut off as well. As for Alexandria, with Lady Rozemyne—the Aub—absent, they likely suspended interaction to avoid becoming embroiled in unnecessary conflict. That said, with Lord Ferdinand now awake, their stance may yet change.

“When the second- and sixth-ranked duchies made their stances clear, other duchies also began to refrain from interacting with those who had submitted proposals, fearing Dunkelfelger’s scrutiny. Ehrenfest, too, temporarily ceased all interaction after my brother’s misstep.”

It’s not as though we explicitly forbade interaction, yet it seems many duchies have grown wary of drawing Dunkelfelger’s scrutiny. As a result, it’s likely become far more difficult for us to gather information from other duchies.

“So in other words, duchies unrelated to the ditter are being significantly affected as well.”

“Indeed, students who once looked forward to spending time with friends from other duchies during their one annual visit to the Royal Academy are now deeply impacted. Especially those with a special someone or fiancés across duchies—there’s been a surge in talk about whether they should even reconsider such engagements if they’re tied to duchies under Dunkelfelger’s scrutiny.”

I furrowed my brow at how far-reaching the effects had become. Those other duchies are worrying and avoiding Dunkelfelger’s gaze of their own volition—we’ve banned nothing. Unless the archdukes of those who’ve privately submitted withdrawals consult directly, I doubt even my father or mother are aware of the scale of this.

…This is yet another problem born from deciding to hold the bride-stealing ditter within the Royal Academy.

“Especially since the ditter will occur the day after the graduation ceremony… Those who had planned to propose or match colors during the tournament, as in years past, are now at a complete loss. They don’t know how to spend the social season with their partners or even whether they can continue their engagements.”

“Dunkelfelger doesn’t intend to interfere in marriages between other duchies, but… at this stage, we can’t say how the duchy relationships or archdukes’ decisions will change after the ditter.”

Although we’ve promised to support Drewanchel and back its next archduke, even my father likely doesn’t know how our relations with Gilessenmeyer and Hauchletzte—duchies Lady Charlotte is concerned about—will turn out.

“Yes, and that’s exactly why so many nobles outside of the archducal families are now troubled—wondering how far-reaching the consequences of merely once applying for the bride-stealing ditter might be for their futures. There are likely more people worrying over where they might provoke Dunkelfelger’s wrath than you imagine.”

”…Indeed. In Dunkelfelger, we view the bride-stealing ditter as a contest between the bride’s and groom’s houses—it didn’t occur to us that it could affect those otherwise uninvolved to such a degree.”

Now that Dunkelfelger has been made aware of the current state of the Royal Academy, Lady Charlotte looked visibly relieved, as though a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

“In this situation, I’ve heard that if Lord Ortwin—who served as the catalyst for the bride-stealing ditter—were to withdraw, the match could be canceled altogether. As it stands, even those who were originally uninvolved in the ditter are beginning to harbor resentment toward him, wishing he would simply give up. If the ditter were canceled, interduchy exchanges could resume—so in just the past few days, the number of duchies hoping for the match’s cancellation has rapidly increased.”

“I understand the situation,” I said, “but I can’t help feeling a certain irritation at the reasons behind this desire to cancel the bride-stealing ditter.” Knowing the circumstances under which Lord Ortwin submitted his challenge only made that feeling sharper.

“For those who danced to rumors without even researching what bride-stealing ditter truly entails—those who hastily withdrew once they understood its nature, and are now once again swept up by gossip and pressuring Lord Ortwin to withdraw… I can think of no word more fitting than ‘foolish.’”

I smiled gently as I sipped my tea. My tone, which had until then reflected agreement, now shifted with quiet finality. Lady Charlotte’s face tightened with confusion.

“Um, Lady Hannelore…?” she asked tentatively.

“I would think,” I said pointedly, “that if one wished to assign blame, it should fall on their own repeated foolishness in being swayed by baseless rumors—or on Lord Sigiswald, who sows those very rumors and sets the stage for such confusion.”

With deliberate emphasis, I let out a sigh. “Lady Charlotte, unlike the masses swept up by Korinthsdaum’s tales, Lord Ortwin and Aub Drewanchel made their decision with full awareness of the situation. A little clamor from others will not overturn that resolve.”

I felt the tension ripple across the table as Lady Charlotte and her retainers drew in a sharp breath.

”…Lady Hannelore,” she asked hesitantly, “do you not wish for the bride-stealing ditter to be canceled?”

“Not at all. As long as there are suitors other than the fiancé candidates chosen by my father, it cannot be called off. I would only wish for it to be canceled if every suitor gave up on marrying me.”

As long as Lord Sigiswald refuses to withdraw his proposal, Dunkelfelger will continue to support the bride-stealing ditter. After all, that’s why Father selected my fiancé candidates in the first place.

“Then… the current situation won’t change, will it?”

“No, I don’t think it will change easily. However, Lady Charlotte, you can give Lady Lutinde some advice.”

“Advice?”

Lady Charlotte looked at me as though wondering if I had a good idea.

“Tell her, ‘Be careful not to cling to bonds that ought to be severed, nor allow yourself to be swept toward the easier path.’”

“Lady Hannelore, that’s…”

Those were Lady Charlotte’s own words earlier. But it isn’t just Lord Wilfried who needs to be wary of clinging to harmful ties or seeking ease.

“You still seem to treat Lord Sigiswald as royalty, but he is no longer a prince. We have been instructed to show him a certain degree of respect as a former royal for one year, but beyond that, he will be treated as the Aub of a duchy ranked lower than Dunkelfelger. Failing to recognize and accept that shift in status may lead to consequences later on.”

“Not just Lady Luzinde—Lady Charlotte, too, referred to Lord Sigiswald as ‘royalty.’ It seems neither of you have fully accepted him as merely one Aub among many yet.”

Realizing that this had been pointed out, Lady Charlotte’s expression grew troubled.

”…Facing a changed reality is harder on those involved than I had expected.”

“Yes. Showing respect to a former royal is not the same as accepting every whim of an Aub from a middle duchy. Because Lord Sigiswald continues to behave as if he were still royalty, Dunkelfelger believes that settling matters through a bride-stealing ditter is the best course of action.”

Lady Charlotte slowly exhaled. ”…So that’s how it is,” she murmured. It seemed she now understood that the bride-stealing ditter was a necessary measure for Dunkelfelger and that Lord Sigiswald’s actions had been a source of trouble.

“And furthermore,” I continued, “while it’s true that Lady Luzinde is likely a victim unable to defy the orders of a former royal, she is also—under those same orders—spreading rumors and sowing confusion among the general student body. Has she even realized that she is now a perpetrator as well?”

At my words, Lady Charlotte’s brows lowered slightly. If she truly wished to help her friend, she needed to point out what must be said. As Lady Luzinde was not a complete victim, defending her too much could end up drawing criticism toward Lady Charlotte herself.

“I know I spoke harshly,” I continued, “but originally, a bride-stealing ditter was something meant to be resolved between Dunkelfelger and the suitor’s duchy alone. That it’s now affecting so many others calls for a response. I intend to consult with my father and the Zent about appropriate countermeasures. Thank you for the many valuable pieces of information.”

“I am honored. I, too, realized there were things I had not seen clearly. I’m glad we had this chance to speak, Lady Hannelore.”

Lady Charlotte’s expression softened with a small exhale. I too felt the heavy air of serious discussion lift and allowed myself to relax a little.

“Because Ehrenfest has ties to the higher-ranking duchies,” she said, “we often find ourselves approached for advice. But that network was something my sister built. Without her presence now, we’ve run into quite a few difficulties… I can’t help but wish she would return soon.”

She remarked that had Lady Rozemyne been present and able to exchange views with us and with Prince Hildebrandt as part of her work with the library committee, these rumors might have been stopped before they spread so far.

…Come to think of it, I’ve hardly had time to visit the library at all this year.

I suddenly found myself wondering if Schwartz and Weiss were still receiving their regular mana supply. But then I recalled that several archnoble librarians had been appointed, and since there had been no request from Professor Solange, things must be operating without issue.

“I also hope Lady Rozemyne returns soon,” I said. “There are so many things I wish to consult her about.”

“Do you happen to know where my sister is now, Lady Hannelore?” Charlotte asked. “It seems she was in Ehrenfest’s past. A few people have begun recovering memories from that time.”

“Oh my…” I murmured, surprised.

Though I voiced my surprise, I wasn’t truly shocked. I already knew that Lady Rozemyne had gone to the past to reconnect Lord Ferdinand’s thread, so I had expected her to appear in Ehrenfest eventually.

“It seems,” Charlotte continued, “that someone recovered memories of seeing my sister mobilizing the former archduke’s guard knights—those who would be my grandfather’s retainers—in the forest near the castle. They were gathering various materials, apparently. We still don’t know what her objective was.”

At Charlotte’s words, I smiled and gave a small nod. If I considered Lady Rozemyne’s objective, then it must have been that Lord Ferdinand was in mortal danger at the Ehrenfest castle. It was hard to imagine a situation where an archduke candidate could be placed in such peril while surrounded by retainers—but I already knew Lady Rozemyne had successfully reconnected all the threads. There was no doubt she had handled everything perfectly.

“I look forward to hearing about it once Lady Rozemyne returns,” I said.

“As do I,” Charlotte replied warmly.

Just then, an ordonnanz flew into the room. Everyone’s eyes followed the little white bird as it circled once overhead before landing gently in my hand.

“This is Rozemyne,” came the voice.

It was unmistakably Lady Rozemyne’s voice coming from the white bird. Everyone around me held their breath, covering their mouths so as not to miss a single word from the ordonnanz. Of course, we all knew she wouldn’t be sharing anything truly important through a message meant to be overheard, but even so, I felt my whole body tense instinctively.

“Lady Hannelore, I have just returned,” came her voice. “I’ve heard that Letizia and Ferdinand have caused you some trouble. There’s much I’d like to speak with you about. Might I ask for some of your time—sooner rather than later?”

When the ordonnanz finished repeating the message three times and reverted to its yellow feystone form, everyone around finally exhaled in unison, their tension dissipating.

”…That was quite the surprise. To think the ordonnanz would arrive just as we were talking about my sister…”

“Truly… But I’m so relieved to hear she’s returned safely.”

We exchanged glances and shared a soft chuckle. Then Lady Charlotte tilted her gaze thoughtfully upward for a moment, before turning a wry smile toward me.

“Lady Hannelore, shall we conclude here for today? I imagine you’ll need time to prepare for your conversation with my sister.”

”…Are you certain?”

“Yes, seeing we’ve already finished exchanging important information and discussing what needed to be discussed. Vanessa, please prepare.”

Lady Charlotte gave the command to her head attendant, prompting preparations to depart. I had also obtained the information I sought, so there was no reason to prolong the tea party.

“I’m sorry to have imposed on you.”

“Not at all, please think nothing of it. …If anything, I believe you will have the harder time from here on.”

“Eh?”

“Things tend to move very quickly once my sister returns from a long absence.”

Lady Charlotte placed a hand to her cheek and exhaled softly.

“Last year, when we discovered a method of attacking our foundation, Ehrenfest began preparing for a defensive battle immediately after my sister’s return. As you know, Lady Hannelore, it eventually developed into conflict within the Sovereignty, with Dunkelfelger offering us their support. This year, the bride-stealing ditter is approaching, and even the duchies unrelated to it are in a state of tension. Perhaps nothing will happen—but then again, something just might.”

Lady Charlotte said something that could be taken as either advice or a warning. The fear of not knowing what might happen spread quickly among my retainers.

“Um, Lady Charlotte, do you mean to say…”

“It would be best to consult my uncle in Alexandria should anything arise. Father always had him present whenever he listened to my sister speak.”

…W-Wait a moment. That only makes me feel more uneasy.

Lord Ferdinand went to great lengths to keep his presence in the Royal Academy a secret. There’s no way I could possibly ask him to sit in on a meeting with Lady Rozemyne.

“I’ll be taking my leave now—I’d like to inform my sister’s retainers in Ehrenfest of her safe return as soon as possible. The social season is nearly upon us, so let us hold another tea party with her present as well.”

Lady Charlotte departed with her retainers, wearing a smile. Left behind, my retainers and I gazed at the yellow feystone containing the ordonnanz still resting on the table.

“Cordula… what should I do?”

“What do you mean ‘what should I do’? There must be something to discuss from the world of the gods. There’s no way you can refuse. Lady Rozemyne is surely waiting—hurry and send your reply.”

Since this conversation would be with the avatar of the goddess and not with Aub of Alexandria, it needed to be treated with the same priority as speaking with the Zent. At her prompting, I picked up the yellow feystone. Drawing my schtappe, I lightly tapped it, and it transformed into a white bird, now resting in the palm of my hand.

“Lady Rozemyne, this is Hannelore. Welcome back. I, too, have many things I wish to discuss with you. If you would be so kind as to invite me, I shall make myself available at any time.”

With a flick of my schtappe, the ordonnanz passed through the tea room wall and flew off into the distance.