Chapter 22: The Millennium Ancestor

The interior of the Principality of Budoudarl—specifically, the Duke of Budoudarl’s domain—consisted of the fan-shaped alluvial Budoudarl Plain and the eastern and western mountain ranges that flanked it.

At the very northern tip of the Duke’s domain—the point of the fan—lay a sunken valley plain that continued into the Duchy of Torunia.

This region had been a strategic crossroads since ancient times and held great military importance.

Two hundred years ago, the Duke of Budoudarl, who had unified the Budoudarl Plain at the time, built a castle in this region as a defense against northern threats.

The great fortress, constructed as if to connect the two mountain ranges and cap the Budoudarl Plain, came to be known as “Castle Shumision.”

Near the castle gate, a single ornate carriage stood still.

The fluttering banner displayed a strange creature with the upper body of a horse, the lower body of a fish, and a single horn protruding from its head.

This was a depiction of a narwhal, a sea creature inhabiting the northern waters of the Western Continent.

There was only one noble family that used this beast in its crest—the House of Duke Larknoll.

Beside the carriage stood two figures.

One was a man in his mid-fifties with signs of age showing on his face, and the other was a boy not yet in his mid-teens.

At first glance, they looked like grandfather and grandson. But in truth, they were father and son.

“So this is the famous Castle Shumision, known for Emperor Kartema’s ‘mountain crossing’…”

Thor murmured in quiet reverence.

Kartema’s “mountain crossing”—it was counted among his legendary feats, a renowned military operation.

At the time, having risen to dominance over the western part of the continent, Emperor Kartema advanced eastward into central lands—namely, the Duchy of Torunia.

There, he collided with the House of Budoudarl, which had already built a powerful force in the central region.

In the end, the House of Budoudarl was defeated and withdrew from the Duchy of Torunia.

Emperor Kartema and the Duke of Budoudarl stood opposed, with Castle Shumision between them.

Though it was only a localized defeat, the House of Budoudarl still retained considerable military power. If Kartema tried to push further east, they had the capacity to strike his flanks from the south.

Thus, to secure his rear, Kartema had to subjugate the House of Budoudarl.

However, Castle Shumision was a fortress famed as impregnable. Not even Kartema could take it head-on.

Instead, Kartema personally crossed the mountain ranges to the east and west of Castle Shumision, accompanied only by a small group of knights.

By circling around and striking from behind, he succeeded in capturing the fortress.

The then Duke of Budoudarl was captured in the battle, and the Budoudarl army suffered devastating losses.

Emperor Kartema, pressing his advantage, marched directly on Budoubel City.

The House of Budoudarl stood on the brink of annihilation.

That said, although Kartema succeeded in occupying Budoubel City, he failed to bring down Budoubel Castle.

An outbreak of plague occurred during the siege.

Even Kartema himself fell gravely ill and hovered between life and death. During that time, the House of Budoudarl managed a counteroffensive.

In the end, the war concluded in a mutually damaging stalemate.

The terms of peace were as follows:

The House of Budoudarl would cede all territory north of Castle Shumision to Kartema.

They would offer up a noblewoman both as bride and hostage.

And finally, they would “endorse” Kartema—who at the time was merely a nobleman—as Emperor.

Thus, the ancient power of the central continent bowed its head to the newly risen upstart, Emperor Kartema.

(If it's Princess Roselia, she might know some hidden details not commonly known… No—still, for the House of Budoudarl, this must be a deeply humiliating chapter. I probably shouldn’t ask.)

Ironically, the current heir to the House of Budoudarl carried Kartema’s blood.

For her, was the battle of Castle Shumision a story of ancestral honor—or of disgrace?

Thor couldn’t decide.

“…That’s enough. There’s no point staring into the past.”

Duke Larknoll spoke sharply, a hint of irritation in his tone.

Though it was Thor’s first time visiting this “historical landmark,” to Duke Larknoll it was nothing more than a checkpoint he had passed through countless times.

“Yes, let’s go.”

Reluctantly tearing his eyes away, Thor stepped into the carriage.

To Thor, his father was both a man he respected—and a figure of fear.

He had been struck more than just once or twice.

If possible, he didn’t want to travel in the same carriage.

He found himself praying that they would arrive at the next town soon.

As he gazed out the window, vast fields of grapes, olives, and wheat stretched before him.

Irrigation canals wove between the farmland, waterwheels and windmills spinning lazily in the sun.

In the fields lying fallow, cattle and sheep grazed in peace.

It was a landscape completely different from the Duchy of Larknoll where Thor had been born and raised.

In Larknoll, it was far too cold for grapes or olives to grow.

Instead, apples were cultivated.

While wheat did grow, barley and buckwheat were far more commonly farmed.

Irrigation canals were poorly maintained, and waterwheels or windmills were nearly nonexistent.

What’s more, the grazing fields were broader—or rather, there were simply fewer farmlands overall.

(And this warmth… It’s still only March.)

Ever since crossing Castle Shumision, Thor had noticed the rise in temperature.

Only a short while ago, he had felt a chill in the air. Now it was warm.

Warm enough that shedding a layer of clothing wouldn’t have been strange.

From the scenery and the shift in temperature, Thor could feel it—he had truly crossed a border.

“Something outside caught your eye?”

“Ah, no…”

Thor straightened his back.

“A good habit. There are things you cannot learn without seeing them. So then—what do you see?”

Grapevines, olive groves, wheat fields… windmills and waterwheels… and some cattle over there, too.

—If he answered like that, Thor had a strong feeling he’d be struck.

In essence, Duke Larknoll was telling him to analyze what kind of country the Principality of Budoudarl was, based on the scenery before them.

“…I found the shape of the fields to be very beautiful.”

“Oh?”

“The long rectangular plots make it easier to use wheeled plows… and probably simplify surveying as well. The placement of waterwheels, windmills, and irrigation channels… all appear to have been designed with deliberate planning. Such organization wouldn’t be possible without immense power on the part of the lord.”

Creating perfectly straight fields was, in truth, quite difficult.

Land was never uniform—boulders could be buried underground, there could be wetlands, or elevation changes to deal with.

Naturally, hard-to-till areas would be avoided, and the resulting field shapes would end up irregular.

In fact, fields with distorted, uneven borders were better for the farmers.

That way, it was easier to fudge the numbers on taxes.

Farmers also tended to avoid using wheeled plows.

The oxen, horses, and plows had to be rented from the lord, which only increased their tax burden.

They weren’t fond of using waterwheels or windmills either.

The lord would charge a usage tax. Even if threshing grain became easier, they’d end up needing to take on other work just to pay for that convenience.

In many cases, hand-threshing reduced their overall tax burden.

So in the end, organizing land into neatly planned plots and installing large-scale tools or facilities like these was only feasible if the local lord wielded overwhelming authority.

At the very least, Thor had never before seen such a thoroughly organized—“land optimized for the lord’s benefit”—like this.

“I understand now with my own eyes—it’s not that Budoudarl is naturally rich, but that the bloodline of Burks made it rich.”

“I see. That’s how you interpret it?”

“…Was I mistaken?”

“I saw something different.”

Duke Larknoll didn’t say, “You’re wrong.”

“When I came here as a young man, it wasn’t this beautiful.”

“When you were young…”

“More than twenty years ago. Back when the previous duke was still in charge. The current duke is the one who oversaw all of this development. You can see his meticulous nature reflected in it.”

Duke Larknoll let out a quiet snort.

From his tone, it was clear he disliked the current Duke of Budoudarl.

But at the same time, he clearly respected his domestic policy skills.

“The previous duke prioritized diplomacy and intrigue in order to compensate for internal weakness. The current duke, meanwhile, strengthens domestic governance to support his diplomacy and intrigue. His success abroad isn’t due to negotiation skill—it’s because of the country’s strength itself.”

“I see…”

“How the next generation will rule… now that’s the question.”

By “next generation,” he was referring to Roselia—but also, indirectly, to Thor.

Duke Larknoll’s approach resembled that of the previous Duke of Budoudarl.

But the current duke had succeeded using a different method.

—Don’t just learn from me. Learn from others as well, and apply it when your time comes.

That’s how Thor interpreted Duke Larknoll’s words.

“…Hm.”

“Father?”

“There’s a strange crop over there.”

Thor followed Duke Larknoll’s gaze.

Indeed, it was a “strange crop.”

It appeared to be entirely submerged in water.

At first glance, it looked like the aftermath of a flood—but given the neatly organized surrounding area, it was clearly being deliberately flooded.

“…That might be rice.”

“Never heard of it.”

“According to Princess Roselia, it’s a crop that came from the south. It grows in poor-draining soil, and it’s somewhat similar to wheat or barley.”

“Hmm… an interesting plant. What else do you know about it?”

“She said its yield is better than wheat. Also, because it’s grown submerged, it supposedly doesn’t suffer from continuous cropping issues.”

“…Would it grow in our country?”

“A warm climate and abundant water are essential. You’d also need proper irrigation systems.”

“In that case, pointless.”

Duke Larknoll spoke with disinterest, and Thor nodded in response.

The House of Larknoll lacked both the capital and technical expertise to construct proper irrigation systems.

Considering the difference in climate as well, even attempting such a venture would amount to wasted effort.

“…However, I heard it can be used to brew a different kind of liquor than ale. We might get to enjoy some during the upcoming social events.”

“Now that’s good news.”

Duke Larknoll’s mood visibly improved.

Thor, too, was quietly looking forward to tasting the “interesting drink” Roselia had once mentioned.

(Princess Roselia…)

He wanted to see her soon. He wanted to dance with her.

And if fate allowed…

“That’s a good look on your face. What are you thinking about?”

“About how to make both Princess Roselia and this land mine.”

Thor’s answer made Duke Larknoll break into a broad smile.

“That’s my son.”

---

The Budoudarl River flows from north to south, cutting straight through the Budoudarl Plain, dividing it cleanly in two from east to west.

At the lower end of the river sits the port city of Budoubel.

Budoubel is largely divided into two distinct areas: the Old City in the north and the New City in the south.

The Old City spreads outward from the former palace built on a river island and is encircled by a round wall. The palace was built on the island for defensive purposes, and the wall’s circular shape reflects how the city expanded outward in concentric rings.

To this day, government and religious functions are still centered in the Old City and its palace.

Meanwhile, the New City lies to the southeast of the Old City, on the eastern bank of the Budoudarl River.

This side is enclosed by rectangular walls, with roads arranged in a neat grid. Facing the river is the harbor, and atop a gentle hill stands the New Palace. It’s clearly a planned city, and it serves as the economic hub of the principality.

There are several reasons why the New City and New Palace were built. One of the major ones is that, with the growing size of the realm, larger spaces were needed for social gatherings and residences to host nobles.

“For that reason, all social events will take place in the New Palace and the New City. However, the Old City and Old Palace hold more historical value, so you'll find many heritage sites there. If you’d like to visit, I can arrange a guide.”

Feel free to go sightseeing—but don’t wander off on your own.

That’s what I told Lord Thor.

He had arrived in Budoubel just three days ago. Since Duke Larknoll is currently in talks with my father, I’ve taken the opportunity to show Lord Thor around the castle.

It’s been about a year since a ceasefire was signed between our two houses.

This is a perfect time to present a strong show of friendship.

“I see. Then perhaps I’ll take the opportunity to tour the area between social events. That said… on the way here, I noticed quite a few buildings in the New City that seemed to carry historical weight as well. How long ago were they constructed?”

You might think: Shouldn’t a diplomat know the history of the country they’re visiting?

But this world doesn’t have textbooks on history. Books themselves are a rare commodity. While you might know the broad strokes of world history or the story of your own house, there’s little way to learn detailed local histories of other families.

“Roughly two hundred years ago.”

“Two hundred years… That’s quite an old city, then. Um… in that case, how long has the New City been around?”

“The New City’s history is two hundred years.”

Thor’s expression froze at my reply.

I found that amusing and couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Two whole centuries, and yet it’s still called the ‘New’ City. A bit sad, don’t you think? …Even this palace has aged a fair bit. We’ve had to patch it up more times than I can count.”

Fortunately, earthquakes are rare in this world—and the palace is made of stone.

It’s built to last. We can still use it just fine. Well, except for the occasional leaks when it rains… and the occasional draft.

“I-I see. Then the Old City must be even older. Just how far back does it go?”

“Hmm… I suppose the city itself dates back to when our ancestor Burks passed away. But those original buildings are buried underground now.”

“And the Old Palace?”

“The oldest part of it is seven hundred years old. Though of course, it’s been expanded and renovated many times, so the age varies from section to section.”

In fact, about a third of the Old Palace is newer than the New Palace.

The newest parts were built a century ago… but either way, we’re still talking about ancient architecture.

As I explained all this, Lord Thor looked completely dumbfounded.

“…I’m overwhelmed by the weight of history—the legacy of Burks’s blood and the land of Budoudarl. Is that what grants Princess Roselia her nobility?”

“My… What a flattering thing to say.”

It felt like Thor was just complimenting me, but thinking back on it, maybe I had gone a little overboard.

I only meant to share the history of Budoubel, but I was enjoying our conversation so much that I kept going…

And inevitably, when I do that, it always ends up sounding like I’m boasting about the Burks family.

“As you know, my family is a newcomer to the kingdom, compared to this castle. So in a way, this has reminded me that I must continue working hard to prove myself. I am still, after all, far less refined than you, Princess Roselia…”

Ah—he’s gone into self-deprecating mode again. Just like the first time we met.

He’s usually composed and dignified, but whenever he’s around me, he gets like this. At first, I thought he was just bad with girls… but maybe I’m the one triggering his insecurities.

I should encourage him.

“…I think Lord Thor is destined for greatness.”

“I hardly possess any such qualities…”

Thor frowned at my words. It was the face of someone saying Please don’t flatter me with vague compliments.

I looked up at him with a gentle, upward glance.

“Because… even though I’m the last in my line, Lord Thor is someone who will become an ancestor, yes?”

“…!”

“Between the last and the first, the one who comes first is clearly the greater.”

Become the founding father of a house that will endure for a thousand years—you can do it.

That was my message of encouragement.

Boys get to become ancestors. Girls like me… we’re always the last. That was the little jab of irony.

A statement with two meanings: a push not to sulk, and a bit of teasing wrapped in admiration.

It seemed my words had reached his heart.

“You’re absolutely right. I could never compare to you, Princess Roselia. …I’ll carry your words forward—to the last of my line, a thousand years from now.”

“My…! What an honor that would be.”

He really does know how to speak well.

Whether his family line will truly last a thousand years, though… that’s another matter.

“B-By the way… Princess Roselia.”

“Yes?”

…Oh no. The mood just shifted.

“If you’re willing… would you consider building that thousand-year foundation with me?”

“Well now… That’s quite the sudden proposal.”

Don't just jump straight into a marriage proposal! That’s startling!

Well… I did somewhat expect it, though.

“That depends on how the stars align.”

I answered while recalling his courtship during the hunting tournament.

I accept your feelings—this is about as far as I can go with my response.

“Then let us offer a prayer… to the rose bathed in starlight.”

“…I-I see.”

Ugh… the rose. I suppose it’s natural for him to guess—my Cadency is a rose, after all, and so my magical crest is likely rose-shaped too.

Still… why do I feel like he’s peered beneath my clothes or something?

So embarrassing…

“L-Let us move on to the gallery next.”

I turned on my heel, hoping to hide the redness in my face.

The gallery housed artworks collected by generations of dukes, including several that could be considered true masterpieces.

“Oh…! Is this the white-glazed porcelain from the Eastern lands? The blue patterns stand out beautifully against the white.”

“Yes. It was made by a renowned potter from the East about three hundred years ago…”

The Western Continent lacks the technology to produce such white ceramics.

Nobles tend to favor these imported goods, but I didn’t expect Lord Thor to show this much enthusiasm.

…Ah, that’s right. His ancestors were pirates.

Of course he’d show interest in valuable things—especially imports.

After that, I continued introducing each artwork to him.

These sorts of pieces seemed novel to him, and he listened with sparkling eyes.

…Actually, sparkling might be an understatement. More like glittering with greed? Am I imagining it? Have I accidentally awakened some primal instinct in him?

I’m genuinely worried he might try to plunder something. No… surely he wouldn’t.

“…Oh? Now this is an odd painting.”

“That one is—wait… huh!?”

A strange noise escaped my mouth. But I couldn’t help it.

Who the heck put my painting on display here!?

This is clearly not the place for it!

“…Princess Roselia?”

“Ah, no… My apologies. It was just such an odd piece, I was a little startled.”

“So you weren’t aware of it either?”

“Q-Quite frankly… I’m embarrassed to say, I have no idea who put it there. I’ll look into it later.”

Who did this!? Who put my painting on display!?

I clearly said I didn’t want it shown to anyone—it’s embarrassing!

…Though, really, there’s only one person who would ignore my wishes and hang it up.

What a hopeless doting father…

“Strange it may be, but it’s a brilliant painting. It looks as though a real scene was captured and framed.”

“Y-Yes, I suppose so.”

“This is Budoubel, isn’t it? …I imagine the person who painted this must have an honest and pure heart. Their love for Budoubel comes through so clearly. …Princess Roselia?”

“Please… I beg you… don’t talk about that painting.”

I covered my face with both hands as I said it.

I could feel my cheeks burning bright red. I must look completely unpresentable right now…

“Princess Roselia? Oh… wait, no… don’t tell me… the artist is…”

“I—I have other things I’d like to show you! Forget that silly painting and let’s move on.”

I said it flatly and walked off, leaving Thor behind.

He rushed after me, flustered.

“I wouldn’t call it silly at all… I quite liked it. You should have more confidence—”

“I said don’t talk about it in front of me again. If you bring it up one more time, I won’t dance with you.”

At my words, Lord Thor quickly clamped his mouth shut.

…I’m definitely giving Father a lecture later.