"And that is all."
Scarlett has just finished her long explanation of her time with Haruto. Her expression was soft as she wore an amicable smile on her face.
"My, my, that was quite a passionate speech just now."
Isabella said with an impish smile. Scarlett had spoken so passionately about her time together with Haruto that it was obvious how much she had come to earnestly enjoy their shared moments.
Hearing that, Scarlett's cheeks were dyed a tinge of red. Hinata smiled mischievously at the sight of her younger sister speaking so fervently about a man.
It was something unusual for the gentle Scarlett, who had never experienced falling in love.
"Hehe he, well, I guess even Scarlett can fall in love. Honestly, as your older sister, I was really worried about your lack of interest in these things. When I see your face, so reminiscent of a maiden in love, I can rest assured."
Hinata said as she elegantly brought her cup of tea to her mouth. Scarlett hurriedly brought her cup to her lips as a means to hide her embarrassment.
"H-Hey, Hina! It's not like that!"
Scarlett said, flustered, her cheeks slightly turning even redder.
"Heheh… Your marriage hasn't yet been set in stone. You shouldn't let this opportunity go to waste, you know? As your older sister, I'd naturally support you."
Hinata said, sending Scarlett a playful wink from where she sat.
"Ngh…"
Scarlett groaned, unable to respond. She was slowly reaching the age where political marriage would become a means of gaining favor, but she still felt some reluctance toward it.
(Even if I do hold Haruto in that regards, his identity as a commoner would make things difficult, not to mention… Alya probably wouldn't allow that.)
Scarlett thought, troubled. When she thought of a certain green-haired spirit, her expression became gloomy and uncertain.
But she was misunderstanding one thing, Alya would most likely agree to her marriage with Haruto.
She wasn't someone who would be so uncouth that she would become ugly with jealousy and sabotage them.
She believes she will be Haruto's number one regardless of how many other women appear. Alya would gladly welcome the challenge with her arms spread boldly.
"You think your puny feelings could come close to my indomitable love for my beloved? How cute~"
Scarlett's brow twitch as she imagine Alya saying those words while chuckling smugly as if mocking her futile attempt.
"Hehe… Well, political marriage is the standard, isn't it? A princess must always prioritize her kingdom and it's benefits. Most aren't even allowed to marry anyone lower than an heir to a duke household."
Isabella said, bringing her hand towards her lips, while letting out a cute giggle.
She didn't say that to ruin the mood between the sisters. What she wanted to say was that there is no need to do something as boorish as worrying about noble customs.
"If your kingdom is happy but your heart remains empty, there is no satisfaction to be gain from such arrangements. That's why, you must work hard to fufill both. Duty and happiness can sometimes go hand in hand, you know?"
Isabella said, her lips curved into a soft smile. Although it's the duty of royalty and nobility to prioritize the interests of their kingdom, she didn't think there was a need to it if it only hurts the ones caught up in those circumstance.
At the very least, those were her honest opinion as a young noble lady, also burden by her own obligations to her family.
Why strive for one, when you can strive for both?
Although such words could sound too idealistic, perhaps childish to a noble only thinking of benefits, there were in fact, precedented for such arrangement in the past.
"Fufu, well said, Lady Isabella. Well, I suppose you had plenty of marriage offers yourself."
Hinata said, smiling teasingly as she brought her cup to her lips.
"Oh, no… I—"
"Hehe, you did cause that commotion with Sir Hindu before, remember?"
Hinata said teasingly, her lips spreading into a crescent shape.
"I suppose I can't deny that… Ahaha."
Isabella awkwardly scratched her head, averting her eyes. The memories of what happened at the banquet came back to her like a boomerang.
However, Jackson had listened to the entire explanation with a disinterested expression the entire time.
He didn't like the fact that Scarlett had taken an interest in another man. No, just the thought had irritated him.
(Tch, just when I thought I could make her a part of my harem, she had someone else in her heart)
He gritted his teeth in a show of mild anger. When Isabella turned her head towards him, she opened her mouth.
"That aside, I'm also curious about Sir Hero as well."
Isabella suddenly said. It was hard to tell if she had noticed his irritation, but regardless, Isabella was interested in the homeland of the heroes.
That was natural; the heroes were all regarded as myth to those of the current era.
Most of what was known were merely records that had been preserved through the past three centuries after the last summoning.
"Oh, and what are you curious about?"
He tilted his head curiously. Isabella took a sip of her warm tea to wet her tongue as she spoke.
"I'm curious about the world Sir Hero originated from. If I recall, the hero hailed from a completely different world, right?"
Isabella inquired, choosing her words carefully. There were no historical books about the other world where the heroes originated from; she was happy about the chance to finally get some useful information regarding that particular matter.
"Oh, I originally lived in a country called America."
"A-Ame-rica, you say. I have never heard of that country before."
Isabella said, pronouncing the unfamiliar name awkwardly. The others also made a confused expression at the unfamiliar name.
On this continent, there were originally five great nations; however, the fifth kingdom was destroyed a long time ago during a war between two countries.
It was said that the "Monarch" spirit of water was dwelling peacefully in a lake on the outskirts of that kingdom, but when the two nations started their battle, they disturbed the peaceful lake and painted its water red.
The Water Spirit Monarch slumbering inside that lake was roused and became furious.
And in a fit of rage, the Monarch spirit caused a natural disaster in the form of a tsunami, destroying the fifth kingdom on this continent. Thus, leaving only four nations of power remaining.
"Well, it is a fairly developed country, more so than this one."
"Oh, are there any other heroes living there?"
Isabella inquired, her beautiful blue eyes flashing with curiosity.
"H-Hero? N-No, no heroes are living there. Actually, if anyone on earth branded themselves as a hero, that person could only be seen as a crazy person."
Jackson answered awkwardly; he averted his gaze away from Isabella, who sat before him. Even he wasn't all that impressed with the title hero, although it was convenient in this world.
It was a title that was so childish and out of place from his usual sense as a young boy from Earth that he felt uncomfortable.
"There are no other heroes, you say?"
Isabella frowned slightly and tilted her head, pondering to herself. Her brother—Tracy, who sat beside her also felt confused hearing that.
Since they were from a world where the title 'hero' was revered and held in the highest esteem, they didn't feel anything off about it.
"Ahem…. Anyway, is it typically possible for people on Earth to end up here, or is it just the heroes?"
As if uncomfortable about the awkward silence, Jackson attempted to keep the conversation moving along.
"Hmmm…. I heard that the spell bestowed upon us to summon the heroes was a powerful spatial magic capable of disrupting space and dimension. To bring someone from a completely different dimension over to ours, the gods really are amazing."
Hinata, apparently going along with the hero's flow, voiced her amazement in a tone filled with pride. Hearing that, the others nodded their heads.
Spatial magic was a magic that could not usually be used by regular humans. Due to its complexity, it also took up a ridiculous amount of magic power. Which is why it was said to be impossible for a single human to use it on their own.
"Sigh, so could you guys inform me more about heroes and goddesses and demons you guys are so afraid of?"
Jackson suddenly said. Hinata nodded her head before she began speaking.
"This world was once ruled by superior beings known as the elemental goddess; each kingdom had their own goddess that they worshipped. Of course, this means that each kingdom had their own hero who was summoned by the elemental goddess. However, more than three hundred years ago, that wasn't the case."
"The entire continent used to be one whole country in itself; it was only after the war between the demon race three hundred years ago that humanity finally began its stability, and the countries were divided into five different kingdoms, each with its own respective royal families."
Hinata explained fluently. Jackson listened to her explanation with a serious face before he raised his eyebrows.
"What happened to the fifth country?"
"It was destroyed long ago."
Isabella said in a curt tone.
"I see…. So, what kind of deity did they worship?"
"They didn't worship any goddess, unlike the current kingdoms?"
Jackson asked curiously.
"That's because they worship the spirit race instead of the goddess. If I recall, they also got themselves into conflict because of their lack of faith in the goddess."
Hinata said with a somewhat bittersweet smile. Jackson gulped as he heard her words.
"So, a whole nation was wiped out like that? Didn't that cause any, you know, implications? If a nation could be erased that easily."
"This happened several decades ago; back then there was hardly any stability within each kingdom, but that nation was constantly getting harassed by the others."
"Why?"
"The reason the other kingdoms considered them heretics was simple."
Hinata explained, frowning as she chose her words carefully.
"The four elemental goddesses were believed to be the divine beings who guided and protected humanity. Their teachings formed the foundation of our kingdoms, our traditions, and even the summoning of heroes. To reject them was considered a rejection of the natural order itself."
"The people of the fifth kingdom, however, refused to worship the goddesses. They believed that the spirits of nature were the true guardians of the world and devoted themselves entirely to them instead. They built shrines to powerful spirits, offered them prayers, and followed their teachings rather than those of the elemental goddesses."
"Naturally, this created considerable tension. The four kingdoms regarded their beliefs as dangerous heresy, while the people of the fifth kingdom saw the worship of the goddesses as misguided. Over time, religious differences became political disagreements, and those disagreements eventually turned into open hostility."
Hinata's expression became pained as she paused for a moment before continuing.
"That is why the fifth kingdom was viewed with suspicion by the other nations. To us, they had turned their backs on the goddesses who had protected humanity for generations."
Scarlett lowered her eyes slightly.
"But believing differently doesn't necessarily mean they were evil."
Hinata glanced toward her younger sister but said nothing. Scarlett sighed and tried to change the topic to something more pleasant.
"Anyway, thanks to the efforts of the heroes a long time ago, the world had finally regained its tranquillity, and a peace treaty was signed with the four great nations; however, the fact that the heroes were once again summoned by the elemental goddess meant that some kind of danger had appeared in the world once again."
Scarlett said with a serious face.
"Yes, with the conflict going on between Alberta and Zestril, we might need the help of the heroes once again."
Tracy, who had been silently listening to the discussion until now spoke up, his tone sounding grim.
"Ah, I also wanted to ask Isabella about her opinion on that matter."
"Hmm… My opinion, you say. Well, I personally think that the old king has lost his mind if he intends to provoke the Alberta kingdom. The fact that he decided to do it means that he has some means of winning."
Isabella answered Hinata's sudden question with a contemplative expression, her deep ocean blue eyes narrowed sharply as she thought deeply about that matter. A smile formed on Hinata's lips as she nodded her head.
The matter between the Alberta kingdom and the Zestril kingdom was a hot topic, so there wasn't anyone who hadn't heard of it, the news of their war proclamation.
"Sigh, my father has been really busy with this mess all day."
Isabella said in a tired tone; strands of her light, wavy blue hair fell on her shoulder as she hung her head down in exhaustion. Tracy showed a gloomy smile from where he was seated.
Seeing that the Watanabe sisters couldn't help but smile wryly, of course, it was the same for them as well. Jackson, on the other hand, gave them a look of sympathy.
…
At the same time, elsewhere, on the northern side of the Enosh continent, the area was covered with thick snow.
On this side of the continent, there is always snow, as though the concept of "Summer" does not exist in an area of approximately 20,000 kilometres.
There was the "kingdom of Zestril", a proud country of over ten million inhabitants.
Here, only the notion of the "Strong" can exist; the weak are to be devoured by those who have power.
The "Zestril kingdom" is by far the most dangerous and savage country on this continent.
Because of this, many citizens would sometimes migrate to other countries in order to live a more peaceful and prosperous life.
The reason was that the king was a man who loved war and conflicts; he would sometimes even invade peaceful nations just for his amusement.
In the centre of the "Zestril Kingdom", the proud building of the royal palace could be seen standing there.
The palace measured roughly 500 meters in length; the width of the building was 300, and the entire castle was surrounded by walls which looked like they were made from ice.
Inside a throne room, a middle-aged man with white hair who seemed to be in his mid-forties was sitting comfortably in his seat.
Despite his age, his body was muscular and had a youthful appearance.
Inside the room were many knights on either corner of the throne room; in the centre was a middle-aged man whose body was badly beaten up as though he had just received torture.
"Your Majesty, this is the man who was caught trying to steal your treasures."
A young knight said as he held the middle-aged man in place.
"Ugh, I'm telling you I didn't steal anything! I was accused of a crime I didn't commit."
The man yelled at the top of his voice. Seeing this, the king raised an eyebrow in interest.
"Oh, you were falsely accused, you say?"
"Yes! I was just cleaning out your treasure room when those knights came in and suddenly accused me!"
The man said, desperately trying his best to clear his name.
"Hahaha…. If you were going to lie, couldn't you at least have done it right?"
The king burst into hearty laughter as he stared at the fool who was on his knees before him. What a funny spectacle this is.
The man was lying to him without knowing that he had a means of knowing whether he was telling the truth or not.
The king stood up from his seat and walked towards the middle-aged man; the man's body trembled from the ominous pressure coming from the king, which wasn't a pressure that was willing to tolerate any excuses.
His instinct told him that. All the man could do was tremble from the literal death that stood above him.
"I don't like liars, you know. You dare to steal from me, you deserve death."
The king uttered coldly.
"Kill him!"
"Burn him!"
"Hang him"
Many high officials voiced their words out loud. Their expression laced with expectation. Hearing that, the king nodded his head, amused.
"Sir Nicholas, you have a daughter who is 15 years old, do you not?"
The man nodded his head vigorously. But hearing the mention of his own daughter, his face became stiff.
A bad premonition filled his head. And as though responding to that…
"For compensation, your daughter is to become my son's plaything for the rest of her life, a fitting punishment, wouldn't you say?"
The king uttered those words with clear contempt in his voice. His face not hiding his disgust.
"W-wait, Your Majesty! Please, anything but that!!"
Nicholas desperately pleaded with the king as tears filled the corners of his eyes.
The king only gazed down coldly at him and drew his sword sheath from his waist. And with a smooth motion, he slashed horizontally with his long sword.
Thump!
The head of Nicholas rolled on the ground as his headless body fell, spraying more blood onto the extravagant-looking carpet.
"Such cowardice, utterly disgusting."
He said coldly. To plea for forgiveness warrant death.
Only the strong were the chosen, the weak could only be cut down.
The nobles all cheered in elation. There was not a single look of guilt on their faces.
"Soon, the battle with the Alberta kingdom shall commence."
The king muttered. Ruling a single nation couldn't possibly satisfy his hunger for power; this whole world will bow before him soon enough.
(Goddess? demons? heroes? Who give a damn! I will be the most satisfied king who reigns supreme!)
The King thought a wide smile appeared on his face. What he seek wasn't peace, it was conquest and domination.
On the side of the throne room was the figure of the white-haired Alister, who had a grin on his face.
Meanwhile, there was a girl standing on the side with a slightly bitter expression on her face as she watched her father in his craven state.