第９０掘：堅牢の国 (Part1)
**Dig 90: The Fortress Nation**
**The Fortress Nation**
**Side: Lowell, Second Princess of Gartz**
The castle is in an uproar right now.
Word has reached us that Shera, whom we sent off to marry into Roschur, is returning here for some business.
And yet, not even a month has passed since she left.
The information delivered by the express messenger was simply:
*"It has been a while, Brother, Sister, Mother, and Father. I am doing well. I have a matter I would like to consult with you about, and I plan to visit with my husband. Please, I ask that you treat my husband with the respect he deserves."*
That was the entirety of the letter.
It is severely lacking in information.
I have heard that the man Shera married is the one who exposed the subordinates of the Demon Lord operating in the shadows of Roschur.
But that is all. What is his background? What is his status?
Everything else remains a mystery.
"What do you think?"
Father, the King of Gartz, asks this of his sons, daughters, and senior officials in the conference room.
"……If we think about it normally, it would be reasonable to assume she was sent back," replies Higil, the Fourth Prince who serves as our strategist.
In truth, it was Higil who proposed sending Shera away in the first place.
He had intentionally sent her off to ensure her safety and to prevent her from being treated poorly over there.
Though he is often misunderstood as being a bit of a know-it-all, Higil is well-known among us for how deeply he cherishes his family.
He is particularly fond of our youngest, Shera, going so far as to diligently send her gifts every month out of his own salary.
Yet, because he acts cold toward her in person, he is a rather clumsy younger brother.
"Normally, you say… Do you think otherwise, Higil?"
"Yes. First of all, it is highly unlikely that this is the intention of the Roschur central government."
"Why is that?" I ask, feeling puzzled.
After all, sending back a princess from another country is a grave insult; it would only be done if they had something to hide.
If they sent her back without going through the Roschur government, that "hero" or whatever he is would not only lose his honor, but could even face execution.
"……Sister, please think a little. No, let me explain it in a way that is easy for you to understand, Lady Lowell. If they had sent her back by the will of the Roschur government, it would be as good as admitting they have something to hide. You understand that, right?"
"Yes."
"That is why it is strange. It would be like going out of their way to tell us, 'We have secrets here.' It is an act that could easily cause a crack in our alliance."
I see. Indeed, even I had suspected as much.
"As a response from the Roschur side, it is far too clumsy. Given their history of being the first to bow their heads and pay reparations, it is virtually impossible."
"Hmm. As Higil says."
"Furthermore, it has only been a month and a bit since Shera married. Sending her back in such a short time would look terrible to other nations as well. Therefore, it is highly likely that either Shera’s husband or Shera herself wishes to come here. And they are doing so without informing their home country."
Hmm, when put that way, it does seem possible.
"Ah, maybe she just wants to show her husband her home country?"
When I say this on a whim, Higil and the King stare at me, dumbfounded.
"W-well, that possibility isn't zero, I suppose……"
"……Father, please, give her a firm rebuke."
"……What are you saying? She is your sister, and you are the one who was explaining things just now."
"……Please don't pass these things off to me. Besides, who was it that educated Sister in the first place……"
The two of them are whispering to each other. Did I say something strange?
"……*Ahem*. As Lowell says, that is a possibility. If that is the case, there is nothing to worry about. However, this meeting is about what to do if there *is* a problem. We should start by assuming there is one."
"Oh, I see. That is correct, Brother. As expected of the vessel who will inherit Gartz."
"……Ah, thank you."
He looks a bit exhausted.
Is supporting a nation truly that taxing? We siblings must properly support our brother.
"Good, well done."
"As expected of my brother."
"……Father, Higil, you two are doing half the paperwork later."
"“No way!!”"
I do not understand why they are so reluctant to help. Did they not see how exhausted Brother looked just a moment ago?
"Well, we won't know what the actual problem is until we hear from them, but it would be best to categorize the possibilities," says the Third Princess, Charl, who is in charge of domestic affairs.
"Categorize?"
"Yes, Sister. It means we should be ready to respond immediately. For example, if she was sent back as we initially feared, we should send a letter of protest and prepare to head to the Roschur capital to investigate. Or, if Shera has uncovered some information and returned early—given that she requested to return in such a short time—that would be very important information. She isn't a fool; we know that better than anyone."
"Yes, Shera is a very clever girl."
"And finally…… the pattern where Shera’s husband is a fool and is trying to get us to provide him with various conveniences. Perhaps he got carried away after marrying a princess, convinced he could do anything, and begged Shera to bring him here. In that case, we will immediately place Shera under our protection. If we consider that she might have been forced to agree, there is also the possibility that she is being abused."
"That is unforgivable."
Abusing Shera is out of the question. I would sever his head on the spot.
Just as we were discussing our policy, the door to the conference room was forced open, and a member of the Royal Guard rushed in, looking flustered.
"What happened?"
Brother asks, remaining extremely calm.
Wonderful. I think I would have raised my voice and asked the same thing.
"I-I report! Two carriages without horses are parked at the entrance of the Royal Capital! The carriages are made almost entirely of iron and are extremely suspicious, so when we went to investigate, we found Lady Shera and Lady Kirue inside!!"
"““What!?””"
Everyone shouted in unison.
"W-wait a minute. When did this letter from Shera arrive?"
"Sister, calm down. It was yesterday, right?"
"……It came by express messenger, didn't it?"
"Yes, we confirmed that here. It wasn't a slow horse, either. It was a perfectly normal express messenger."
"What does this mean?"
"……I don't want to think about it, but it implies that Roschur possesses carriages that can rival an express messenger."
"That’s absurd!! During the recent conflict, they were using ordinary carriages!!"