Bölüm

[AI ERROR / SAFETY BLOCK - RAW ENGLISH RETAINED]

Cedric was the son of a small-time Muldu merchant. He was young, healthy, and even possessed a bit of business sense. He expected to inherit his father’s shop one day and didn’t need to look on the bright side to see life was coming up roses.

There was something that concerned him, however. Despite coming of age some time ago, he was still unmarried.

“Well, that’s pretty common in Ulbeth…,” Cedric mumbled while minding the store.

Thanks to their nation’s long history, family ties in Ulbeth were far-reaching. Of course, the term “relative” was all subjective, but there were plenty of fish in the sea when hunting for a good partner.

In Ulbeth, marriage was a huge hassle.

First, once you found a possible match, you had to investigate the person’s hometown, lineage, and personal history. You also had to confirm that their close relatives weren’t business rivals or other hostile parties.

Next came ensuring that marriage to this person wouldn’t cause drama among your own kin. You were golden if everything checked out, but Ulbeth’s interwoven families inevitably meant some relatives refused to give their blessing. If there was too much opposition, the engagement was called off. Should compromise appear possible, you did your best to persuade the naysayers. If your potentialpartner managed to overcome those same obstacles, the two of you could openly discuss marriage.

Frankly, it was one immense pain.

“Count me out…”

Cedric spoke for most Ulbethians his age. Most thought,It’s so stupid. Why bother?

Regardless, they couldn’t voice such opinions in Ulbeth society. Loose lips were immediately ostracized, as countless past examples proved. When someone publicly advocated free love and the abolition of marriage protocol, even Cedric had to mock their “selfishness” out of peer pressure and jealousy.

“Hahhh…Can someone please just destroy us already?”

Cedric viewed Ulbeth like a tight ball of string. It was the nation’s own handiwork, but the threads slowly suffocating them could no longer be unwound by human hands. If only someone would come and crush everything—

“Hey, Cedric!”

“Huh?”

His father had come bursting through the door.

“What’s wrong, Dad?”

The moment Cedric asked, he saw his father’s expression and realized it was urgent news. Just as he was wondering if the store had made an amazing deal—

“Rejoice! You have a marriage interview!”

—Cedric fell off his chair.

“…The Houdard and Juino families are discussing a possible union?”

Lejoutte frowned at this unexpected report from her subordinate.

“That’s odd. Although both families have children around the same age, they’re on poor terms.”

“I thought it strange as well and checked the information, but it appears to be accurate. Nothing’s set in stone yet, however.”

“Hmm…”

Lejoutte fell silent for a moment. The news was surprising, but she was more baffled that this development hadn’t reached her ears more swiftly. The Ulbeth Alliance was a mass surveillance society. If someone was causing problems, government leaders—Lejoutte included—would hear about it.

Houdard’s a Muldu family with a social standing that rivals Agata’s, but the Juinos are from Altie… Did Agata purposefully keep this plan under wraps?

Attracting as many people as possible was a vital skill for any leader, but in a closed society like the Ulbeth Alliance, poaching human resources was regular. Whenever it looked like a marriage might rob a city of its valued member, leaders tried to stop the union. This made it even more challenging for young Ulbethians to get married, and factions preferred to keep weddings within their own established circles.

“I suppose it’s inconsequential, though. This will have no impact on us.”

Lejoutte felt uneasy for some reason, but she brushed the feeling aside. The woman wouldn’t hesitate to intervene as needed, yet such actions garnered enmity if done too regularly. Politicians had to choose their battles wisely.

“We’ll be sure to congratulate them. Send someone as my proxy.”

“Pardon me!”

Another subordinate hurried into the room.

“The head of the Ramanuchin family has arrived! He requests an audience with you, Lady Lejoutte!”

“What? The Ramanuchin family? I have no plans to meet with them today.”

“Yes, but he would like your approval for a marriage between their eldest son and the eldest daughter of the Melmet family…”

The color drained from Lejoutte’s face.

“Wasn’t he supposed to marry the second daughter of Balash family from Facrita?!”

The Ramanuchins were different from the Houdards and the Juinos. Although on the fringes, they were unquestionably part of Lejoutte’s faction.

Yet they want to marry into the Melmet family?! They’re from Muldu!

Lejoutte quickly began to seethe at this outrageous betrayal but calmed herself with logic. Acting disagreeable here wouldn’t do. She had to deduce how this situation had come about in the first place.

“I’ll be right there. Where is the family head?”

“In the reception room.”

Lejoutte promptly readied herself and set out to meet him.

They’re free to betray Facrita. The Ramanuchins are outliers, after all. I can readily oust them if need be. Still, I’m surprised I didn’t discover their dealings with the Melmet family earlier. Even if they were acting covertly, that only gets you so far. Plus, they were discussing marriage of all things!

Wedding arrangements in the Ulbeth Alliance were long-winded due to an ongoing settlement of interests. No matter how one tried to keep the matter quiet, it would inevitably leak somewhere. Yet somehow, Lejoutte had been entirely ignorant of these affairs. What was going on?

Can I brush off two marriage talks with Muldu families as mere coincidence? Absolutely not!

This was more than happenstance. It was undeniably an attack meant to undermine the eastern city’s opposition. The methods were inscrutable. How had this not come to light sooner?

No, what if my assumptions are wrong?Lejoutte contemplated the possibility. Before long, the picture began to form.

How had they pulled it off? Could they truly accomplish what no other city had before? If so, then—

“Lady Lejoutte!”

The South Representative was about to enter the reception room when another one of her subordinates approached.

“I have news! The Clyffe family in Muldu and the Behnackel family in Roynock have agreed on an engagement!”

“…!”

Even for the Ulbeth Alliance, the history between those two clans was infamously twisted. Agata and Oleom tried to keep them under control, but both sides were unruly and thus mainly left to their own devices.

A sudden engagement between the Clyffes and the Behnackels… It’s hard to believe, but there’s no longer any question!

The mastermind behind this hadn’t been hiding information. Instead, they had used the precedent of prolonged marriage talks to their advantage and settled matters before the news had time to travel.

Then, the one unraveling Ulbeth’s tight knots is—!

In other words, it’s like a puzzle piece,Ninym mused.

The Ulbeth Alliance’s isolated nature jumbled relationships between friends, relatives, coworkers, and business partners. Each citizen became a complex piece.

Of course, most people didn’t jump down each other’s throats without reason. That vitriol formed over long years of smaller clashes against one another. It had built up to such a degree that the populace of modern Ulbeth found themselves in hopeless situations more often than most, however.

Only foreigners could ignore the ridiculous situation. Those citizens who were aware of their suffering were still Ulbethians whose lives revolved around their respective cities. They could never look down on their nation’s distinct rules. Anyone else was an outsider, had no intention of staying in Ulbeth, didn’t respect the local laws, or possessed the ability to send the nation flying.

Wein Salema Arbalest was all of the above.

“We’ll set up this family’s third son next. Prepare the letter. In the meantime, I’ll discuss marriage interviews with some families in Altie, so find a venue for me. We should be able to contact them through the Juinos. Oh, this Roynock guy’s the perfect age. I should ask about him, too. Kamil, get me his records.”

The marriage campaign was underway.

After Wein had made his declaration, Agata’s subordinates went scurrying around following his every command.

Who’s the real master of this mansion?

An exasperated Ninym watched Wein issue orders. Her exasperation was understandable. She and the prince were in Agata’s mansion, but anyone who beheld this display would conclude that Wein was running the show.

Agata’s servants only complied because the East Representativehad ordered them to, of course, yet they were fascinated by Wein nonetheless.

Still, his plan is so basic.

Ninym was right; Wein’s strategy was finely executed but not very elaborate. The young man had browsed Agata’s records, considered each person’s situation, and recommended suitable couples. That was it. His precision and speed revealed the true genius behind the tactic, however.

It wasn’t as if these bachelors and bachelorettes had chosen the single life. Most had been locked in that position due to one circumstance or another.

Wein hummed a little tune as he saw through these obstacles and formed problem-free pairings.

No one could reproduce such a feat. Even Ninym would have needed a decent amount of time, but Wein had already managed to arrange over thirty interviews using Agata’s documents alone. It was like finding a grain of gold on the beach every second.

“You could hang up your crown and play matchmaker,” Ninym remarked when she had a moment alone with the prince.

Wein laughed. “I’ve only had this much luck ’cause the Alliance is starved for marriage.”

Weddings were a daunting process in Ulbeth, so people jumped at any opportunity—especially one that fell right into their laps.

[AI ERROR / SAFETY BLOCK - RAW ENGLISH RETAINED]

“Still, I’m surprised by our success. Did you see that room packed with bridal clothes and props? We’re running out of space.”

Ceremonies were a crucial part of any wedding, but it would take time for the happy couple to assemble everything on their own. Thus, Wein had procured every conceivably necessary item ahead of time and rented them out.

“Don’t you think you’re overdoing it? I almost drowned in a sea of dresses when I tried to tidy up.”

“Better safe than sorry. I just purchased a bunch rather indiscriminately, so I’m not even sure if they’re good or not. Plus, it’s good to have a load of extras, just in case. Speaking of which, could you try ’em on for quality assurance?”

“…”

Ninym retrieved a mask she’d seemingly conjured from thin air and put it on.

“Boo.”

“Irk!”

Wein groaned as the Masked Flahmette poked him.

“I won’t name names, but my master has zero tact.”

“Huh? Did I say something wrong?”

“You did.”

Wein had evidently messed up somewhere along the way. The prince frowned. “Hmm.”

Ninym removed the mask. “I’ll pass on the dresses. I’m afraid I won’t be able to appreciate my own when the time comes.”

“That’s the main issue?”

“It is.”

“Guess that’s that, then,” Wein mumbled.

Ninym changed the subject. “By the way, do you really want to strengthen Roynock through weddings?”

“Don’t worry. I’m already working on phase two.”

Phase two.Ninym had already heard the details.

“For phase one, you’ll bolster Muldu’s authority by linking suitable families to Agata’s faction. And during phase two, you aim to use those connections to set up marriages between Roynock and Facrita. Is that right?”

Wein’s relationship with the western and the southern cities of the Ulbeth Alliance had been fragile since the beginning. Thus, his scheme was to encourage unions between Roynock and Facrita and build a base that would allow him to interfere.

Ninym had her doubts, however.

“Success just means reinforcing Roynock and Facrita’s bond, though, doesn’t it?”

“Yep. That’s why we’re gonna shake up the power balance,” Wein replied. “Lejoutte’s grip on her faction is shakier, so any marriage with Roynock is a bonus. As Muldu builds momentum and keeps Facrita on edge, how do you think the latter will feel when the former starts stealing their best and brightest through matrimony?”

“Betrayed. They might even suspect collusion between Muldu and Roynock… The southern city won’t be happy, to say the very least.”

“After that, I’ll boost Muldu’s status with nonstop wedding bells while the Roynock-Facrita relationship is on the rocks.”

Wein saw the floating puzzle pieces created by the Ulbeth Alliance’s dilemma as an untapped gold mine. Other leaders would’ve treaded lightly. Instead, the prince of Natra intended to flood the game board with his own pawns.

“No one will know friend from foe. Everyone from the average citizen to top leaders will be totally lost.”

Ultimately, Wein would create a knotted ball so convoluted and tight that most would have no idea where to start, and only a few leaders would be able to brush along the edges. Even those following Wein’s orders didn’t have all the details. Only the prince had any hope of unraveling it. Thus…

“I’ll make it so only I hold the key to Ulbeth’s secrets.”

He was going to hurl Ulbeth’s gnarled ball into a bleak abyss.

“Agata’s plans won’t matter when everyone is coming to me for answers. I’ll be in charge. That’s our end game.”

Any other country would have protested to some degree. But not the Ulbeth Alliance. There was a direct link between dissent and ostracism in a surveillance society. The populace followed the rules out of self-preservation, which would in turn force them to kneel before Wein.

“They’ll be lost without you…”

“Exactly,” Wein, the sole keeper of the key, confirmed brightly. “But it’s no skin off my nose!”

And there you have it.

Once the prince was indispensable to the Ulbeth Alliance, he could wreck it to his heart’s content and scurry back to Natra at his earliest convenience. As a vassal, Ninym was relieved, but as a human being, she was on the fence.

“We’ve got a few hurdles to clear first.”

“Right. Our most pressing issue is money.”

Wein was coaxing potential marriage partners to get hitched through letters and discussion, but that didn’t solve all their problems. A few people demanded cash and goods, while others couldn’t afford a wedding in the first place. Convincing them would require a lot of capital.

Furthermore, Agata was footing most of the bill since a traveler like Wein didn’t have much on him. As much as the prince loved spending other people’s funds, this arrangement wouldn’t last forever.

“Putting together these interviews is costly. At this rate, even Agata’s purse will soon run dry.”

“Why stop there? Let’s bankrupt him.”

It was another person’s wallet, after all.

“Agata would be furious if he heard you.”

“No kidding,” replied Wein with a laugh. “Well, I’ve got a few ideas if we’re strapped for cash.”

“Like what?”

“Getting it from the filthy rich Roynock and Facrita, for example.”

Ninym frowned. She agreed that the prosperous cities would be an excellent source of wealth, but the prince was hardly on great terms with either. How could Wein procure the money?

He already had an answer.

“Why, we’ll just do a bit of business.”

A knock sounded at the door. It was Agata’s aide, Kamil.

“Pardon me, Prince Wein. I’ve made the purchase using the remaining funds, as you requested.”

Ninym tilted her head to one side, unsure what was going on. She noticed a person behind Kamil, and her eyes went wide in recognition.

It was the Flahm slave from the other day.

“Wein, what’s going on?!”

He turned to his baffled friend and grinned.

---