Chapter 14 : The Black Dress
Holy Britannian Empire
Area 3
Duchy of Tenochtitlan
Grand Marshal’s Office
My office
One week after her vacation ended.
The door opened without so much as a knock, and Millirze entered.
Her uniform was as neat as always, but her eyes were swollen.
“...I have returned, your Highness.”
“Did you enjoy your vacation?”
Millirze merely nodded, then carefully held out a thick envelope.
“This came through an encrypted secret line from ‘Chief Crow.’”
“The sender is... Director Anna Clementia.”
Anna Clementia
A female SPQR officer who had been a classmate of the Witch—no, of Ravenna—and had served in the same unit as her during the Atlantic War.
That is, Anna Clement in the original canon.
At present, she was the director of the SPQR ADD, the Agency for Defense Development, located on the western slopes of the Ural Mountains.
When I opened the envelope, dozens of densely packed blueprints and explanatory documents spilled out.
On the very first page was stamped her large official seal.
In accordance with the will of Rome and Ravenna, we hereby provide full technical assistance for peaceful nuclear power generation.
Not nuclear bombs, but nuclear power that lights the world.
Huh
I let out a faint laugh.
“So they are selling the future to buy the present. The SPQR really is...”
Millirze spoke quietly.
“I will begin by verifying her identity.”
“I will use both Chief Crow and the SPQR-side collaborator of the Viceroy of Area 11 to reconfirm Director Anna Clementia’s position and intentions.”
“Good. Until then, keep it a secret.”
Millirze nodded.
Then, after hesitating for a moment, she opened her mouth.
“...By the way, Your Highness.”
“Who will you be bringing to the memorial ceremony in the Falkland Islands as your partner?”
This Sunday.
The joint memorial ceremony in the Falkland Islands, the frontline of the Knighthood of the Pampas that had been devastated by Ravenna’s surprise attack during the Atlantic War.
Also, Schneizel would be attending as well, since the Grand Master of the Knighthood of the Pampas, Renato El, was his uncle – on his mother’s side.
As a Grand Marshal, it was not a place I could afford to miss.
“Cornelia is far too close to her due date, so she’s impossible. And Euphemia should wait on her as well...”
“So, I’m still thinking about it.”
Millirze bit her lip, then took one step closer.
“Could you... take me with you as your mistress?”
The air froze.
“Millirze.”
“During my vacation, I heard it again at home.”
‘Even some of your old classmates already have two children.’
‘Your mother ruined you by focusing only on her studies, going all the way to the graduate school.’
“They said that if you would not even make me your mistress, I should start looking for another marriage prospect...”
Her voice trembled.
This world really was insane.
A woman in her early to mid-twenties was already treated as almost unmarriageable?
At that very moment—
Bzzzt
A message notification came from my mobile phone on my desk.
One message had just arrived.
Captain Kururugi’s training is entering its final stage.
May I accompany you to the memorial ceremony, both as an escort and to inspect the security situation around the Falkland Islands?
Anya Alstreim, Knight of Six
I sighed and turned my gaze back to Millirze.
“I just received a message from Lady Anya, the Knight of Six.”
“She says captain Kururugi’s training is nearly complete and she wants to accompany me to inspect the security situation around the Falkland Islands as well.”
“For this occasion... it seems I will have to go with her.”
Sniff
Tears welled up in Millirze’s eyes.
“...I understand, your Highness.”
Then she quietly took out another envelope and handed it to me.
A letter of resignation
“...What is this?”
“I have been incompetent and failed to properly assist you, your Highness.”
“I will look for a new course either in Area 2 where my family lives, or at the Imperial Pendragon University, where my mother serves as dean in the College of Arts.”
The moment she turned to leave, I grabbed her wrist and pulled her back hard.
“I am sorry.”
Millirze’s eyes widened in surprise.
“I... made you wait far too long.”
I leaned close to her ear and whispered.
"As soon as I return from the Falkland Islands, I will take you into my arms as mine."
“When that time comes... I will take responsibility properly.”
Millirze’s ears turned bright red in an instant.
“R-really?”
“I promise.”
She snatched the resignation letter back with lightning speed and tore it to shreds.
“You promised!”
I gave a faint smile and stroked her hair.
After Cornelia and Euphemia had beaten me with pillows, I had secretly ordered my adjutant Bedivere to prepare it.
A black dress.
A special mistress’s dress, embroidered in gold thread with my coat of arms.
Only after paying a premium had I been told it would arrive exactly on the day I returned from the memorial ceremony.
Since I had taken so long to embrace her, I intended to cherish her properly.
0.04 Charles...that is 4 wives – Cornellia, Euphemia, Caroline and Millirze.
I still had room to spare, compared with Charles, am I not?