Side Story 3.4 : Sakuya’s Question and the Forgotten Rings
Author’s Note : This side story takes place between Chapter 3 and Chapter 4, after Side Story 3.3. It alternates between Euphemia’s and Lysander’s points of view.
Euphemia’s POV
Holy Britannian Empire
Imperial Capital of Pendragon
Elder Sister Cornelia’s private residence
As expected of Elder Sister Cornelia.
It was like a blitzkrieg.
To think she had gone straight to Father and received permission for a joint wedding ceremony between Elder Brother Lai, Elder Sister Cornelia, and me— immediately after the three of us had spent a passionate night together, no less.
The problem was that both Elder Sister Cornelia and Elder Brother Lai had spent their entire lives being dragged through the military, so neither of them had any talent whatsoever for ordinary preparations.
And so—
Choosing the wedding date.
Reserving the venue.
The wedding studio, dress, and makeup arrangements.
The honeymoon destination.
The guest list.
“Oh my God...!”
I was doing all of it.
Everything.
All of it.
I was beginning to understand why commoners—and sometimes even lower nobles—ended up breaking off their engagements while preparing for a wedding.
For a moment, I considered calling back Shirley Fenette, my former head lady-in-waiting.
But she was probably enjoying her newlywed life with Elder Brother Lelouch in Area 11, so I gave up on that idea.
As for promoting one of the maids who had followed me from my maternal family to the position of head lady-in-waiting... none of them felt quite right.
“Haaah...”
“Flower of the Empire, these are the wedding dress designs currently in fashion.”
“Please, ‘flower’ is far too much praise. I’m about to be married, after all...”
“Not at all! Your Highness is the most beautiful woman in the Empire!”
I listened to the practiced flattery of a designer from one of the finest fashion shops in the Imperial Capital of Pendragon as I turned through the catalogue.
To be honest, compared with some, I was quite restrained.
At least I had only called them to my residence and was looking through catalogues.
Elder Sister Guinevere and Elder Sister Carine were said to summon the models themselves, make them wear samples, and even have them walk before them.
...Clothes only have meaning when I am the one wearing them, don’t they?
“Hmm... I think this design looks nice. May I try it on?”
“Of course!”
Clap
The staff began moving busily.
At that moment—
Stiff
Stiff
“Oh my, Sakuya? What brings you here?”
She was the child Elder Brother Lai had rescued from Area 11.
Sakuya—the daughter of my late elder half-sister Sherry.
Since she was not yet an adult, I supposed it was proper for me to greet her first.
“C-Congratulations on your wedding... Aunt Euphemia.”
Aunt.
Well... technically, she was right. With my wedding approaching, had she decided that she ought to start addressing me as family?
But... it makes me sound old...
“You may keep calling me Princess Euphemia, Sakuya! I am not that old—or that formal.”
“Th-thank you, Princess Euphemia.”
“Congratulations on your wedding.”
“Thank you! Tea and sweets will be served soon, so please stay and have some.”
But then Sakuya asked a very careful—and far too accurate—question.
“Um... I don’t mean to offend you. I’m just curious.”
“Yes?”
“In Area 11, marriage is between two people, and in the Chinese Federation, unless someone is a feudal lord or something similar, people usually have only one spouse.”
“...”
“So why can people in Britannia marry more than one person?”
For an instant—
Ahem
The designer and the staff all coughed at the same time.
Ah...
How was I supposed to explain this?
If I started with history, it would be too long.
If I began with national doctrine, it would be too heavy for a child.
When I closed my mouth, Sakuya seemed to realize she had made a mistake, and her face turned red.
And then—
Step
Step
“Well, well. That is a good question, Sakuya.”
My savior had arrived.
It was Elder Brother Lai.
Lysander’s POV
Sakuya’s eyes were serious.
There was no accusation in them.
No provocation, either.
Only pure curiosity.
So I smiled and said,
“Sakuya. Do you remember the territories we ‘liberated’ from the SPQR during the Atlantic War?”
Sakuya nodded.
“In those places, do you think the rule that marriage must be between only two people was always observed?”
Euphemia quietly jabbed me in the side and whispered,
“Elder Brother... she is not an adult yet.”
Ahem
I decided to finish this as quickly as possible.
“No. In many places, it was not observed at all.”
“In the countryside of the Chinese Federation, and even back when Area 11 was still an independent country.”
“Do you think not a single married man ever went somewhere a married man should not go?”
Euphemia’s gaze sharpened.
“Cut it out, Elder Brother.”
Yes.
That was probably enough truth bombs for now.
The rest was something Sakuya could learn on her own after she came of age...
Sakuya thought for a moment, then nodded faintly.
So I gave her a suitably simplified explanation of Britannia’s national doctrine.
“Britannia is a country where ability becomes responsibility, and responsibility becomes rights.”
“The stronger a person is, the more they must protect, and the more they must bear.”
I looked straight at Sakuya.
“If you do not like the system of plural marriage...”
“Then someday, you need only rise high enough to abolish it.”
Sakuya’s eyes sparkled a little.
“Then... I just need to become someone capable of doing that?”
“Exactly.”
She hesitated for a moment, then said,
“Then... could you buy me a new computer?”
“A new computer? Did your old one break?”
“U-um... there’s a new game that came out recently... Britannia Kings. I want to play it.”
I laughed.
“Ah, yes. The game Nina Einstein made at the request of the Chancellor’s Office?”
“I thought it looked interesting too, so I was planning to buy a new computer for it anyway. We can buy them together.”
“Wow! Thank you!”
At that moment—
Grind
Euphemia’s smile froze.
“...Elder Brother Lai?”
“Yes?”
“What about Elder Sister Cornelia’s and my wedding rings?”
“...”
Oh.
Right.
In my previous life, I had died from overwork at a soul-crushing company while still a single virgin who had never even married.
No wonder I had failed to think of that.
“You didn’t forget, did you?”
“N-no! Of course not! Absolutely not!”
That very night, I contacted Marybell mel Britannia, the viceroy of Area 14 and my younger half-sister.
—A top-quality rough diamond.
—And to be sent in secret.
That stone was then entrusted through my adjutant Bedivere to the finest craftsman available.
On the day of the wedding—
Euphemia said nothing.
But the moment she saw the ring, I saw her expression soften in silence.
That was enough.
Glossary
Area 14 : South Africa.