Raising the Northern Grand Duchy as a Max-Level All-Master
Chapter 151

151. The Land of Magic (1)

After the play ended, I headed backstage toward the actors’ waiting room.

“Chairman!”

“Chairman Jin!”

“Success! A massive success, Chairman!”

As soon as I entered, the actors, still wearing their makeup, greeted me with wide smiles.

“Congratulations, everyone. You’ve all worked incredibly hard. Director Teo, hand out the bouquets, please.”

“Yes, sir.”

The bouquets I had prepared were handed to the actors by the staff who had come along with me.

Fresh flowers grown with magic during the frigid winter were quite a rare luxury, making them even more meaningful.

“Make sure to give some to the director, writer, and crew as well.”

“Oh my!”

“Th-thank you so much!”

“Truly, thank you, Chairman!”

Smiles bloomed across the faces of the crew members as they received the flowers.

There was, of course, a reason why everyone who received a bouquet seemed especially delighted.

And it wasn’t just because of the fresh flowers.

“Folding flowers out of banknotes… How on earth did you even come up with such an idea?”

Standing beside me, Arina, speaking in Mary’s voice, remarked as she observed the joyous actors and crew.

Just as she said, nestled among the fresh flowers were blossoms folded from silver and gold paper—actual banknotes.

After I finished my words of appreciation, the High Tower dignitaries and group executives who accompanied me began to speak as well.

“Lord Arad, that was truly extraordinary.”

“Indeed! A play filled with magic and music! It was utterly enchanting.”

“For a moment, I even forgot that most of the actors were from the Empire.”

Since this was the first-ever magical musical, not only did Arina and I attend, but so did the group executives and High Tower officials.

“Her Highness the Duchess should have seen this splendid performance…”

“Exactly. A day like today would have been perfect for her to take a break…”

I overheard a few comments from executives and officials who were unaware of Mary’s true identity.

“Thinking about Her Highness, who continues to dedicate herself to governance even now, somewhat dampens the celebratory mood.”

I wondered how Isabelle, currently working tirelessly in Arina’s stead, would react if she overheard this conversation.

“Hahaha! Her Highness is quite busy, isn’t she? I’ll be sure to mention it to her during dinner later. Who knows? Perhaps my explanation will pique her interest enough to come see it herself.”

Then again, the real problem might be me saying this with Mary right beside me.

At least from the perspective of those who didn’t know Mary’s true identity.

The men around me looked at me with admiration, while the women shot me glances as if I’d lost my mind.

“That’s right~. Her Highness should take it easy for once~. We worked so hard to prepare for this performance~. Don’t you think so, Arad?”

It was then that a sultry voice spoke up, and a woman approached me with graceful confidence.

“……”

The room instantly fell silent.

Those who knew Mary’s true identity broke into cold sweats, while those who didn’t merely sighed, as if thinking, Here we go again.

She’s completely ignoring time and place now. I thought she’d at least behave today.

Clicking my tongue in mild annoyance, I turned to face the woman before me.

“Ah, Lady Sharon. Your performance was excellent.”

The woman who had approached me seductively was none other than Sharon.

She was a fairly famous stage actress from the Empire who, for reasons unknown, had traveled all the way to this frigid northern land through Entir.

She was also the lead actress in the musical Knight Rom and the Witch Julia, playing the role of Julia.

“But I’d suggest keeping your distance. Strange rumors might become a chain around your ankles.”

“Strange rumors? What kind of rumors, Arad?”

Sharon leaned in closer, as if trying to close the gap between us. A slight tilt forward, and she could have embraced me.

“You… seem to be a bit too casual about calling my name.”

Even though Sharon’s voluptuous figure came dangerously close to brushing against me, my focus remained solely on Arina, who was standing nearby.

“……”

Arina, still in her Mary persona, stayed silent, showing no visible reaction.

That silence was far more unnerving.

“I don’t mind strange rumors. And you shouldn’t either, Chairman. At worst, it just means you’ll gain one more mistress.”

“……”

Lady Sharon was undeniably a beauty, one who had earned her fame in the Empire for good reason.

But it wasn’t just her beauty. There was an ever-present seductive allure about her.

If Arina possessed the noble and divine elegance of a goddess, Sharon exuded the fatal charm of a poppy flower.

“Listen, Sharon.”

But my resolve was firm.

“Yes?”

I leaned close to Sharon’s ear and whispered softly.

“If you don’t want to die, stop now.”

I said it loud enough for Arina, standing nearby, to hear as well.

“Oh my~, do you mean Her Highness~? Or~ that woman over there?”

Even after my warning, Sharon didn’t so much as flinch.

“No. I mean me.”

“……?”

“And tell Entir this, too. If they cross the line again, I’ll take action.”

“……!”

Mentioning the force backing her seemed to finally get through. Sharon’s expression shifted, her confidence giving way to shock, jealousy, competitiveness, and a touch of defeat.

“Let’s go.”

Leaving Sharon behind, I grasped the hand of the woman beside me tightly.

Although she didn’t show it outwardly, I could feel Arina’s quiet satisfaction.

***

The heavy atmosphere of the waiting room dissolved as Arina and I exited the theater.

“Refreshing.”

Even in the depths of winter, the streets of the High Tower felt brisk and pleasant.

Every ten steps, lampposts embedded with heat-emitting magic stones cast a warm glow and gentle warmth over the streets.

Of course, the winters in High Tower were so harsh that even these magic stones couldn’t fully stave off the cold.

But that was just fine. The air carried the pleasant chill of autumn.

“Beautiful.”

Portraits of Arina in various styles adorned the city’s streets.

“Safe.”

Above the city, four enormous magical formations hovered like constellations, ready to intercept any external magical threats.

“Sturdy.”

The buildings were all five to ten stories tall, constructed of brick and limestone, with little to no wood in sight.

On the walls of some structures, magical circuits and rune engravings glowed faintly, a testament to this city’s status as the most advanced magical hub in the world.

“Impressive.”

The citizens of High Tower dressed elegantly, befitting the city’s sophisticated atmosphere. Their expressions and demeanor exuded an intangible pride unique to the Renslets.

“Peaceful.”

The current atmosphere of the High Tower resembled the festive cheer of Christmas back on Earth.

This was because the birthday of the Duchess of Renslet, Arina Rune Renslet, was just twenty days away.

The streets were filled with music, laughter, and an abundance of gift boxes.

It was a stark contrast to the Empire below, as this celebratory mood radiated outward from the High Tower to encompass the entire Duchy of Renslet.

“Indeed, it’s peaceful and warm.”

Arina, half-clinging to my arm, spoke beside me.

Even now, Arina, in her serene Mary persona, held onto my arm and walked with her eyes half-closed.

She seemed to be savoring a lingering emotion. It could have been the afterglow of the musical we had just seen—or perhaps she was reflecting on the incident in the actors’ waiting room earlier.

My personal guess was the latter.

“I’m glad her mood has improved. I made the right call handling it decisively.”

Ignoring the familiar glances of passersby, I looked at her, feeling the warmth of her presence.

“How was the musical? Did you enjoy it?”

To shift away from the slight awkwardness lingering from earlier, I broke the silence.

“It was fantastic. The synchronization of the dancing and singing was so seamless that it reminded me of our soldiers during drills.”

“It felt that way to me too. For the first performance, the level of polish was impressive—it seems like they practiced a lot.”

“The actors’ performances were particularly memorable. I thought Renslet actors were quite decent, but compared to those from the Empire, they still have a long way to go.”

“Time will fix that.”

Though we were discussing the musical, I deliberately avoided any mention of that actress.

“We should make it possible for more of our citizens to enjoy these magical musicals.”

“Agreed. That would encourage the creation of even more diverse and extraordinary magical musicals.”

“We’ll need to invest more.”

It seemed Arina was deeply impressed by the performance; she resolved on the spot to provide additional funding.

“Um, Chairman?”

“Hmm?”

“I don’t mind if you meet other women. But, if possible, could they be from Renslet?”

“???”

Out of nowhere, Arina brought up the incident from the waiting room.

I had thought the matter was behind us, but evidently, it wasn’t.

“……”

I stared at Arina, still playing the role of Mary, mimicking her voice and mannerisms perfectly.

For a moment, the odd thought crossed my mind that she’d do well on stage. But I quickly dismissed it—this wasn’t the time for such musings.

“Now that I think about it, neither the Frost Knights nor anyone else has interfered with Sharon’s behavior. Not even a warning to Entir, the one backing her.”

“Does that mean Isabelle—and even Arina—agreed to tolerate it? Was Entir merely following their unspoken consent? Could this explain Sharon’s boldness?”

“Arina.”

“Shh! We’re in public, Arad.”

When I addressed Mary as Arina, she momentarily dropped the pretense, adopting Arina’s voice and expression.

“I’ve activated the soundproofing.”

“I’ve heard soundproofing isn’t foolproof. Knights and mages can read lips…”

“That’s why we’re standing in a blind spot where no one can see our faces. Besides, the soundproofing artifact I made is enchanted with illusion magic as well.”

Ignoring her explanation, I continued.

“Tell me the truth, Arina. Have you been deliberately letting Sharon’s actions slide? Did you even encourage her?”

“…Yes.”

“Why? More importantly, Sharon is an Imperial.”

“That Imperial woman is just a means to an end.”

“A means?”

“Arad, you refuse to meet any woman besides me. I thought that if you crossed the line with her even once… it might make it easier for you to meet other women in the future. Among them, there could be Renslet women.”

“Why go to such lengths?”

“Because I can’t have children, Arad. At this rate, the Renslet line will end.”

“……”

“Even if the child isn’t of my blood, even if their legitimacy is weaker, a child of yours and a Renslet woman’s lineage could still become the next ruler of the Duchy. To the people of Renslet, Arad Jin Renslet is already that much of a hero.”

The recent events were the result of Arina’s insecurities, amplified by her inability to have children.

“Listen carefully, Arina.”

“Yes?”

“There is no chance—none—that I’ll ever be with anyone other than you.”

“But…!”

“And why are you giving up already? I’ll find a way to heal you, no matter what it takes.”

“And if you fail? For the record, I’ll never agree to that soulless child idea you once mentioned to the old woman.”

“Even if I fail, it won’t matter. There’s always the option of a republic.”

“……!”

“I’d rather turn the Duchy of Renslet into the Republic of Renslet than be with anyone other than you.”

“Ha… Your words…”

“Call them empty words if you want, but they make you feel better, don’t they?”

“…Yes.”

Her eyes, as she smiled at me, held relief, guilt, and gratitude.

“It’s getting late. Shouldn’t you be heading to the palace, Mary?”

Having reassured Arina, I deactivated the soundproofing artifact.

“Ahem, yes. The Imperial delegation is currently at the palace. There’s an audience planned during tonight’s banquet.”

As if nothing had happened, Arina seamlessly resumed her Mary persona.

“There are two delegations from the Empire?”

“Yes, one sent by the Emperor and another by the Noble Assembly.”

“Are they to be welcomed together?”

“Protocol dictates separate audiences, but they’ll share the same space during the banquet.”

“That should be entertaining.”

“Would you like to attend?”

“It sounds like more trouble than it’s worth, so I’ll pass.”

Mary and I shared a light embrace.

“Then, I’ll be on my way.”

“Alright.”

It was time for us to part ways, each to tend to our respective duties.

“See you later, Arad.”

Smack.

As she whispered softly in my ear, Arina placed a light kiss on my cheek.

Once again, I’d gone on a date with Arina today—though she wore Mary’s face. But a date, nonetheless.