Ch.205Royal Family (1) – Timeline Added

“It’s been a while, Lord Ethan.”

“P-Princess…! There’s no need to use formal speech with me!”

While various social classes gathered from all around were setting the Senate ablaze with heated debates, Ethan, the eldest legitimate son of Duke Akitan, and Liliane, the eldest legitimate daughter of Claude, were engaged in conversation.

This wasn’t their first meeting. A year ago, when Duke Akitan came to Dijon to participate in the aftermath of the rebellion, they had met once before.

This current meeting occurred because Duke Akitan, who had gained a seat in the nobility assembly as a special participant, brought his son to Dijon.

“Hmm… Is that so…? Alright, Ethan.”

“No… that’s not what I meant!”

“Pardon…? Oh, I see.”

Ethan frantically tries to stop Liliane, who had accepted his request far too literally, while Liliane, slightly puzzled by Ethan’s rejection despite doing as he asked, simply nods in understanding.

Liliane finds it difficult to comprehend why Ethan isn’t satisfied even though she granted his request for informal speech, but she doesn’t show her confusion outwardly.

Having lived her entire life in Dijon Palace as the daughter of a tyrant, Liliane has grown reluctant to reveal her emotions to outsiders except her family.

Of course, her “entire life” is only 11 years, but even 11 years is enough time to form a person’s habits. Especially when those 11 years constitute one’s entire existence.

“Then how should I address you?”

“A moderately formal tone would be appreciated.”

“Hmm… Is this suitable?”

“Y-Yes! That’s perfect.”

Liliane, who has always used formal speech even with her subordinates, feels slightly awkward, but she carefully conceals this awkwardness, not letting it show on her face.

Having been taught by her mother to always be cautious about revealing emotions to outsiders lest they be exploited, and having experienced such situations firsthand, Liliane has developed a habit of hiding her feelings.

Her position as the eldest legitimate daughter of the king, with its lofty status within the kingdom, attracted numerous ambitious individuals, which significantly influenced the formation of her personality.

“…”

“…”

A strange silence falls between them.

After their initial greetings, the conversation doesn’t continue.

Ethan, captivated by the appearance of Liliane who is his age, is too shy to speak, while Liliane sees no need to initiate conversation with Ethan.

Even their guards seem uncomfortable with the prolonged silence, glancing at each other nervously.

“So… how did you find the tea I gave you before?”

“The tea you gave me a year ago? Hmm… I’m sorry, it’s been a year, so I don’t quite remember…”

“Ah, haha… A year is long enough to forget the taste…”

Ethan, uncomfortable with the silence, finally manages to force out some words to attempt conversation, but his effort is rendered futile by Liliane’s natural shield.

If Liliane had made such a statement with malicious intent, Ethan, educated as the son of a ducal family, would have noticed. But since Liliane genuinely forgot the taste of the tea, Ethan feels only embarrassment.

The tea Ethan gifted might be a luxury in Duke Akitan’s domain, but in Dijon Palace, it was merely a decent high-quality item. As such, its taste didn’t leave a lasting impression on Liliane. Moreover, her position as the king’s legitimate daughter meant she was exposed to all sorts of delicacies whether she wanted to be or not, making the taste of a merely good tea forgettable.

“In that case… I’ve brought a new gift. Please try it and give me your assessment.”

“What is this?”

“It’s premium wine and salt-cured, aged salmon roe, specialties from our Akitan region. I’m sure you’ll find it to your liking, so please… enjoy it!”

“Alright.”

Not giving up, Ethan, despite biting his tongue slightly from nervousness, manages to present his gift. Liliane accepts it readily, even though her 11 years of experience have taught her that when outsiders offer gifts, they invariably want something in return.

After all, she can simply listen to requests from anyone outside her family and then disregard them.

“Um… what about the wine…?”

“I’m sorry, but my father has forbidden me from drinking alcohol until I turn 17. I’ll pass this on to my mother and father.”

“I-I see…”

Ethan is surprised when Liliane accepts only the salmon roe and hands the wine to her attendant. When she explains why, Ethan’s confusion grows, but he simply nods in agreement.

Wine, despite being alcoholic, has a low alcohol content and is so common in daily life that it’s essentially no different from a beverage. By Ethan’s standards, not being allowed to drink wine until age 17 is incomprehensible—it’s unprecedented and irrational.

But since this rule was implemented by the king, known for his unconventional behavior, Ethan had no choice but to accept it.

“Mmm… This is delicious. It’s been properly aged after being salt-cured. I especially like the harmony between the popping texture, umami, and saltiness.”

“Is that so? I’m truly glad…!”

“Yes, but eating just salmon roe alone is a bit plain. May I have some accompaniments?”

“You don’t need my permission for that.”

“Then I’ll help myself.”

Ethan feels a sense of accomplishment seeing Liliane enjoy his gift, but his elation quickly plummets.

The foods brought by Liliane’s attendant to accompany the salmon roe are far too exquisite.

Crescent-shaped bread with dozens of layers, cheese that melts as creamy as butter, cream soup made with finely ground beef jerky and truffles, abnormally large goose liver, fruit jam made with sugar extracted from sugar beets—all delicacies unavailable in Duke Akitan’s domain.

“T-This is…”

“Would you like to try some? Come to think of it, this sturgeon caviar is similar to the salmon roe you gave me. Please consider it my reciprocation.”

Especially the sturgeon caviar from the far east mercilessly tramples Ethan’s pride.

Shining like black pearls, this sturgeon roe makes salmon roe seem like a common, mundane food in comparison.

Even the Holy Empire’s emperor in his prime would have hesitated to eat such a delicacy, yet here it was, served not as a formal dinner but as a casual snack when one felt a bit hungry.

“It’s… delicious…”

With no position to refuse Liliane’s goodwill, Ethan sits down dejectedly and shares her snack. Meanwhile, Liliane wonders why Ethan suddenly seems so downcast.

She doesn’t even consider that the snacks might be the reason. These foods have been common throughout her life, and she can’t imagine that the eldest son of a powerful ducal family would be intimidated by such ordinary items.

……….

“Are you alright? Do you have an upset stomach perhaps?”

“N-No. I’m just full…”

“I see.”

Though it’s clearly a lie, Liliane simply acknowledges Ethan’s excuse and moves on.

If the lie were harmful to her or her family, she wouldn’t pretend not to notice and would prepare countermeasures. But since it’s obviously unrelated to her family, she sees no need to concern herself with it.

“That was a… good meal—”

“Lili— Where are youuu?”

Just as Ethan has scraped together his shattered pride and is about to continue his conversation with Liliane, whom he has feelings for, he encounters another terrible obstacle after the exquisite meal.

“Ah, Claudia!”

“There you are!!”

It’s Claudia, the king’s illegitimate daughter and Liliane’s half-sister.

Liliane waves happily at Claudia, with whom she has shared joys and sorrows since childhood. Watching this, Ethan feels his painstakingly gathered pride crumble completely.

The same Liliane who had responded to his conversation with a businesslike expression and tone, no matter what approach he took, was now smiling with an expression typical of girls her age, as if she had never been otherwise.

“Oh, um… Was I interrupting something?”

“No? This is just the eldest son of Duke Akitan, staying with me until the Senate session ends. I’m waiting for Father, and he’s waiting for Duke Akitan.”

“Oh, I see. That’s a relief.”

Claudia, seeing Liliane with an unfamiliar boy, momentarily feels her heart sink, thinking she might have interrupted official business. But she’s soon relieved by Liliane’s explanation.

Taking a seat at the table as if it were the most natural thing, Claudia begins conversing with Liliane without even acknowledging Ethan.

“Are you busy later? Do you have any lessons or anything?”

“I don’t think I have any more schedules today… is that right?”

“That’s correct, Princess Liliane.”

“That’s great! The chef said he’s developed something delicious and would like us to taste-test it. Want to come along?”

“Really? That sounds good.”

Ethan, who had been Liliane’s guest, can’t say a word.

He can only helplessly watch as the princess and the king’s daughter, both his age, converse joyfully with each other.

———Below is a chronology——–

1060: Claude is born and is expelled from the palace with his mother.

1066: Chloe, two years younger than Claude, is adopted.

1073: Claude’s mother passes away due to illness.

Claude, at age 13, is registered into the ducal family, and 11-year-old Chloe begins working as an apprentice maid in the palace.

1081: A fairy disease spreads in Dijon Palace, killing most of the ducal family.

Most of the ducal family, except Claude, is wiped out in an accident at the funeral.

Claude becomes duke according to the duke’s will, but his two uncles and the Carolingian Kingdom oppose this, leading to the Burgundy Succession War.

Victorious in the Burgundy Succession War, Claude receives the Bar region connecting the coastal area and Dijon as spoils of war, then holds his delayed coronation ceremony to become the legitimate Duke of Burgundy.

Nobles who opposed Claude’s reforms and demanded a noble assembly die or disappear.

Under the leadership of Luca, a talented individual from the Republic of Vines, a currency reform is implemented, discarding existing coins of inconsistent purity and unifying the common currency with that of the Holy Empire.

Administrative reform overturns the previous feudal administration, which had been haphazard.

1082: Factory-based handicrafts are encouraged, increasing Burgundy’s products.

Cultivation of sugar beets imported from the south is attempted.

By Claude’s order, saltpeter fields are created, but the people and ministers consider this an eccentric hobby.

Ines, daughter of the Lorel ducal family, simultaneously holds her coming-of-age and wedding ceremonies.

Claude takes Chloe as his concubine.

Nobles of Bar rebel and are suppressed by punitive forces.

Villagers who rise up against council extortion, with Jeanne as their figurehead, burn churches but are suppressed.

The Holy See declares a crusade to suppress heresy prevalent in the northern Holy Empire, but the Empire opposes this, leading to war between the Empire and the crusaders.

1083: The city of Sedan, which had maintained neutrality in the religious conflict and was a border city between Burgundy and the Empire, suddenly shifts towards heresy, causing Burgundy to intervene in the crusade.

Burgundy supports the Holy Empire with funds and soldiers in exchange for territory and relics of the old Lotharing Kingdom.

The extinct Lotharing Kingdom is revived after 300 years as the New Lotharing Kingdom.

Radicals from the Carolingian Kingdom attack the Lotharing Kingdom based on treaties concluded with the old Lotharing Kingdom but are defeated.

The New Lotharing Kingdom makes an agreement with the Carolingian Kingdom, paying money in exchange for the elimination of radicals, the cancellation of treaties with the old Lotharing Kingdom, and recognition of the Lotharing Kingdom.

Taking advantage of the crusade’s aftermath, the Lotharing Kingdom reclaims fiefs belonging to church territories and establishes a metropolitan archdiocese to appease the angered Holy See.

Claude recruits talented individuals like Ellen to train professors for the university.

The palace staff is reformed by the head butler Leclerc, replacing most of the court figures Ines had appointed.

The cultivation of sugar beets and the production of sugar from them succeed.

Dijon prospers due to merchants from neighboring countries and the concentration of domestic products, leading to the installation of water and sewage systems and the construction of new urban areas.

Queen Ines gives birth to Princess Liliane, and concubine Chloe gives birth to the illegitimate daughter Claudia.

Claude establishes the succession law of Lotharing.

1084: The maid Jeanne becomes the king’s new concubine.

Dijon University opens, converted from the old ducal palace.

Jeanne, who enters the university’s theology department, causes controversy by claiming the Burgundy name.

A national bank is established in Dijon, and when the religious sector expresses dissatisfaction, it is appeased by mediating between the Holy Empire and the crusade forces and by turning churches into elementary schools.

A peace treaty is concluded between the Holy Empire and the crusade forces, with neither side gaining the upper hand.

The Pope falls ill from the shock of the peace treaty, which was against his will.

The Lotharing Kingdom gains concessions from both sides for its mediation: from the Holy See, tacit approval of anti-doctrinal policies; from the Holy Empire, a 20-year tariff exemption privilege.

The inconclusive crusade brings political chaos to participating countries.

A military academy is established.

Gunpowder is created, which, though a failure, functions normally in the explosion process.

When Ellen, a professor of common birth, is disrespected at the university, Claude grants her a surname to prevent this.

When nobles enrolled at the university fight among themselves causing controversy, Louis of the Vermand ducal family, under Claude’s orders, establishes a social circle to mediate disputes between nobles.

Nobles, realizing their children have caused trouble at the university, rush to Dijon to beg the king for forgiveness.

Chloe apologizes for not restraining herself and pouncing on Claude.

1085: Queen Ines gives birth to Prince Lothair, and Chloe gives birth to the illegitimate daughter Claire.

After various trials and errors, the university properly establishes itself, and the social circle functions effectively, instilling manners in provincial noble students.

The Neustria Duke, Anjou Duke, and Provence Duke of the Carolingian Kingdom, supported by the Lotharing Kingdom, each claim the Carolingian throne, starting a civil war.

Ines and Chloe approach nobles like the Duke of Akitan who remain neutral in the Carolingian civil war.

The Carolingian royal family demands cooperation from neutral nobles but is refused on the grounds of repeated wars that only resulted in losses.

1086: Due to numerous defeats in wars and rebellions, the Carolingian king develops a mental illness, leading to the diminished influence of the Carolingian royal family in the civil war.

Claude, visiting to inspect the university’s operation, is intimidated after being misunderstood by Ellen.

Claude, after visiting the gunpowder laboratory, is scolded by Chloe, leading him to revise the security system and stop impromptu facility visits.

Claude, visiting the gunpowder weapons laboratory, is satisfied with the progress of cannons and orders the development of larger trebuchets.

Coke is created by Claude’s order.

A small amount of steel is smelted using the crucible method.

When a Lotharing merchant group conducting business in the civil war-torn Carolingian Kingdom is attacked by the nearby Baron Barde who covets their wealth, they counterattack and seize Baron Barde’s territory.

Claude designates Baron Barde’s territory as the logistics center of the Carolingian Kingdom while punishing the merchant group for their impulsive action by requiring them to load and unload in Baron Barde’s territory for three years.

1087: The princesses disappear for 10 minutes before being found within the palace, causing trouble for the guards.

The Duke of Akitan from the Carolingian Kingdom leads a faction to nominate Claude, the king of Lotharing, as the Carolingian king.

Claude, the king of Lotharing, responds by participating in the Carolingian throne competition, using his patrilineal Carolingian royal blood as justification.

Baron Barde’s territory, designated as a logistics center, serves as a military base, facilitating the supply of the Lotharing army.

The Carolingian king dies mysteriously, and the Carolingian crown prince ascends to the throne.

Lutesia, the capital of the Carolingian Kingdom, is quickly captured by the Lotharing army’s cannons and fire bombs, and the Carolingian royal family is wiped out.

The Duke of Anjou proposes a conditional surrender to the Lotharing Kingdom, requesting only the preservation of his position.

The Duke of Provence attacks the Lotharing Kingdom with his army but achieves little.

The Dukes of Provence, Anjou, and Neustria are assassinated, and Claude announces that he is not related to the latter two.

Unlike Anjou, who listened to the advice of his friend the Duke of Akitan, Neustria, angered by Lotharing’s claim of killing his father, resists Lotharing until the very end.

The Duchy of Neustria is devastated, and existing indigenous political forces are eliminated.

Claude, the king of Lotharing, ascends to the Carolingian throne and incorporates the former Duchy of Neustria into the Lotharing Kingdom.

The Lorel ducal family demands compensation for supporting the Lotharing Kingdom, and Claude partially accepts this, providing compensation to the Lorel Kingdom.

Queen Ines gives birth to Princess Louise, and Chloe gives birth to the illegitimate son Jean-Claude.

1088: The Faith Inquisition, created under the leadership of Jeanne and Armand, disciplines the corruption of church territories.

Chloe receives a one-time wish from Claude as a reward for her dedication.

Nobles of Carolingian who cannot adapt to Lotharing’s administration rebel but are dealt with according to relevant laws, with some receiving the maximum penalty at the king’s suggestion.

Church territories within Carolingian lose political power due to blackmail over high priests’ sex scandals and cannot resist church reform.

Jeanne gives birth to the illegitimate son Michel.

1089: Albion Kingdom, an island country to the north, demands continued trade permission within Carolingian Kingdom territory and the return of the Duchy of Neustria.

Realizing that Albion and Lotharing have made contact, the Holy Empire approaches Albion to improve relations and, at Albion’s request, forms a defense treaty against Lotharing.

Lorenzo, an advisor to the Holy Empire, realizes Albion’s scheme and advises the Lotharing Kingdom.

When Claude melts down symbolic relics of the Duke of Neustria and incorporates them as decorations on the Lotharing crown, Lorenzo and the emperor are greatly alarmed and try to appease Albion.

Many nobles join the Greater Lotharing Defense Treaty, which no longer fears dissolution.

The existing Pope, who could not properly handle political affairs for five years, dies due to health issues, and a new Pope, Andrea, ascends.

1090: Claude’s manifesto instills militarism and patriotism in the people.

Claude and Ellen reunite after four years and clear up misunderstandings that had accumulated.

Claude, expressing concern about the people’s indiscriminate political participation, diverts their attention with entertainment businesses like horse racing.

A large-scale conscription system is introduced, and medical students from Dijon University serve as military doctors under the pretext of field training.

The military diet is improved by Claude’s order.

Claude takes Ellen as his concubine.

Louis, the heir of the Duke of Vermand who had feelings for Ellen, is angered that Ellen has become the king’s concubine.

Jeanne gives birth to the illegitimate daughter Maria.

1091: Basic hand cannons are invented, and by Claude’s order, a magic process is added, simplifying and lightening their structure.

The Holy Empire’s attempt to replicate the gunpowder weapons that played a crucial role in the Carolingian throne competition fails, but they realize that moisture is a weakness.

Gunpowder is used not only for weapons but also for blasting ground and construction work, making Lotharing’s construction and mining operations easier.

Shrapnel bombs are developed, maximizing lethality by inserting fragments into bombs.

Due to the significantly relaxed criteria for capital punishment, the indiscriminately increased prisoners of Lotharing are mobilized for specialized labor.

Treadmills are developed and used in prisoner labor.

Louis of Vermand, after reading a report about Ellen, denies reality.

Due to the population concentration in cities resulting from factory-based handicrafts and centralization, many royal direct territories become vacant, and serfs who fled from their vassals’ territories settle there.

In response to vassals’ protests, Claude conducts a large-scale household survey and distributes identification cards to the people.

1092: A lord, dissatisfied with the population census and identification card distribution, tries to kill the administrators conducting the household survey, but this is detected in advance and thwarted, and the lord is suppressed by troops sent from Dijon.

A supervisor, broadly interpreting Claude’s order, deals with all individuals even slightly related to the lord.

Nobles of Lotharing, angered by the infringement of their rights, gather troops on a large scale for an armed demonstration.

Claude, considering this armed demonstration a rebellion, mobilizes punitive forces to launch a preemptive strike against the nobles, turning the demonstrating nobles into rebels.

Louis, dissatisfied with Duke Vermand’s non-participation in the noble rebellion, assassinates his father and becomes duke.

At the Bonne Plain south of Dijon, the rebels are annihilated without proper resistance by the Lotharing army’s advanced military system and new weapons under the command of General Simon.

Louis, who raided Dijon Castle, infiltrates the Lotharing palace, but the security system and secret escape routes of Dijon Palace successfully suppress the invasion without significant damage.

Claude, having repeatedly experienced noble rebellions, demands extremely restricted seigneurial rights from the nobles, including the prohibition of private armies.

The nobles, threatened by Simon, accept Claude’s demands and, due to the Duke of Akitan’s scheme, are confined in Dijon.

To give the nobles some breathing room, Claude plans the establishment of the Senate.

1093: The remaining orthodox Canaanites, in their final resistance, refuse all cooperation in the administrative field.

Claude transfers the right of investiture in the Lotharing Kingdom territory from the Pope to himself.

Claude is excommunicated by the new Pope, Andrea.

Claude, no longer needing to be cautious after being excommunicated, punishes the priests who engaged in sabotage.

Claude kidnaps the Pope and confines him in the Dijon Archdiocese, setting up a temporary Holy See there.

The temporary Holy See designates the existing Holy See as a den of devil worshippers, issues a collective excommunication, and cancels the excommunication imposed on Claude.

1094: The Senate, composed of nobles, clergy, and commoners, is convened.