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One of the four major nations on the continent, the Livitium Imperial Kingdom, is located in the northern region.

Along the coast facing the North-Dragon Ice Sea, the empire boasts numerous fishing and trading ports. These ports bustle with activity in the summer but become encased in ice during the severe winters, transforming the landscape into a bitterly cold zone. To the west, the imposing White Dragon Mountain Range acts as a formidable barrier, impeding trade with the fertile granary regions of the western countries.

To the south lies the Tenebrae Nemus, a sacrosanct territory teeming with monsters. In the east, the relatively low-lying terrain is home to the Labyrinth Forest, reputed to be inhabited by fairies and supernatural beings. To put it bluntly, the Livitium Imperial Kingdom is a land hemmed in by magical dens on all sides.

Despite these geographical challenges, it remains one of the superpowers in the northern region. The Imperial Kingdom primarily consists of the central state of Cilento, which accounts for about 40% of the total territory—mostly enclaves owned by nobles. The remaining areas are governed by various smaller states in a sort of federal structure.

This type of governmental structure is not uncommon on the continent.

In the case of smaller states centered around city-states with populations ranging from 10,000 to 300,000, this system is logical. However, for a major nation with a population exceeding 5 million, a stagnant centralized political system struggles to manage the entire country effectively. Given the current domination of the continent by the Cardinal Rose Superempire, external military efforts are deemed wasteful, leading to ongoing reductions in military strength. As a result, governance through military might has become impractical, necessitating a degree of regional political, administrative, and financial autonomy, and a loose consultative system for peaceful governance.

This setup is common among the four major nations on the continent—

Namely, the Graviol Empire, which governs most of the eastern region, is celebrated as the oldest and most powerful nation on the continent. The United Kingdom of Déra-Amítia, located in the west, is renowned as a center of agriculture and industry. The Cres Freedom United Nation, the largest nation in terms of landmass, situated in the south and predominantly inhabited by demi-human races. Lastly, the Livitium Imperial Kingdom in the north, known for its maritime activities and livestock farming.

These four countries alone occupy nearly half of the territory of the sixty nations on the continent (excluding the inviolable area of the Tenebrae Nemus in the central part of the continent) and account for about ninety percent of the continent’s economy. Despite, or perhaps because of, their power, they actively pursue a peaceful federal system.

However, each of the four major countries exhibits distinct characteristics. For instance, the Graviol Empire, with its deep history, maintains a stable and well-defined social system from the central government to the farthest reaches. In contrast, the Cres Freedom United Nation, where the majority of the population consists of nomadic demi-humans like beastmen, dwarves, and centaurs, operates with a much looser structure, and even its internal borders are somewhat ambiguous.

Among these, the Livitium Imperial Kingdom stands out for its internal strife—though calling it outright antagonistic might be an exaggeration. It is often described as a motley collection of unruly groups, an aggregation of diverse elements that struggle to unify.

Historically, the northern regions have always had a strong independent spirit. This often translated into a collection of small, comparably weak nations. Adding to the chaos were pirates, bandits, horse thieves, and various other lawless groups constantly clashing, leading to a tumultuous existence where nations could rise and fall overnight. Up until twenty to thirty years ago, this area was merely a collection of small, nominally recognized countries, truly an ‘outlying region’ and a backwater of civilization.

However, each country’s leadership eventually realized that, if they continued in this manner, they would soon be unable to withstand the pressure from the powerful United Kingdom of Déra-Amítia to the west and the Graviol Empire to the east. This would inevitably lead to one of these powerful nations absorbing them. Thus, driven by a sense of crisis, the leaders of these northern countries, after bloody conflicts and calculated negotiations—often referred to as “reconciling”—managed to form a federal state.

The process was far from smooth. When it came to selecting a leading nation to take the helm, each country fiercely competed to secure favorable conditions and position itself advantageously, leading to significant disputes. This situation, epitomizing “too many cooks spoil the broth,” nearly descended into a disastrous war fueled by foul language and threats.

It was at this critical juncture that the Cardinal Rose Supreme Empire Council intervened, issuing a stern warning—more like a threat:

“If you continue this disgraceful bickering, you will see that your countries will lose their heads. Physically.”

Reluctantly, the northern nations accepted this admonition and appointed the Cilento Central State, known for its established history and traditions in the north, as the leading nation. This arrangement, combined with measures to bolster national power by integrating compliant countries through favorable conditions, managed to establish a semblance of order.

In reality, had the declaration of the establishment of the Livitium Imperial Kingdom been delayed any further, the Cardinal Rose Superempire would have likely given up on them entirely.

Moreover, if the powerful western nation, the United Kingdom of Déra-Amítia, had not quickly thrown its support behind the Cilento Central State through royal marriages and other alliances, or if the Graviol Empire, their most vigilant neighboring country, had not been embroiled in its own turmoil (specifically the Emperor’s succession issue following the Dragon King’s attack), or if the Theocracy of Eunice and the Nation of Aulanthia (which later submitted to the Cilento Central State and became a frontier territory) had not ceased their covert operations, the outcome could have been drastically different.

Had there been a single misstep, there is no doubt they would have been swallowed up by neighboring countries during this period of upheaval.

“…Perhaps that would have been for the best,” it is rumored that a certain noble of the Superempire confided to their close aides at the time. However, the veracity of this statement remains uncertain, and the mere existence of such a rumor could be considered a fatal flaw.

Because of this origin, the Livitium Imperial Kingdom is often regarded by the other three major nations as an “immature nation, unable to stand without the support of the Superempire.” Internally, many of the former independent states continue to vie for the position of the representative nation that was given to the Cilento Central State. This leads to ongoing schemes and intrigues as they strive for dominance, resulting in a state fraught with internal and external troubles and a challenging road ahead.

♦♢♦♢

“Ugh, by now, my sister must have arrived at Eunice. Not being able to see her for over a month feels like torture. I wish I could find an excuse to go to Eunice for a vacation myself.”

In a study large enough to resemble a small library, Euphemia was searching through documents about the Arlea region of the Eunice Theocracy, where her beloved sister Jill was currently staying. However, merely looking at papers only heightened her frustration. She stood up from her chair, began biting her nails, and started pacing around the room.

“If what’s written here is correct, it’s a tourist spot famous for its hot springs, and even shrine maidens from the Saintess Church visit for training. Yes, if I use Sister Syltianna’s treatment as an excuse to go along, Father might agree. Besides, staying cooped up in the mansion without attending the academy isn’t good either…”

Just as she muttered this to herself, an unexpected response with a hint of a chuckle reached her ears.

“You mustn’t use your sister as an excuse.”
“—! F-Father?! Why are you here?!”

Euphemia spun around, startled, to find a kindly-looking middle-aged man standing there. Though not particularly imposing, he had the demeanor of a third-generation proprietor of a respectable old shop. This man was none other than Corrad Simon Aulanthia, the Frontier Count with the largest territory in the Livitium Imperial Kingdom, who in another era could have been a king in his own right.

Corrad deflected his youngest daughter’s surprised gaze with a troubled expression.

“I heard you were holed up in the study even during tea time. I came to check on you, but I happened to overhear your rather dangerous plot and couldn’t help but intervene.”

“Uh… um… I didn’t mean to make use of sister Syltianna’s condition—” As Euphemia stammered out her excuse, Corrad gave her a wry smile and nodded several times, signaling that he understood.

“You’re right that it’s not good for Syltianna to be cooped up in the mansion all the time. I’ve always been concerned and want to help, but it’s ultimately up to her. She’s suffered such deep wounds, both physically and emotionally, that I can’t force her.”

With this gentle admonishment, Euphemia had no words to respond.

“…I apologize. It was thoughtless of me. I will be more careful with my words and actions from now on.”

Corrad looked back at his youngest daughter with a kindly grandfatherly smile.

“It’s alright, as long as you understand. Besides, Syltianna’s health has been much better lately. While she still avoids crowded places, as you mentioned earlier, the academy is quite empty now due to the field studies. She’s considering making a visit.”
“Sister Syltianna is going out? On her own will?”
“Yes. In fact, we might have you to thank for that, Euphemia.”

Author’s Note:

Incidentally, the last King of Aulanthia was Corrad’s father. In terms of land area, Aulanthia is about the same as Eunice. The population is about one-third of Eunice.This is what’s average though. It’s not that Aulanthia has too few people; it’s Eunice, being a religious country, that has too many people.

Because of this background, the Frontier Count of Aulanthia is still treated as king outside of official occasions, and his children are referred to as “Prince” and “Princess.”

Jill was also called “Princess Syltianna.”