The Tragedy of Elizabeth Midgard
Mary sends a look of expectation at Sylvia, attempting to get her to get to her point; it is a look that causes Sylvia to return a knowing, mischievous smile.
“Well… let's end this talk for now. There will be plenty of time to discuss the misdeeds of prior heroes. Would you like to learn your first bits of magic instead?” Sylvia said, smiling.
‘Oh, let me think about that for a moment. Should I continue to hear about the dark future that awaits me, or should I learn about magic? It is a difficult decision, to be sure. I am truly at a loss regarding which option to choose.' Mary thinks to herself sarcastically, directing a glare at the maid.
“Hehe.” The maid laughs. "Sorry, Princess. I couldn’t resist. It’s been some time since I could joke with Elizabeth.” she says with a deep melancholy.
‘Mother?’ Mary sends a questioning look at Sylvia, trying to ask her what she means about Mary's mother.
“Oh? You want to know about your mother before magic? What a kind-hearted child!” The maid teases Mary, clearly pleased with her focus.
Mary answers her with an annoyed glare, but curiosity gets the better of her, and so she nods. The state she had seen her new mother in had bothered her immensely; learning magic could wait slightly longer, and an explanation for why Elizabeth had looked like a living corpse was more important.
“Elizabeth Midgard. Before that cursed hero and his laws… well, she’d have been a famous princess knight, I’m sure.” Sylvia began, “As for how I know her? We were both part of the same B-ranked adventurer party; this was before she was enslaved, of course.”
‘Adventurer?’ Mary thought in momentary confusion, ‘Right, Sylvia has mentioned adventurers before. I can probably guess what they are, given the historical summoning of nerds.’
Sylvia smiles down at Mary, noting the look of interest on her face.
“According to my ancestor, you are probably aware of what the Adventurers Guild is; from her writing, it should be precisely what you think it is. The guild is a truly global organization that primarily focuses on monster suppression, but it also handles dungeon quests, bandit suppression quests, and resource-gathering quests." The maid enumerates the most stereotypical duties of a fantasy adventurer, a coincidence likely caused by an otherworlder.
“Essentially it is a type of mercenary guild, although many adventurers would be frustrated at the comparison. A client can put out basically anything for a quest or even hire famous adventure parties directly. We used to get commissions too, you know? Your mother and I.” she says, her tone nostalgic now.
“The only jobs that are forbidden to adventurers are wars between kingdoms. The adventurers' guild is vast, but there are local mercenary guilds that can and do intervene in local wars, often taking on contracts that the adventurers' guild cannot due to their restrictions on warfare.”
“But the main difference between the two is in their resources and reach; the adventurers' guild excels in both areas, having access to a wider network of skilled individuals and better funding compared to local mercenary guilds. She says, with a look of nostalgia plain on her face, even a fool would be able to see that a large part of Sylvia misses her time as an adventurer.
“Every town and city has a branch; for a village to not have a branch… well, it would have to be so tiny and remote that calling it a village would be a mistake.” She explains, “Historically the guild has been the first to notice when a demonic invasion monster surge is underway, so even the most stubborn nobles tend to support the guild if only for appearances' sake. The guild's appearance of being well-informed is attributed to a forgotten hero; they have access to advanced technology that enables long-distance communication."
Sylvia throws Mary a knowing look, clearly indicating that otherworlders have previously attempted to implement Earth's advanced technology, but Mary questions why this effort was limited to the adventurers' guild. Surely there have been otherworlders influential enough to implement advanced technology on a scale wider than a guild?
“Those long-distance communicators complicate things politically," the former adventurer concedes reluctantly. “According to the guild's charter, it is not supposed to participate in inter-kingdom politics, which includes wars, but news also tends to flow through the guild much faster than between kingdoms." She continues to explain, visibly frustrated.
“There have been many occasions when kingdoms have launched surprise wars against their neighbours, and the information flowed through the guild. Usually, the guild successfully suppresses the information so as to not give the defending kingdom an advantage, which of course causes its issues with the defender.”
“But occasionally the information suppression does not happen, and the neutrality of the guild comes under threat. There have even been a few times where A-ranked adventurers have tried to help their native kingdoms, and the guild had no choice but to punish them severely for it.”
Sylvia sighs, visibly preparing herself to continue talking. By this point, Mary has a suspicion that the guild had refused to protect her, or perhaps her mother had refused to be protected.
“Since the laws to enslave noble women were passed… the guild has quietly supported those noblewomen who try to run away from their fate, allowing them to join the guild. When noble families try to argue or intervene, the guild uses the justification that the guild and its members do not participate in local politics, and, by extension, local politics cannot impact the guild's members either.” Sylvia sighs again.
“This strategy often works out, and many noblewomen forsake their heritage; guild staff help them to move to different kingdoms as commoners who are not included in the enslavement laws.” It is here Sylvia hesitates, and Mary has a clear idea as to why. “But this wasn’t the case for Elizabeth. The royal Midgard line is not doing well, so much so that it is facing extinction.” She finally starts to explain, resentment blatant in her voice.
“Understand this, Mary… the King, your grandfather, spoilt Elizabeth.” Sylvia said in a nearly approving tone, but that approval quickly disappeared as she continued, “He was quietly part of the reformer faction, the political faction that wants the enslavement laws enforced by the Church to be revoked. Due to his reformer leanings, he allowed her so-called rebellion, allowing her to join the adventurers' guild and learn magic. Hoping that she could become powerful enough that the issue of law reform could be forced bloodlessly.” she finished with disdain.
Mary noted again that the past tense was being used; clearly, her grandfather had changed his mind.
“But most of the noble families, the so-called traditionalists, disagreed. The church, which strongly supports the traditionalist faction, also disagreed. "Sylvia's beautiful face twisted into a disgusted sneer as she spoke of the traditionalists and the church, her feelings for them clear.
“They were clear: the king would abandon his reformist leanings, or he would be deposed and a suitable husband for Elizabeth would be found by them.” she continued, the hate in her voice clear.
“The reformist faction, as a defensive measure, is very secretive; which families belong to it is unclear. Because of this, the few open reformers were too weak to militarily oppose the traditionalists or the Church, which could call in aid from outside the kingdom.”
“Worse still, Elizabeth was only a B-rank adventurer.”
"Oh, B-ranks are powerful, yes, but they are not strong enough to oppose the will of a kingdom, and certainly not strong enough to oppose the will of the Church." The final blow was the guild; as I have already mentioned, the guild does not get involved, so any attempt to seek help from her party would force the guild to act against her. By this point Sylvia’s face matches her voice, adopting a mask of hate.
“We all told her we would help, of course… or that we could run; we could start a new life elsewhere like other noblewomen do. But she told us that she wouldn’t abandon her father to his death, undeserving coward that he is.” Sylvia spat, her suffocating energy radiating from her in hateful waves.
Mary grimaces as she feels that energy close in around her; she can feel it trying to press down on her shoulders, she could feel it trying to force the breath from her lungs. Sylvia immediately notices Mary's discomfort and visibly pauses, taking a deep calming breath, her energy calming and retracting.
“Phew…” she breathes again. “Sorry about that, Princess. It’s been some time, but I have not had many people to talk to about this." she says, a look of shame clear across her face.
Mary looks at Sylvia, her ability to breathe now properly returned to her, before nodding in understanding. Trying to convey that she understands that this is not remotely a joyful matter to talk about.
Sylvia sends a light smile back before continuing, “The traditionalists and Church had demands, demands that would either be met or the King would be deposed. The first was that he would personally punish Elizabeth, finally engraving the human enchantments that should have been engraved years before.” Sylvia said, her voice shaking with now restrained hate.
“The second condition was the identity of your mother's soon-to-be husband; he would be chosen by the Church. A Midgardian noble of known and demonstrated piety, which naturally means the noble who bribed the Church the most. The man who won that exercise in church corruption was, of course, your father, the Duke Cidolfus. I’m sure you remember him from yesterday; he was present during your birth after all.” she explained.
“It goes without saying… Elizabeth had not expected her father to betray her like that. Not merely the enslavement; that was something that she had expected, but his following overcorrection has had her publicly humiliated and punished almost daily; the traditionalists at court delight at the formerly powerful and wilful Princess Knight being repeatedly humbled.” At this, Sylvia's eyes unfocused, the hate in her voice returning as she clearly remembered some of the things the king had subjected Mary's mother to.
“As for why Elizabeth looks so dead seeming. Part of that is because of what has been done to her at court; part of it is the betrayal too.” Sylvia explains, “But most of it is due to the nature of human enchantment. It is the most hateful form of enchantment in the world.”
Mary gives Sylvia a look of confusion. Surely that is self-explanatory. Enslavement magic is harmful; this is not a complex concept.
"Oh, it sounds obvious; of course someone being stripped of their free will hates it, right?” Sylvia acknowledges, “But that is not what I mean. For starters, there are many different types of human enchantment. You have even seen proof of them.” she points out.
“…?” Mary exclaims, causing Sylvia to smirk at her.
“The maids from yesterday. Most of them are commoners, but working in a noble estate or royal palace demands sacrifice. It is the lightest form of enslavement, existing essentially to secure loyalty. For instance, if someone with the right authority poses a question to those maids, they must respond truthfully. They are not allowed to knowingly betray their owners either.”
Mary frowns at that, noting that it basically mirrors the loyalty chips that Alexander was familiar with.
“But that is the end of it. There is no significant manipulation of thoughts or feelings involved. That is why so many accept the enchantment and work for nobles.” Sylvia continues, “And due to the simplicity of the enchantment, many mages can engrave the correct formula. Maintenance is also rather low; those maids, for instance, only need to be renewed once every few years.”
“Your mother is a different story. She is a powerful B-ranked mage due to the severity and conditions of the human enchantment she is subjected to. Her body, mind and magic actively resist the commands she is given. This is what is causing Elizabeth’s health to so visibly decline; the enchantment is compelling, powerful enough to control a B-ranked mage completely, and fighting it is actively killing her.”
“I’m sure you remember the conversation from yesterday. To keep the enchantment in place requires weekly attention from a B-ranked mage, and having such a powerful mage on retainer is expensive; that expense is being paid for by the Church, who ordered a much more severe enchantment than would usually be warranted.” Sylvia finishes her explanation, a mixture of hate and sadness in her voice.
She turns to look at Mary, a sad and knowing look in her eyes. “Enough of these terrible matters. Let's get to teaching you magic, shall we?”