Eldest SS1

Side Story 1.

A clear blue sky.

Beneath the stark, Gothic towers so characteristic of the North, a throng of people gathered in swarming crowds.

It was because today was an exceptionally special day.

“And now, for the final act of the succession ceremony.”

Baron Ricken, head of the North’s oldest family and eternally loyal to the House of Alton, took the floor.

“Duke Theodore Alton will now present the banner to the new lord of the North.”

Obeying the baron’s lead, Theodore rose from the place of honor at the highest dais.

A waiting knight respectfully offered a flag staff.

Theodore accepted it in silence and approached Belladi, who knelt on one knee before him.

“Rise.”

At his word, Belladi rose with brisk precision.

Her hair was pulled tightly up, her uniform immaculate, the cape draping over one shoulder fitting her figure perfectly.

‘It’s certainly more comfortable than a dress.’

From now on, I’ll have to wear trousers more often.

If I take the lead, other women might feel freer to try it themselves.

While Belladi was lost in thought, Theodore drew near and handed her the flag.

Belladi gripped it firmly in both hands, raising one corner of her mouth in a quiet whisper.

“Your rehabilitation must have gone smoothly.”

Just as he’d promised Belladi, Theodore’s hands had healed enough for him to manage daily living with ease.

“I couldn’t possibly ruin my daughter’s succession,” Theodore replied, a faint smile tugging at his lips as he glanced at one of Belladi’s hands.

Reading her father’s intent, Belladi naturally shifted the staff to one hand.

Seeing this, Theodore seized Belladi’s free hand and lifted it high for all to see.

“Behold, the birth of the new Duke of Alton!”

Theodore’s magically amplified voice rang out and swept far beneath the castle.

At once, the crowd erupted, throwing both hands in the air and cheering in wild exultation.

“Waaaaah—!”

“Long live Duke Belladi Alton!”

“Glory without end to the North!”

Their shouts soon united, and the multitude roared the name of their northern protector.

“Alton! Alton! Alton!”

Not only the soldiers restraining the crowd, but even the northern retainers watching the ceremony at close quarters were swept up in the excitement.

The clash of armor, the unending cheers, thousands of eyes looking up in admiration.

From the highest seat, Belladi watched it all with a broad, satisfied smile.

‘Yes, this is exactly the scene I longed for.’

At that very moment, the northern summer breeze swept through, and the flag in her hand fluttered, revealing the crest of House Alton.

A black hawk—Alton’s symbol—against Belladi Alton’s raven hair.

It was as if someone had painted a masterpiece.

“Capture that! Now!”

“Ha! Even the wind itself celebrates with her!”

In the area Belladi had reserved, waiting journalists snapped photo after photo in a frenzy.

Everything cast a perfect spotlight on Belladi.

‘Tomorrow’s papers will be something to see.’

A profound sense of fulfillment and delight swelled within her.

---

The North’s grandest event, the succession ceremony, had ended without incident.

Officially, I was no longer my father’s daughter, but the Duke of Alton myself.

‘I like it.’

The Empire’s first female duke… My name would be recorded in history forever.

A congratulatory banquet followed at once.

The House of Alton spared no expense, lavishly providing food and wine for all the northern domains, including the ducal demesne.

The quantity was enough to satisfy even the vast North, the expense unimaginable—yet in truth, I didn’t feel the least burdened.

‘All thanks to the wealth I’d amassed in rubies and railroads.’

And I’m the type to spend freely when the time calls for it.

As a result, the praise heaped upon the new duke only soared higher.

“As expected, the Alton generosity is unmatched.”

“If we are to keep up with the new duke’s magnanimity, we elders must make greater efforts.”

Sensing the mood, the retainers crowded around, laughing and joking.

Taking a sip of wine, I replied soullessly,

“Think nothing of it. Alton is merely repaying all who live for the North.”

“Ha ha ha, truly spoken, Lady Belladi!”

“Merciful when it’s right, strict when required—surely you will rule the North with greatness.”

They chuckled as they trapped me in a prison of flattery.

“Truly, you are the lord whom this old Sracho has chosen!”

At the head of them, naturally, was Viscount Sracho—born for flattery.

I drank my wine, struggling not to grimace.

Suddenly, my father’s words echoed in my memory.

– Endure, Belladi.

Earlier, my father had spent the beginning of the banquet with me, but had since retired to his rooms to rest.

Though his daily life was untroubled, he still needed plenty of recuperation.

Besides, given that I had served as acting head for so long, no retainer was a stranger to me.

So it was that I half ignored my father’s warning.

‘Their praise and flattery are even worse than when I was acting duke.’

What were mere words to them always returned to me tenfold.

Even for someone long used to adulation, this ordeal was something else.

Still, how could I object on such a joyous day? I bore it silently, until somewhere, a voice of deliverance called out:

“Hey, Belladi!”

“Congratulations, Belladi!—Wait, that’s Duke Alton to you now, isn’t it?”

From across the hall, Mostyn and Sion approached with grins on their faces.

At once, I smiled and turned to them.

“You made it!”

Bidding the retainers goodbye, I hurried over to my friends.

Taken aback by my eager welcome, both seemed genuinely touched.

“Did you miss us that much?”

“Belladi—”

Throwing my arms around both their shoulders, I led them toward a quieter corner.

“Come on. Let’s get as far from those talkative old men as possible.”

Both Mostyn and Sion hold great power in the West and South, respectively.

The retainers must have wanted to cultivate these two as well, their eyes glittering like wolves.

I felt a duty to shield my friends from their advances.

Muttering by way of ventriloquy, I watched as Mostyn, ever quick on the uptake, caught my meaning and snorted.

“Of course. Just as I’m starting to feel touched, you’ve got some scheme going.”

“Is that it? Well, Belladi, truth be told, I really did miss you.”

Now having reached a less crowded spot, I gave Sion—whose words warmed me—a pat on the shoulder.

“Of course I missed you both too. Thank you for coming, despite how busy you must be.”

This was the pure truth, without an ounce of selfishness.

“Especially you, Sion—I didn’t expect you could make it.”

With the heir’s condition, the House of Agla and the South itself had fallen into chaos.

Though Sion had managed to sort things out, I knew not a single moment could have been spared.

Perhaps reading my gaze, Sion smiled shyly.

“As Agla’s heir, it’s only right that I pay respects to the new Duke of Alton.”

“Didn’t we already exchange those congratulations at the capital’s inauguration ceremony?”

“But you can never offer too many congratulations!”

“You know how it is, Belladi.”

Mostyn cut in suddenly.

“When have you ever known Sion to skip an occasion like this?”

“True enough.”

“Thanks to you, I got to visit the North again. And I have to say, your steam train is incredibly convenient.”

“You took that here?”

We have a teleportation array installed—why bother with the train? I wondered.

Mostyn lazily shook her head at my question.

“No, but I did see the staggering quantities of food and wine your family is sending.”

“Yes! I heard you’re distributing it throughout the North?”

“It’s quite something. In this age of mass production, nothing beats efficient transportation. The point really hit home.”

Her words brought a smile of satisfaction to my lips.

‘If even Mostyn is this impressed, I needn’t ask what others think.’

Even when I throw a feast, I don’t sweep the yard for nothing.

Sweep the yard, pick up the coins.

“So, shall we proceed with an additional railway contract, no changes to the terms?”

At my words, Mostyn blinked, then shrugged with a sigh.

“Really, I can’t keep up with you.”

Our railway negotiations with the West had been on hold.

Mostyn’s father, Duke Fredo, had refused to accept a higher fee for use of the rails than he’d originally paid.

‘Admittedly, I did raise the rates compared to the first contract.’

At the time, I’d offered them a staggering discount.

But that had come to an end.

‘Surely my friends’ discounts have run their course, haven’t they?’

Duke Fredo did not seem to agree.

Unless I returned the fee to its former rate, he’d said he’d have to reconsider further railway expansion, dragging things out.

Worse, he’d tasked Mostyn with coaxing me into lowering the fee further…

‘But as silver-tongued as Mostyn is, there’s no way she’s getting a concession out of me.’

The tide was already on my side.

Mostyn, perhaps just now realizing this, managed a rueful smile.

“Ugh, you managed to convince me without even a word. My father will be stubborn as ever—how am I supposed to break it to him?”

“Who says you have to break it to him yourself?”

“Huh?”

To Mostyn, who was rubbing her temples, I whispered,

“You can use your other resources. If I recall, your newspaper is quite a sizable operation.”

Just as I invested in transportation for the North’s future, Mostyn looked to hers in the West.

Her focus was on the press.

‘Thanks to me, the movement of people and goods has accelerated immensely.’

Seeing how vital information had become, Mostyn now ran a major newspaper influencing the entire Empire.

My mention seemed to spark something in her; she beamed.

“That’s right! Sion!”

“Hm?”

Sion, quietly sipping her drink and observing, blinked in surprise.

“Hasn’t the South been signing railway contracts at a breakneck pace lately?”

“Yes, that’s true. We can’t just keep managing things forever.”

“You’re planning to report on that, right?”

“I’d like to, but all the southern newspapers have closed…”

“Leave it to me. I’ll give you top coverage.”

“To you?”

Mostyn nodded, pressing her hands to her head.

“Good heavens! Could I be a genius? I even have the perfect headline ready.”

Muttering to herself, she suddenly declared aloud,

“Railway King Belladi Alton Advances Into the South—What Fate Awaits the West?!”

At that, the nobles scattered throughout the hall, eavesdropping on us, began to take notice.

“Oho!”

“Railway King?”

“It does have a nice ring to it.”

As I listened to the title that had become popular even in the modern world, I realized—

‘Looks like ‘Railway King’ will be my nickname for a while.’

…Or maybe, for a lifetime.

It occurred to me, not for the first time, that if that girl Mostyn had been born in the modern era, she’d be the one going viral with nothing but a thumbnail and a headline.