It was the perfect weather for a day out and Benedikt felt relieved that he had listened to Hagen's advice and was allowed to take Yumiko out for a tour to their future home.
She held onto him as he was leading the way towards the estate.
It was a twenty minute walk slightly uphill. The white building could be seen throughout the way and it shone brightly on top of the small island. It resembled the main estate, but had less imposing details on the outside. Benedikt focused on making Kleingoldlinden a comfortable and especially accessible home for Yumiko.
There was no point in having lavish decorations and ornaments. He instead had the path from the port to the estate laid out with smooth white stones so that it was easier to follow along.
The building itself focused on a one floor structure to avoid unnecessary stairs.
Similar to the main estate it had a garden within the building and Benedikt was happy that he had arranged for that.
"May I ask what your favourite flowers are?" Benedikt looked at her and a smile appeared on her lips.
"I really enjoy the scent of cherry blossoms and chrysanthemum flowers."
Benedikt set his mind on planting those along the path and in the garden. He'd shower her with all her favourite things.
He would ask Hagen later if it was possible to have those imported from Yashima as soon as possible.
"Do you have a favourite flower, Archduke?"
Benedikt thought about it for a brief moment. "I don't think I have ever thought about that."
She chuckled. "I would have actually been surprised if you had an answer to that." She was teasing him.
He laughed as well. "It might sound embarrassing, but I haven't enjoyed the natural beauties on land as much as those of the sea. Maybe I just don't have a keen eye for those things."
For a second he bit himself on his lips. That wasn't a tactful thing to say in front of her.
"Do not worry Archduke. I feel the same way." She smirked at him and he was surprised that she just made another joke.
"I believe that you would still be able to identify these things better than me."
"I'll try my best."
Their lighthearted banter continued as they made their way towards the house.
There weren't any employees in the estate yet that would greet them at their arrival.
They were standing in front of the large wooden door.
"We have arrived at the main entrance of the Kleingoldlinden estate." Benedikt opened the door and revealed the bright hallway. He had copied a lot of structural elements from a traditional house in Yashima.
"Oh my." Takane-san, Yumiko's maid, gasped in awe.
Benedikt glanced over to Hagen, who was also baffled by the inside of the building. Except for the worker's and himself the interior had remained a secret.
It was a difficult project as the architects and experts weren't familiar with the yashimian style, however they overcame the difficulties and were able to create this wonderful home.
Benedikt wanted to respect Yumiko's culture and incorporated elements from her country into the alleman custom. He didn't want to strip her away from her identity and force her to leave everything behind. It was about combining two cultures instead of overpowering one.
"It feels surprisingly familiar," Yumiko turned her head and seemed to take in the interior in her own way.
"That was my intention," Benedikt smiled proudly. That was exactly was he wanted.
"Ojou-sama, it just looks like a house in Yashima." Takane-san's amazement was a satisfying reaction and Benedikt smiled even brighter.
"I hope you will feel comfortable here." Benedikt entered and began showing them around.
Besides the beautiful garden was another room that he was particularly excited about to present to Yumiko.
She had followed along with a lovely smile and an excited expression. Within each room she would take her time to feel her way around, asking questions and Benedikt guessed that it was her method of measuring the room and memorising it.
The last room was Yumiko's tea room. It faced the garden and had its own access to it.
"This is your tea room. You can do whatever you want with it. Naturally, any changes and adjustments on any part of the house is also possible. However, for a lady in Allemania, the tea room is specifically your own kingdom."
Benedikt had kept this room as simple as possible. It had the necessary furniture to welcome her guests and to comfortably enjoy a leisure time.
"How wonderful it is." Takane-san walked around as well.
Yumiko ran her hands gently along the furniture, walls and the windows.
"It is lovely, thank you very much Archduke," she turned towards him, almost perfectly facing him and gave him the brightest smile he had seen so far.
His heart fluttered for a moment and he smiled as well. Pride and happiness welling up inside.
"I'm glad that you like it."
"How couldn't I? Everything about this building is so thoughtful and charming." Yumiko walked towards him and he met her along the way, gently taking her stretched out hands.
"It will surely be even more lovely with you as the lady of the house."
Her excitement was almost palpable and it filled the room. Benedikt had never experienced such a strong energy from a person ever before, nonetheless from someone so delicate as her.
And in that moment he knew that he wanted to continue to make her this happy and excited as this feeling was so fulfilling.
Hagen was sitting behind his desk and worked through the pile of documents that Archduke Benedikt had begun working on. He wanted to finish most of it before going to bed.
The day was quite busy so far and the impressions from Kleingoldlinden were still lingering in his mind. He didn't know how much detailed work the Archduke had put into it beforehand.
He thought it was just his way of escaping his duties on the main island, but surely he was wrong.
The youngest Archduke had created a space that was spot on for his future wife to live in.
Hagen knew that Benedikt was a very considerate and attentive person, but the small estate on Kleingoldlinden was his greatest commitment and proof of this personality trait so far.
He felt proud about that, as if it was his own achievement.
As far as Hagen could tell the Princess was also very touched by his thoughtfulness.
Seeing them together for the first time was helpful as well and he knew that the both of them were lovely and capable of achieving their own happiness.
It felt like a huge burden was lifted from his shoulders. The worry of Benedikt being in an unhappy marriage was a constant companion since the announcement of this arrangement.
Hagen sighed in relief and tried to focus on the paperwork in front of him.
The corners of his eyes spotted a small note that he wrote after they had returned back from Kleingoldlinden and the Archduke asked from him.
Research if cherry blossoms and chrysanthemum flowers from Yashima can be imported as soon as possible.
Hagen was mildly surprised about the Archduke's request.
Archduke Benedikt von Hohengoldlinden enjoyed a popular and desired position within the female population of the western high society. Despite that popularity he had never tried to benefit from that. As far as he knew the Archduke stayed away from any unnecessary relationships and affairs. His only female contact besides his family and the other employees was Baroness Isabella von Halstein. To whom he had a platonic friendship.
All the more impressive what effort the Archduke now put into his arranged marriage.
He had mostly seemed uninterested, almost aloof about that, however Kleingoldlinden was proof of the exact opposite. If he had indulged himself in any relation besides his marriage beforehand, the women in question would have enjoyed his attentive nature.
At the same time Hagen felt relieved about his abstinence. It would have been a great pain to deal with the aftermath and the possible drama that those hypothetical women could have caused.
Underneath his desk lamp another note written from the Archduke caught his attention. It was stuck to a report made from the Ministry of Foreign Relations of Allemania.
Preparations necessary. Descalation has priority.
The report had several other notes stuck inside and Hagen could tell that the Archduke Richard and Leopold had worked on it as well. It sounded very much like a serious matter, especially coming from the Ministry itself.
Political developments and issues were regularly reported to the Hohengoldlinden family from the Emperor and his Ministries. It was established that the Emperor would sometimes seek advice from the Archduke Richard, so it wasn't a surprise to find that within the documents.
The head of the family had begun early to involve his sons in those matters in order to prepare them as soon as possible.
Hagen wanted to address that with Archduke Benedikt when the initial nervousness and tension of the arrival from the Kirishimas had subsided, so he put the report on top of the pile and continued to work on the other, more easier things.
The days quietly went by as the Kirishimas got used to the new continent.
The preparations for the wedding also continued without any issues and it seemed like everyone was getting more and more confident about this marriage's success.
The shared meals and the time leisurely spent together felt less stiff and had an almost familiar feeling.
Benedikt worked responsibly on his duty in administering and taking care of the duchy.
During his free time he would try to arrange for meetings with Yumiko, sometimes with only the two of them and sometimes with her family members.
As they met more often Benedikt felt that they got closer to each other and it was enjoyable.
Like most afternoons recently he would spend it with Yumiko in one of the less formal lounge rooms. On this day her brother Koshaku Kirishima Ichinobe was also there and they played chess together.
Benedikt glanced over to Yumiko who was sitting by the sunny window, calm and breathing softly.
At first he thought that she was sleeping, but after witnessing it several times now, he knew that she was just relaxing and paying close attention to what was happening around her.
Koshaku Ichinobe was a formidable chess player and Benedikt had struggled a lot more than he was used to. Both his father and brother were also very good chess players, but he still managed to keep up with their ability.
Yumiko's older brother on the other hand was merciless and precise. They have played several times against each other already and Ichinobe led with eight victories out of twelve games.
"You are not giving up already, are you Archduke?" His opponent teased him and looked at the board as Benedikt was still thinking about the right strategy.
"Worry not, I will be victorious this time, Koshaku Ichinobe," Benedikt smiled and tried to predict the next possible moves.
Over the course of the last few days the other Kirishima family members seemed to have opened up to Benedikt as well. Especially after he showed them Kleingoldlinden his future In-Laws met him with a deepened openness and respect.
At first Ichinobe was quite distant and cold towards him, however after Benedikt's friendly and genuine attempts to get to know him, he eventually gained his trust as well.
"Is that so?" Koshaku Ichinobe replied after Benedikt finally did his move.
Benedikt glanced over to Yumiko again and saw a faint smile on her lips. Naturally, Benedikt didn't want to lose in front of her, but after several losses he knew that he might not be able to shine in front of his fianceè all the time in a way he wanted to.
That gnawed on his pride, however he was willing to put up with it when it meant that he could get along with his soon-to-be brother-in-law.
"You shouldn't underestimate the Archduke so hastily, dear brother," Yumiko looked over and smiled at them.
"I wouldn't dare to, if the current situation wouldn't present itself as it is." Her brother observed the chess board to plan his move.
The tone and the atmosphere always changed immediately as soon as Yumiko spoke up. Benedikt found it fascinating that she was able to control the room so naturally. Despite her small frame and delicate figure, she was capable of easing up the mood, making it more lighthearted and less tense.
He had noticed that before as well, how her voice and the specific way of her speaking captivated all attendees. Her aura wasn't intimidating or authoritarian, nevertheless there was something about her that was powerful in a different way. Benedikt liked that about her, it was obvious that she was capable of achieving greater things, regardless of the difficulties that she will have to face and he was ready to accompany her to the very end.
"Your Royal Highness Benedikt," Hagen approached them from the door, holding an envelope in his hands. "You have received a letter."
"Please excuse me for a moment," Benedikt smiled at Koshaku Kirishima Ichinobe and stood up to get the letter.
Royal Highness Benedikt von Hohengoldlinden, or rather dear Koshaku Kirishima Yumiko, I'm approaching you wanting to request if you are willing to welcome me for a cup of tea at the Hohengoldlinden estate. I would like to welcome you to Allemania as well! - Isabella von Halstein
Benedikt chuckled and looked over to Yumiko. Isabella's letter would be regarded as highly brazen, almost disrespectful. No one would force an invitation for a visit in that way. One is usually invited to for an afternoon tea, rather than inviting oneself to someone else's place.
However since the letter was from Isabella the Archduke could easily overlook that social mishap. Yet, she also addressed Yumiko, so he had to explain that to the Kirishimas. For a brief moment he worried about the overall consequence of having some third party over at such an early stage, though Isabella might be just the right fit to expose Yumiko to the part of their social circles that Benedikt as a man has no access to.
Benedikt walked over to Yumiko. "This letter is also for you."
She showed a surprised expression. "Oh my, is it? What is it about?"
"Shall I read it to you?" Benedikt placed the letter in her hands and her fingers ran along the paper. "Yes please." She looked up to him and smiled.
Benedikt read the content out loud and let the words from his friend sink in before continuing.
"I should inform you that Baroness Isabella von Halstein is a close friend of our family. My brother and I grew up with her, so we are quite familiar with each other. Please do not understand her forward request as rude or tactless. It's just how she is."
"Well that is indeed very forward." Yumiko chuckled. "I would like to meet her, please send an official invitation to her. Baroness Isabella seems like an interesting person."
"Very well, I shall arrange for all necessary things," Benedikt returned her smile and she handed him the letter. The Archduke then glanced over to Hagen and he only nodded subtly. Another thing was added to the list of things to do.
"Shall we continue our game, Koshaku Kirishima Ichinobe?" Benedikt walked over to the table and sat down.
The sun has already set and the dinner with the Kirishimas finished, when Benedikt leaned over his desk and looked at the documents.
He had previously finished the invitation for Isabella after discussing the details over the dinner service. Everyone else seemed content with the small scale tea party and it certainly was a good beginning to introduce someone more open and familiar to their guests.
The tea party wouldn't pose any problems, for that Benedikt was assured. Yumiko also wanted to be involved in the planning so both Linda and his mother were looking forward to showing her the customs here in Allemania.
The document that was more of concern was the report from the Ministry of Foreign Relations.
He had read it several times already including all the notes and remarks that both his brother and father have left inside.
It was a well known fact that the eastern countries from Allemania were in a strained balance of power with each other. Within this power struggle was Ostarrichi, an important political and economical alliance partner of Allemania. In the past several years their Emperor Karl Joseph von Herbstburg had annexed a neighbouring country as well as decided upon the sovereignty of another. The intentions were to weaken and block the country Serbilja from getting too powerful.
Certainly these actions were generally frowned upon as it harmed the already fragile system that the countries here on the western continent had established over decades of wars and bloodshed.
Still, most countries didn't react openly towards these provocations, it instead led to a general, yet unofficial armament. In case of the worst possible outcome, no one wanted to be unprepared.
Allemania had also started to build up their military strength and naturally, the Hohengoldlinden duchy was heavily involved in it.
Though it was clear and communicated to the alleman Emperor, that their duchy didn't favour any measures favouring any war, they had no choice but to act upon his orders.
His father, the current head of their duchy, had begun maintaining all their available ships as well as looking into any new possible investments for their naval strength.
That was one of the topics beside the wedding that he and Koshaku Kirishima Saigo were privately discussing since their arrival here.
So far, the overall situation on the western continent seemed stabilised, although the crisis with Ostarrichi and Serbilja resembled a gunpowder keg that could explode anytime. The smallest spark would lead to devastating consequences.
Benedikt hated that sensitive power play between the royal leaders. Pride, ambition and arrogance have never led to anything other than destruction and resentment.
He was just lucky that he hadn't been part of any major conflict or battle before. For the most part of his life Allemania managed to maintain a rather peaceful period. Both his father and Leopold had witnessed the cruelties of human decisions already.
It was a foolish wish for the peace to last, but Benedikt didn't want Yumiko to be involved in the political mess that other people around them caused.
So for that he felt the need to take proper preparations, but he pushed it back due to the upcoming wedding that was naturally of higher priority.
It'd be his goal after the ceremony and building a strong foundation in his marriage that he wanted to take the necessary precautions.
Though, thinking about it would cause his worries to only deepen as his desire to protect Yumiko and the responsibility as a husband continued to grow stronger with each day.
Until now, he only felt such responsibility towards his family and the subjects of Hohengoldlinden.
For Yumiko it felt even more personal. It was his sole duty to care for her and there was no one else who could or should do that.
Although they weren't officially married yet, he understood what a marriage would change in a man. Just a few weeks ago he couldn't have cared less about the more personal and intimate meaning of marrying someone else, however after getting to know Yumiko and her family, Benedikt finally understood. Like a switch that was pressed.
He wanted to have her live a life of comfort and happiness. Benedikt chuckled, that was the first time in his life to have such thoughts. Most things felt like a duty that he had to bear for the sole reason that he was born as the son of an Archduke. His wishes for Yumiko felt like his own duty that he gladly took upon and wanted to fulfil to his best abilities.
It was a thought that filled him with warmth and ambition.
"He is really skillful, he had no trouble navigating around the sudden turbulence," Ichinobe walked around in the room, his tone was relaxed and genuine. "I could have imagined that he would prefer having the servants do the hard work."
"You knew beforehand that all male members of the Hohengoldlinden family are trained on the sea," Yumiko sat on a sofa, carefully embroidering a cotton handkerchief. Archduchess Linda had told her that making an embroidered handkerchief for their husbands was an acitivity that a lady in Allemania would do. Her future sister-in-law was really lovely, caring and kind. She would happily spend time with her and subtly mention all the things that Yumiko had to learn for her new position.
She wanted to add some maritime motifs as well as traditional symbols from Yashima to the handkerchief. Yumiko even wanted to put both of their initials as well, which felt slightly embarrassing.
"Yes, I knew. Seeing it with my own eyes was still surprising. He could easily match the skills of our best sailors." Ichinobe just returned from a short trip around the island with Archduke Benedikt in the morning and was now telling her everything about it. His praise somehow filled her with pride.
"That would be a given, considering that this is their expertise," Yumiko repeatedly ran her fingers along her stitches to check the correctness of the embroidery.
"Truly magnificent, your future husband that is," Ichinobe stopped walking around and Yumiko looked up to where she heard his voice come from. That was the first time her critical brother, who had observed Archduke Benedikt with unforgiving eyes of suspicion, acknowledged him as her husband. "I can see him taking care of you properly in a way that I see as worthy."
He spoke with a soft tone, still serious and genuine.
Yumiko smiled at him. "Thank you, Oni-sama."
She heard him laugh. "You can't hesitate to contact me when something goes wrong. No matter how far the distance, I will always be with you."
It was unusual for him to speak so sentimental, Ichinobe usually had a rather cold front, dismissing any emotional outburst.
"You will always be my older brother," Yumiko put down the handkerchief. "That will never change between us."
She heard him approaching her and grabbing her hand. "You will always be a Kirishima."
He squeezed her hand three times and she felt overwhelmed with happiness and love.