Archduke Conference

**The Archduke Conference** (領主会議, *ryoushu kaigi*) is an annual political conference held each spring at the Royal Academy in the Sovereignty, attended by the archducal couple of each duchy and the royal family.

Most major decisions — including trade deals, engagements of prominent nobles, and duchy rankings — are settled during the conference, making it the most important political event of the year.

# Overview

The Archduke Conference takes place in late spring, after the conclusion of Spring Prayer. The archducal couple of each duchy and their highest-ranking retainers travel to the Royal Academy through teleportation magic circles and reside in their duchy's dormitory during their stay. Students are not present, since the Royal Academy school term only continues through the winter.

While the archducal couple is absent, the responsibility of supplying mana to the Foundation of the duchy is typically passed to any eligible archduke candidates or other members of the archducal family.

# Known Events

## Duchy Rankings

Each year, the duchies of Yurgenschmidt are ranked based on mana, political influence, economic power, new technology or trends produced, performance at the Royal Academy, and other factors. The new rankings are announced during the Archduke Conference.

## Engagements

During the conference, requests for engagement can be submitted to other duchies to be accepted or refused, and engagements of archduke candidates and royalty are publicly announced.

## Funerals and Succession

When an archduke or archduchess dies, a time-stopping magic tool is used to preserve the corpse until it can be formally announced at Archduke Conference. There are often sizeable gaps between the death itself and the date of its public announcement.

After the person's death has been reported, the next Aub is selected during the Archduke Conference and returned to their duchy. The funeral is held shortly thereafter, so that archdukes and nobles from neighboring duchies can be in attendance.

## Royal Debuts

Unlike other nobles in Yurgenschmidt, members of the royal family are not debuted to noble society at their baptism. Instead, they are debuted to the gathered archducal couples at the next Archduke Conference.

## Starbind Ceremony

During the Archduke Conference, the marriages of royalty and archduke candidates are held in a separate ceremony from the general summer Starbinding for nobles. The ceremony is officiated by the Sovereignty High Bishop.

## Trade Negotiations

Interduchy trade deals are expected to be conducted only during the Archduke Conference, where all duchies have equal opportunity to negotiate terms. The rule is in place to prevent high-status nobles from pressuring those of lower status into bad business deals.

While advertising products and expressing interest is acceptable, doing business outside of the Archduke Conference is considered poor form. As a result of this rule, summer is the peak season for interduchy trade.

# Results of Archduke Conferences

## Before Rozemyne's attendance of the academy

* Due to being in an unexpectedly long coma in a jureve, Sylvester and Florencia seek the King's permission to make arrangements for Rozemyne to attend the Royal Academy later than the usual age of ten. They brought doctor's notes from Ferdinand as proof. The King approves this, though thankfully Rozemyne wakes up in time to attend the Royal Academy regularly.

## After Rozemyne's first year

* Ehrenfest rises to the 10th rank.
* Ehrenfest allows merchants from the Sovereignty and Klassenberg to enter their duchy for trade and hands out verification paper to be used as permits for the merchants in question.
* After getting approval from the King, Sylvester announced the betrothal of Wilfried and Rozemyne.

## After Rozemyne's second year

* Ehrenfest is promoted to the 8th rank.
* The production method for rinsham and a few sweets recipes are sold to other duchies.
* The Sovereignty negotiated to send eight trade companies to trade in Ehrenfest.
* Due to trouble their merchants caused the previous year, Klassenberg's allotment of trade companies permitted to trade with Ehrenfest is reduced from 8 to 6.
* Dunkelfelger is given permission to trade in Ehrenfest and allowed to send 6 companies.
* Heisshitze delivers the promised prizes for Ferdinand's victory in their ditter match at the Interduchy Tournament, consisting of several rare and expensive alchemical ingredients.
* Ehrenfest receives a flood of marriage proposals for Charlotte and several proposals for Sylvester as second or third wife.
* Prince Hildebrand has his debut to noble society.
* Prince Anastasius and Lady Eglantine of Klassenberg have their Starbind Ceremony.
* Ferdinand officially refutes claims and worries of other duchies that he and Rozemyne are being mistreated in their home duchy and forced to serve in the temple against their wills.
* By King Trauerqual's decree, Ferdinand of Ehrenfest will marry Detlinde of Ahrensbach right after her coming-of-age. Aub Ehrenfest was not consulted on this decision.

# Trivia

* Because the Interduchy Tournament at the end of winter is the only other time of year that high-ranking nobles gather in one place, it is sometimes considered part of the Archduke Conference.

# References

1. ↑ Ascendance of a Bookworm. Part 4 Volume 3. Chapter 7: Returning to the Royal Academy
2. ↑ Ascendance of a Bookworm. Part 4 Volume 3. Chapter 14: Year One: Complete
3. ↑ Ascendance of a Bookworm. Part 4 Volume 3. Chapter 10: Meeting with the Prince
4. ↑ Ascendance of a Bookworm. Part 4 Volume 3. Chapter 2: Mother and Printing in Haldenzel
5. ↑ Ascendance of a Bookworm. Part 4 Volume 5. Chapter 18: The Second-Year Fellowship Gathering
6. ↑ Ascendance of a Bookworm. Part 4 Volume 2. Chapter 6: Tea Party with the Music Professors
7. ↑ Ascendance of a Bookworm. Part 4 Volume 2. Chapter 1: Meeting for the Tea Party
8. ↑ Ascendance of a Bookworm. Part 4 Volume 1. Chapter 12: History, Geography, and Music
9. ↑ Ascendance of a Bookworm. Part 4 Volume 8. Chapter 12: Report on the Archduke Conference (Second Year)
10. ↑ Ascendance of a Bookworm. Part 4 Volume 3. Chapter 12: Interduchy Tournament