After we returned to our room for a while, we heard a knock. It was one of the Earl’s attendants who came to us and said, 「The Earl said that he wants you to come to his room」. As expected, it seems that he hesitated to come uninvited to a three-girls room, which is also the Her Highness Princess’ room.
Perhaps it’s a briefing about our visit to the royal palace.
(Mitsuha) 「Excuse me」
After knocking, we entered the Earl’s room.
(Audyst) 「Ooh, sorry for the trouble. I’m thinking of having a briefing for our meeting the day after tomorrow……」The Earl said so to me after lowering his head to Sabine-chan.
Even though Sabine-chan is a royalty and still has a superior position than the Earl, she is no more than just an observer and a decoration for this diplomatic mission. The Earl is the one who has the authority for this mission, that is 『the king’s representative』. However, as he couldn’t treat Sabine-chan as a person from the lower position, he turned to talk to me.
My position? Hmm~ probably an adviser or external collaborator? I got a job from the king himself, though.
And the briefing start.
This mission doesn’t mean that we need to visit all of the neighboring kingdoms.
Priority is given to the kingdoms that are friendly or neutral and facing the sea. Then the next target will be the kingdoms that seems to be appropriate for this delegation to go, such as friendly inland kingdoms, and kingdoms with large national power. Among those, we will choose the ones that are not too far away.
As one would expect, we won’t visit all kingdoms on the continent. If we do that, by the time we returned home, Sabine-chan and Colette-chan will become adults and I will be still……wait, such thing is probably too much, indeed. Well, in conclusion, it will take quite a while. Besides, there’s no point in establishing treaties with distant kingdoms in the first place.In addition, our kingdom’s specialists will separately deal with kingdoms, where various problems are involved. As for the neighboring kingdoms, it will be quicker and more effective to show the actual items like the sailing ships and cannons, thus we invited the other kingdoms’ representatives to our own kingdom. Therefore, we will only negotiate to the kingdoms that doesn’t have those criteria.
……then, why are we in charge of this neighboring kingdom?
First, it’s not a lot of trouble because this place is on the same route with the original mission.
Second, they probably have known me quite a bit as they are a neighboring kingdom. Therefore, if I don’t visit this kingdom, they will probably think it as 『the patriotic princess shrine maiden-sama』 only passes through their kingdom. Hence, it will cause them to lose face.
And finally, the leader of this kingdom is still a young princess.
(TL Note: ….oh no, a potential harem member….)
(Audyst) 「This kingdom, Darison Kingdom’s king is bedriddened due to illness, and the one who acts on behalf of the King is the first princess, Remia-sama. However, as the first prince is still young, there’s a possibility that he will be manipulated by the ones who wants to control the kingdom as they like……」
(Mitsuha) 「Aahh, so that’s why……」
The queen has already died, and if the king cannot recovered as it is, the kingdom will be in chaos when something went wrong.
The disruption of a friendly kingdom is not what we hoped for in the current situation. There is a possibility that other kingdoms may take advantage of the confusion and it will become a problem for the kingdoms that is next to it as their people will be listless.
(Mitsuha) 「Well then, we could just strengthen the princess’ position, right?」
(Audyst) 「Umu, it’s good that talking with Viscount can be this quick」
The Earl made an unusual smile as he always had a grim face on him. This is a surprise!
And the adjutant, Klarge-sama, looked at me with admiration.
……you are flattering me~
And then we all have dinner together.
Even though I said together, of course the maids and escorts are different. We have a dinner in the reserved room with only the main members of the delegation alone.
Yup, the Earl and Klarge-sama, as well as the other attendants are fully motivated as there are only few chances to interact with Princess Sabine.
After all, Sabine-chan is adored, extremely adored, by the king! In addition, Sabine-chan is also cute, smart and reliable. She might become a great aristocrat of the kingdom, or perhaps a royalty of another kingdom and turns out becoming a crown princess there after she has reach adulthood. If they could close their distance now, there will be a great benefit in the future.
(Audyst) 「Viscount Yamano, isn’t doing separate actions difficult? As expected If we act together again……」
(Klarge) 「Mitsuha, will you be free for one day tomorrow?」
(Delegation A) 「Excuse me Viscount-dono, I have a good idea for selling special products in your territory, but……」
(Delegation B) 「The kind son of an Earl household, told me that it was time for him to search for a partner. If that happens, I could become a mediator for him……」
(Delegation C) 「After this, how about we have a round of shogi?」
Yeah, playing shogi will allow him to monopolize me for a long time.
……Wait! That’s not it!
It’s me!? Their target is not Sabine-chan, but me instead!?
After that, we had a pleasant chat for a while.
Well, even if I take another action, I don’t need to go out of my way to have a discord with the delegations as we have the same mission right now. Even I could handle things like an adult too, you know.
No pledges, no promises, no affirmations, just a forced smile.
Yup, basic skills as a Japanese are indeed useful!
The next day, we took a breakfast along with the maids and escorts.
It seems that the Earl and the others had a frown face on them as they could not oppose Sabine-chan when she said that she wanted to interact with the lower-class (commoner) people.
Even though it wasn’t a lie, yet, there was still another real reason behind it.
Yes, it was to avoid giving a confirmation for today or being invited to something after breakfast.
After the meal, the three of us quickly returned to our room and immediately left for a walk in the royal capital with continuous transfer. Even if they came to the room to call us, our room will already be completely empty.
We won’t make the inn employees to worry about us either as I have already said to them on the first day, 「Because we are a beautiful girls trio, there’s a chance that we will be followed. Thus, we won’t only use the inn’s front door, but also from the backdoor, windows, floors, ceilings, and such. So you don’t have to worry even if our room is suddenly empty or we go back home unnoticed.」
The front clerk young man had a bitter smile but he agreed because we had paid the money beforehand so it won’t be a concern if we escape.
……However, there will be no objection coming from them if we are caught and being mistaken for a thief.
(Audyst) 「We are leaving!」
The Earl has a bitter face as he could not find us all day yesterday and Klarge-sama also is currently in a bad mood.
Yesterday, we had dinner outside, went back to our room with transfer and went to bed just as it was, without any mistake!
We load the gifts brought from the kingdom to the carriages. Sabine-chan and Colette-chan are empty-handed while I have a gun case on my shoulder.
……heavy.
This thing is a long item used for demonstration, in other words, a rifle. For that reason, I intentionally chose the old-type one as it would be bad if I choose to bring the latest type here.
Of course, we still bring our self-defense gun on our left thigh holster. Since we will meet the royalties and the high-ranked aristocrats, a plain weapon such as knife is rejected.
In order to wear a hidden holster on the thigh, the garment needs to be a skirt.
Sabine-chan, of course, is wearing a fluttering dress that was loaded on the carriage while Colette-chan and I are wearing dresses which was made in Japan.
Well, buying a dress for nobles here is too expensive. I can get the cheaper ones that are suitable for nobles if it’s made in Japan.
……though, when I tried the clothes made in Japan for the first time, both Sabine-chan and Colette-chan were petrified when they looked at my panties.
No, indeed, compared to this world’s standard underwear, that is bloomers, the defense power seems weak, yup.
Anyway, negotiations, gifts and everything else is the main party’s job. I only have to demonstrate the gun and answer some questions as a technical advisor, Sabine-chan will only smile as a decoration person, and Colette-chan will concentrate on being unobtrusive and becoming air.
Alright, move out!
(Remia) 「We welcome you for coming this far」
Her Royal Highness Princess Remia is a pretty girl, aged around 15-16 years old, with a sharp look and cool eyes.
……yup, she looks much older than me. It’s because she’s a Caucasian, right?
Even though she’s a beauty, she still has a noble look that combines her solemness, cuteness and loveliness on her. Hmm~ geez, how should I say it in a word….
……a Princess?
I already know she’s a princess, though~~!!!
In the meantime, the Earl along with Sabine-chan lined up and kneeled before Princess Remia, who was seating on the platform.
Even if Sabine-chan is also a princess, the other party is the first princess and the second-in-line for the throne inheritance. Furthermore, she is currently the King’s substitute.
On the other hand, Sabine-chan is the third princess, and the fifth-in-line for the inheritance. Moreover, 『The reigning period as a princess』…… in other words, age….. is far below than her. In addition, because she’s in the side that visits and wants to have a conversation with them, it was only natural for Sabine-chan to be satisfied with a lower rank.
A few distance behind the two of them are Klarge-sama and me, and the ones who are behind our back, are the four attendants. The others are waiting in another room.
Of course, some of the escorts are stationed at the carriages as it will be unbearable if someone rummaged through the unmanned carriages and examined the diplomatic documents and captured weapons.
……No, of course, we are not fools to leave such stuffs.
But well…, there’s also a communicator there, though.
Audience is merely a ritual. Greetings and speeches in front of many vassals, accepting the gifts that had been brought, etc.
There’s no way we will hold the discussion like this.
After the ritual, the place finally changed to the meeting room.
It’s time for the real issue from now on.
