[R18] King's Domination

"I am sorry. The alliance talk is enough. I would like to go back to the reward."

"Hahaha. Fine. As long as it is not learning magic, I will meet you as far as I can."

"Ehh. Then I would like to learn the bow. If I may name a hope, the woman who was ridiculously good with a bow on House Kirchhoff’s side in the clash with Count von Kirchhoff. Could I be taught by her?"

"Nn? That one? I will have it arranged."

The Prime Minister took it on, and from the side an aide said,

"Prime Minister, I am sure we do not know where that one is either. I heard she is the daughter of a chieftain of a small tribe in the western mountains. So her whereabouts may be impossible to grasp. I heard that at the time of the clash with House Kirchhoff she just happened to be in the royal capital."

More uneasy news.

"Nnn? Then search! Ask Kirchhoff! Who pours cold water the moment I have agreed!"

He was angry. Yes. Read the room! A tender child will take it to heart!

With the face he had used to scold the aide still on, the Prime Minister turned to me.

"Sorry. I made you hear extra talk. We will find that woman without fail, so wait. It may take time, but I guarantee we will bring her."

"Thank you. I will look forward to it and wait."

He nodded, generous.

"Yes. Do that. And only searching out a bow teacher does not feel like nearly enough. So. Ambassador Marie has not held a reception for taking the post, yes? Let us help with that. I will give two hundred gold coins. Hold it wherever you like. The Vélez ducal residence is fine, House Schult is fine. A great house you want to be on good terms with is fine. I will say this now. My place is no good. The mansion is too small to hold a reception. If you want to borrow a corner of the palace, I will put in a word."

An aide whispered in his ear. The Prime Minister nodded.

"I hear the daughter of House Schult is near the time for her debutante ball. There is also the option of presenting you in line with that. You should consult them once. No loss in drawing close to that house while you are at it."

"Understood. But will House Vélez not resent it?"

"Ahahaha! No need to worry about that. However much the Duke throws a tantrum, that wife will pin him down. If the Duke moves at all, it will only drop a reputation he already lowered still further. I think it is better here to show you have a wide measure."

"Thank you. I am due to meet the Duchess and Marchioness Schult soon, so I will consult them where both are present."

"That should be fine. When it is decided, tell me the result. Changing the subject, an odd rumor has come from the Marie Kingdom. Have you heard anything?"

The Prime Minister dropped his tone a little.

"About what?"

Honestly, nothing had come from home. The remittance seemed to arrive properly, but I had not heard that any particular message was attached.

"It is a rumor, but there is talk that the Queen told the Prime Minister she wants to go to the Mainz Kingdom. I cannot believe it, but have you heard anything?"

Why would Her Majesty want to come here? Even I had that hard a time. Why?

"You say ’anything,’ but this is the first I have heard of it. Her Majesty, that is the Queen of the Marie Kingdom, what business would she have for coming to the Mainz Kingdom?"

"I would like to ask that myself. A queen visiting another country, neighbor or not, is a national affair. They cannot have fiscal room, and they would spend money there? I cannot believe it."

"Does it cost that much?"

Of course it does! With a look a little fed up, the Prime Minister said,

"It does. Say the attendants are one hundred. If one person costs one gold coin a day, ten days to come, twenty days in the Mainz Kingdom, ten days to return, forty days is four thousand gold. While she stays in the royal capital there will be one or two balls. If a ball is two hundred gold once, two times is four hundred gold. And she cannot come empty-handed. Souvenirs for His Majesty the King, Her Majesty the Queen, each of the royals, and the rest, five hundred gold, no, it will not fall under a thousand gold. The Queen’s own stay, I cannot even guess if it will be ten gold a day or twenty. There is more. If the Queen goes somewhere in the royal capital, that costs money too. Six thousand gold is gone in no time. Things like this always bring extra outlay. Then it is seven thousand gold. Who pays that? Will Ambassador Marie cover even half? What if you held another clash? After seeing the last one, more people will bet on Ambassador Marie next time, so you will not make a killing. Hahaha. What will you do?"

He was laughing. For me it was not a laughing matter.

"You ask what I will do..."

There is nothing I can do. While I thought that, he gave me the best solution.

"As prime minister of a country, I sympathize with the Prime Minister of the Marie Kingdom. A wise prime minister would calculate the sum this plan needs and persuade the Queen. If she still will not give up coming to the Mainz Kingdom after seeing that, she is a queen who would tip the country. Well, Ambassador Marie? From where you stand, can the Queen of the Marie Kingdom be called a wise queen who would give it up? No. Just floating this plan already makes it hard to call her a wise queen."

"...I believe that is so. I think she only said it lightly and does not mean to make it real."

It was probably the same feeling as going to a cake shop in the commoner quarter. I wanted to believe that! But even that time a special team had been formed to handle it. Someone’s hair had become a barren waste. Had that grown back?

Seeing me think, the Prime Minister said,

"Coming in secret is possible, possible, but our country would no longer be able to guarantee safety on the road. In return the gold needed would be far less, but a queen of a country coming in secret would be too shameful, would it not? I will say this. You cannot expect political effect from it. Military either, of course. As far as my thought reaches, it is only waste."

Even if it was safe inside the Mainz Kingdom, inside the Marie Kingdom felt shaky. Was there truly no interference from the Empire?

For me, secret or not, I wanted her not to come at all. I had finally finished paying back the debt. If Her Majesty came and the stay was charged to the embassy, I would be back in a life of debt. I could have cried. Prime Minister Richelieu, please do something! I shouted it inside toward the far sky of the Marie Kingdom.

Last,

"Will I be called again for that night’s work?"

I asked, and he said,

"Who knows? I was not involved in that. I think Her Majesty knows more. Ask Her Majesty."

This time Empire hands had been mixed in the work, so the Prime Minister had come out only because he had to, and talked reward. I was being wound into Her Majesty’s thread.