第８０掘：嫁さん会議 (Part1)
**Dungeon Dig 80: The Wives' Meeting**
**The Wives' Meeting**
**Side: Seraria**
"……And that is the situation. What does everyone think?"
I had finished explaining the incident from today’s meeting: the "trashy old man" (the King) trying to force a princess onto us. I scanned the room to gauge everyone’s reaction.
"I’m agaiiiinst it!! Totally agaiiiinst it!! Treating girls like some kind of object is absolutely, one-hundred-percent, agaiiiinst it!!"
Riel was shouting her opposition at the top of her lungs.
"But if we reject the princess here, wouldn't that just make her look like an object even more?" Eris countered.
She was right. If we turned the princess away now, she would simply be passed around from one place to another like a hot potato.
"That’s true. In the end, the princess has nowhere else to go."
"That’s… well, it’s pitiful, to say the least," Ratz added, her face twisted in a troubled expression.
"However, I can understand the King’s position as well," Rurua chimed in. "If he were to be probed carelessly and the truth about Elju-sama were revealed, even if Gartz didn't intend to act, the people who adore Elju-sama in Roschur would be impossible to restrain."
Rurua was right. The trashy old man wasn't acting without thought. He couldn't afford to hold onto a ticking time bomb and risk the alliance falling apart. That was why marrying her off to Yuki in this dungeon was the most optimal solution.
"But, I don't really get it," Riel said, tilting her head. "Why is it not a problem if she marries Yuki-san?"
Ah, I suppose I need to explain that part in detail as well.
"That is because..."
"Seraria, may I explain? Please correct me if I make any mistakes."
Eris stepped forward. It would be good to see how much she truly understood. Besides, everyone had gotten used to dropping the honorifics when we were inside the inn.
"Please, go ahead."
"Thank you."
Eris walked over to the whiteboard in the banquet hall. We were all gathered there now, while Yuki was busy bathing Aslin and the others.
"As Riel mentioned, there are some things that might be unclear, and I think some people don't fully grasp the situation, so I will summarize it here. Everyone, please listen."
As Eris spoke, everyone nodded.
"To begin with, this talk of a royal marriage is essentially a 'return gift' from Gartz to Roschur."
That was correct. This marriage—which was essentially a hostage situation—was the return for the reparations I had squeezed out of Litea.
"I get that," Milly replied, "but why a princess? Surely there were other options?"
"The fact that she is a princess is the crux of the matter," Eris explained. "The question is whether she is worth the amount of the reparations. On the other hand, handing over a large number of daughters from minor noble houses would be insulting, and it would also invite a swarm of spies into our midst."
That was the problem. The other side couldn't afford to pay the reparations in gold or goods. They were reluctant to give up talented personnel, so they settled on a woman. But a mere noble’s daughter wouldn't match the value of the reparations. Hence, a royal. But because she was royalty, we couldn't treat her poorly.
"I see. It’s better to have one spy than many, I suppose. Hmm, is a princess really worth the value of the reparations?" Riel still seemed confused.
"That is a matter of noble politics, so it would be better for Seraria to explain," Eris said, deferring to me.
Well, it’s true that the rules of nations can be hard to grasp.
"The fact that she is royalty is what gives it meaning. If it were just a normal noble, the apology would carry little weight. Tell me, if this dungeon were to apologize to someone, who would they think is more sincere: you, Riel, or me?"
"Well, if the dungeon lord Seraria apologized, they’d think... oh, I see. It means something when someone of higher standing comes."
"Exactly. Eris, continue."
"Yes. So, the reason for it being a royal is clear on the surface."
"On the surface?" Milly asked.
"Yes. The princess likely came here to probe the internal affairs of Roschur."
"I heard that, but even if she probes... she’s just going to be watching us, right?"
"That is true, but the problem is that she is coming as a bride. If we restrict her freedom, Gartz could accuse us of treating the princess inhumanely. If that happens, Gartz would have a public excuse to come to Roschur for an 'inspection'."
"Ah, I see! That’s it," Milly realized. "If she marries Yuki-san in this dungeon, what she’ll be investigating isn't Roschur’s internal affairs, but the dungeon’s. And since Yuki-san is the husband of you, Seraria, and Rurua—the representatives of various nations—the princess won't be able to voice any complaints about her partner."
Just as Milly said, and just as the trashy old man intended, from a holistic perspective, placing the princess here was the most optimal move.
"I suspect," Eris continued, "that the King of Roschur didn't just come to ask for help with this matter, but also to address the unauthorized battle with Litea. Seraria, what do you think?"
"Eris is right. The true purpose of his visit was this. The battle with Litea was just an afterthought. To those who don't know the secret history between Litea and Roschur, it looks like we picked a fight with Litea—a nation we had just re-allied with—on our own. The trashy old man could have suppressed it with a single word, but that would have left his vassals dissatisfied, so..."
"Ah, so the King of Roschur pretended to scold us according to his vassals' wishes, and then had his brothers explain the situation to them, showing the vassals that his judgment wasn't wrong," Ratz said, clapping her hands in realization.
"Exactly. It’s not that his vassals are incompetent. If they don't know the secret circumstances, it’s only natural for them to be dissatisfied with this unilateral action. Anyone who stood by without knowing anything would be the ones who should be fired. But if they did know, they couldn't tell anyone else, because it would lead to war with Litea."
"My, being a King sounds exhausting," Tori said, nodding in admiration.
"Well, regardless, I don't like the idea of them handing a woman to my husband."
"Is that the biggest issue?"
"Of course. Ratz, isn't that how everyone here feels?"
Everyone nodded in agreement.
"I, too, would like my husband to hold me soon."
"Indeed. For some reason, Brother hasn't made a move like that yet."
"Exactly. And if, by some chance, the princess who marries into this place gets pregnant first..."
"……I feel like I might end up resenting Yuki," Deryu muttered.
At those words, a burning fire ignited in everyone’s eyes.
"But wait," Riel said. "If Yuki-san lays a hand on that princess, doesn't that mean there's no reason he wouldn't lay a hand on us? I mean, coming here as a bride means they’re going to have children, right?"
"……!"
Everyone realized the loophole in Riel’s logic.
"Wait a minute. This is..."
"Yes. It’s a chance to conceive the Master’s child."
"Seraria, is there any way Yuki-san can avoid touching this princess...?"
"No. She’ll have maids assigned to her to confirm that the 'deed' is being done. Not touching her would be the same as rejecting the gift."
"In other words, whether or not the princess gets pregnant, Brother has to make her his?"
"That’s exactly right."