第５３６堀：謁見 (Part1)
Chapter 536: The Audience
Side: Kagura Kamishiro
*Splash.*
With that sound, water overflowed, and the sound of it flowing echoed through the room.
At the same time, a pleasant warmth enveloped my body.
This is what they call a bath.
The place we are visiting is a "Super Sento," a public bathhouse in Weed.
"Phew..."
A strange sound escaped my lips.
The first time I came here, I was too overwhelmed by the situation to relax, but this is my second time. With a bit more peace of mind, I’m finally able to enjoy Weed properly.
"..."
However, the Princess next to me seems to be having a different experience.
Ah, right. This is the Princess's first time.
Honestly, I was surprised to learn that the Princess had been playing the fool, but in reality, she is incredibly capable. Since her maid, Kuno-san, takes care of her needs, I’ve stopped worrying about her so much.
Well, I suppose it can't be helped.
A facility that wastes such a massive amount of hot water is unthinkable in Haiden.
Even as a Duke’s daughter, and even for the Princess, we don't get to bathe every day.
Actually, we don't even feel the need to go through the trouble of bathing that often.
A simple rinse is enough, and even if we do use hot water, it’s more efficient to put it in a bucket with small holes to use as a shower.
Even a single bar of soap is a luxury item.
It seems things are different in Weed, though.
That’s the thing, isn't it? It’s a mistake to assume that the culture of a foreign land is the same as one's own.
I just have to accept that this is the norm here.
Besides, I want her to fully experience the same hardships I went through when I first came to Weed.
I’ve been pushed around so much, and I still hold a grudge about being left nearly naked, so this much is only fair.
Oh, speaking of which, I need to return Yuki’s clothes.
As I was thinking about that, Ratz-sama approached.
Her figure is about the same as mine, but because she is taller, she looks incredibly cool.
"Kagura-san, unlike the Princess and her maid, you seem quite relaxed."
"It is my second time, after all."
"Ah, that’s right, isn't it."
"Still, I was surprised by dinner. I didn't know there were so many varieties of just one thing like pasta."
That’s right.
At the pasta specialty shop Ratz-sama guided us to, there were so many types of pasta that I couldn't count them on one hand, or even both.
"Well, it varies by region, you see."
"Region?"
"Yes. Pasta itself is made from wheat, but the arrangements—the toppings and seasonings—are based on what is easily obtainable in that specific region. For example, if it's near the sea, you get seafood pasta; if it's near the mountains, you get mountain vegetable pasta."
"I see. So the shop serves pasta featuring specialties from various regions."
"Of course, the chefs adjust the flavors so that it becomes a proper dish."
Man, Weed is truly something else.
The fried chicken was delicious, and the bread was amazing, too.
We’ve suffered a crushing defeat in terms of food culture.
Well, I wouldn't say my home country's food is bad, but it lacks variety.
As I was thinking about this, the Princess, who had been dazed, finally snapped out of it and joined our conversation.
"R-Ratz-sama. I understand the concept of using simple, local ingredients, but that only applies to that specific region. If you were to try and make the same dish in a distant land, wouldn't the transportation costs cause the price to skyrocket? And more importantly, wouldn't the ingredients themselves fail to survive the long journey? How do you solve those issues?"
Eh?
No, Princess, what are you talking about? I couldn't help but answer before Ratz-sama could.
"We have the Gates, don't we, Princess?"
"Gates?"
"Huh? Didn't I tell you? Weed uses the Gates to mediate between other countries, and at the same time, they manage logistics using those same Gates. Look, just like in Baide, you can create Gates to travel back and forth easily."
"That is correct. Because of the logistics using the Gates, transportation costs are almost non-existent, and we can transport food before it spoils."
"..."
The Princess froze again at our answers.
"Hah!? Y-you mean to say, you can sell surplus food to places where it is scarce?"
"Yes. We do quite a lot of exporting to create such revenue."
"If that’s the case, then measures against famine could..."
"Indeed. We are a coalition formed for such times. In the event of a crisis, the countries cooperate to support the nation in trouble. Well, it also serves the purpose of keeping an eye on each other."
"...I see. In that case, one would need immense resolve to start a war. Every country participating in the coalition would become an enemy."
"That is exactly right. For a small nation, there is no better security than this."
"And for a great power, it allows for the reduction of border armaments, and diplomacy becomes easy if you can travel to other countries so readily. It is ideal, provided one does not desire hegemony..."
The Princess finally seems to have correctly grasped the technology of Weed's Gates and is putting her mind to how it can be utilized.
However, she is forgetting the most important thing.
"Princess, Princess."
"What is it, Kagura? I am currently thinking about how to build friendly relations with Weed!"
"No, if we don't do something about the Yuki situation first, nothing else will matter."
"..."
At my words, her face, which had been flushed red from the bath, turned deathly pale in an instant.
Wow, I never realized how clearly a person's complexion could change.
Setting that aside, we are the ones who kidnapped the consort of the King of Weed, the very core of this coalition! Do you understand that?
I stared at the pale-faced Princess, thinking that I must have looked the same way.
Forget friendship—we’re on the verge of hostility, one step away from war!
On top of that, Weed alone is already a handful, but to face the entire coalition is a nightmare.
No matter how you look at it, Haiden will be reduced to ashes.
"...W-what should I do?"
"No, that is something you must think about, Princess. I am not in a position to interfere with state affairs."
"Aren't you an accomplice who helped kidnap Yuki-sama as well, Kagura?"
"Accomplice or not, I was merely following the Princess's imperial order."
Please do your best with the upcoming negotiations with Weed.
I am the second daughter of a Duke.
Dealing with this as a Duke is my father's job, and since our Duke family hasn't been on such bad terms with them since the time of the First Generation, I know from Yuki and the others' attitudes so far that things won't end too terribly. But I’m going to leave her to fend for herself here.
The Princess has put me through so much trouble that I think a little payback is in order.
Just as I was resolving to be mean-spirited, Ratz-sama opened her mouth with a laugh.
"Haha. There’s no need to panic that much. Well, we were furious that our brother was kidnapped, but fortunately, he is safe, and there is no benefit in destroying your country."
"Why? Is there no benefit? Wouldn't it be a good opportunity to invade under a righteous cause?"
"Weed isn't aiming for hegemony. Besides, since we have the Gates, we don't need to use force to bring other countries to their knees. Even if we conquered them, governing them afterward would be a hassle. Rather than doing something so troublesome, it’s better to just make peace and develop our own country. War only drains a nation's strength, after all."
"...Is that so? You already have a system that sufficiently guarantees the country's safety, so there is no need to take risks. It is better to use resources for the development of one's own country than to consume the citizens in war."
"Or rather, since we operate as a coalition, if we were to take down another country, we would just end up fighting over how to divide the spoils."
"Ah, in that sense, too, it is difficult to wage a war of aggression."