第７０４堀：歓迎 (Part1)
Chapter 704: Welcome
Side: Yuki
"That over there is the Imperial Capital of Findar."
Following Stasia’s pointed finger, I saw a massive wall towering in the distance. Beyond it, the spires of what must be the royal castle peeked into view.
"We made it without any trouble."
"Indeed. I expected at least a little friction, but it was smooth sailing. Though, why am I even here?"
"Well, Taiki-kun, your territory is a small nation, so intercontinental exchange is likely still a ways off for you, right? I’m just helping build a pipeline with Findar."
"What’s the real reason?"
"I’m lonely because there are no men around. Not in a 'BL' sense, but literally."
"Well, I can understand the sentiment. Though I don't know about the BL part."
As we chatted, I watched the defensive walls gradually grow larger alongside Taiki-kun until a gate came into view. Yes, we had arrived in Findar.
Arge was unable to join us due to various circumstances, so I was heading to the Imperial Capital alongside Princess Stasia and her retinue.
A journey that would take about a week by messenger horse takes only two days by car. I truly believe the invention of the car is a magnificent thing.
Horses can only gallop at about 40 kilometers per hour, and as the word "gallop" implies, they cannot maintain that speed for hours; they would collapse within tens of minutes. Therefore, no one uses them that way. At most, you switch horses every few hours while maintaining a speed of 20 kilometers per hour. Furthermore, the messenger riding the horse gets exhausted, so you never actually make as much progress as the theoretical calculations suggest—in fact, falling behind schedule is the norm.
Actually, why am I thinking about things I already know?
"The messenger must have felt terrible."
"…Don't say it."
When we visited Baide, they asked us to come to Findar, so we sent a messenger horse back asking if we could visit in the near future. However, when we went to Haiden, we urgently needed to contact Findar regarding intercontinental exchange. I asked Stasia to accompany us, and without waiting for a reply, we headed straight for the Imperial Capital. By driving, we covered a week’s worth of travel in just two days, effectively overtaking the messenger who had set out three days before us.
As a stroke of luck, we caught up to the messenger on the road, and Stasia was able to tell them to rest and return to Baide. The messenger soldier was drenched in sweat and breathing heavily; I could tell even from a distance how desperately they had been riding. While the soldier didn’t show any dissatisfaction as a professional, I’m sure they had thoughts about their hard work being rendered meaningless.
I contacted Catherine and told her to properly reward the messenger upon their return. I learned a lesson: if you don't plan your work properly, people who are genuinely trying their best end up suffering for nothing. If I just brushed it off as "unavoidable" without showing appreciation, my own character would be called into question.
As Taiki-kun and I were pondering this, Stasia and her group, who had gone ahead to the gate, returned. We had kept the car at a distance from the walls to avoid causing alarm. Since we were flying the flags of Weed, Haiden, and Findar, we didn't have an army rushing out to meet us like in the Beastman Kingdom. It also helped that Stasia had gone ahead to explain things. They weren't uninterested in Weed like the Beastman Kingdom was, so they wouldn't turn us away after inviting us.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. The explanation is finished, so please proceed in your vehicle."
"Are you sure? It’s going to cause quite a stir, isn't it?"
"No, we have large carriages and military transport moving in and out regularly, so the roads are built wide. Besides, the military is moving to lead the way, so you have nothing to worry about. By the way, the one leading the escort is Georgin."
I see. If Georgin is handling it, there shouldn't be any issues. I can't imagine that general making a mistake in communication regarding us.
We drove the car toward the gate...
"It has been a long time, Yuki-sama. I am glad to see you in good health."
"General Georgin. It is good to see you well, too. Thank you for the welcome."
"Not at all. It is only natural for the nation. Now, this way—I shall guide you to the royal palace. Take your positions!!"
"Yes, sir!!"
As expected of him, the soldiers snapped into formation at Georgin’s single command, quickly surrounding our car. Georgin rode his horse in front of us, leading the way alongside Stasia.
"It’s Princess Stasia!! Is it true that she established peace with the legendary nation of magic?!"
"Look at that carriage without horses!! That must be the magical carriage!!"
"Ohhh!"
Voices drifted from the crowd. It felt like a staged performance, but perhaps it was necessary. If they didn't show the public that they had successfully dealt with Weed, people would wonder why they had marched on Haiden in the first place. This would lead to distrust not only among the populace but also among neighboring countries that had sought Findar's help against Haiden's tyranny.
While we *were* moving forward, only those on the inside knew it. To everyone else, it looked like they had been deceived by Haiden. Thus, they needed to show that Weed truly existed.
"This is intentional, isn't it?"
"Yeah. The car is the perfect proof that Weed exists."
"So, letting us enter the city in the car wasn't just out of consideration for us—it was for Findar's sake, too."
"Exactly. Think about it: they launched a war, returned with little to show for it, and only suffered losses. Regardless of what Princess Stasia, General Georgin, or Prince George think, it’s natural for some to be dissatisfied. It might have been a closer call than we thought."
"I agree."
As Taiki-kun and I discussed how the sudden visit was the right move, we arrived at the royal palace, where Prince George was waiting to greet us.
"Sister. I am glad you arrived safely."
"Thank you for the welcome, George. Well, since I was with Yuki-sama and his group, it was only natural that we arrived safely."
"Haha, that is true. Oh, shouldn't you take off your helmet?"
"You are right. It would be rude not to."
Stasia, who had been called the "Iron-Faced Woman," removed her helmet in front of the crowd. Despite the scar running across her brow, her features were so refined that it only added to her beauty. Her beautiful blonde hair, tied in a bun, caught the sunlight, making her look even more radiant.
"..."
The soldiers who had been cheering were stunned into silence at the sight of her bare face. Whether it was because of her beauty or the shock of seeing her without the helmet, I couldn't say. Personally, I wasn't mesmerized—my wife is more beautiful, after all.
Ignoring the stunned crowd, Stasia turned back to us after removing her helmet.
"Once again, welcome. I, Stasia, thank you from the bottom of my heart."