第７５０堀：大陸間交流会議 早朝 (Part2)
I had held them back until now, bringing them through the gate to Weed, but now they’ve done an about-face—or perhaps they still underestimate Weed—and are apparently pressuring Kagura and the others to disclose more of our information.
Well, I suppose it’s better that they aren’t coming directly to us, but they are saying whatever they please to Kagura and her fellow young diplomats. It seems the week leading up to the Intercontinental Exchange Conference has been quite difficult for them.
Ah, it’s a given that these types of people never dare to complain to King Haiden or Princess Carrie.
"Shera. Do Kagura and the others seem alright? If it’s too much for them, we could evacuate them here, you know?"
Seraria, being aware of the situation, asks Shera this.
"No, please do not worry. The individuals harassing Kagura-san and the others are the same ones who were looking down on them and Catherine-san, so we have already begun processing them. To be specific, we are gathering evidence. We shall have them dig their own graves in grand fashion."
"Oh? You were doing that?"
"Well, yes. Kagura and the others were acting far too strange, after all."
As the conference drew near, their complexions had turned sickly. At first, I thought it was just fatigue, but it seems there was bullying and intimidation involved. They hadn't just been tired; they had been deeply distressed.
The truth came out when Lilishe and Hairen checked on their health; they broke down and started crying. The insults—"useless little girls," "be replaced," "social climbers," "you probably sold your bodies"—are nothing but the yapping of losers to me, and I find them laughable. But to Kagura and her peers, who are at a sensitive age, those words cut deep.
That’s why I suggested revenge. I gave them small cameras to record the scenes of their harassment, to be submitted at a later date. We are currently in the middle of the operation to let them dig their own graves.
Honestly, Kagura and the others are worth ten times as much as those fools. It’s shocking that there are people who think they can act so aggressively toward a member of the Three Houses—a shrine maiden, no less—and get away with it.
"If they were useless, I would have replaced them from the start. I told Kagura and the others, 'You are the only ones for this job.' Apparently, they were also threatened with pressure on their parents, like Mikos and Solo. They were told to hand over their roles in exchange for support, or even threatened with being made into mistresses."
"Kill those pieces of trash."
"That’s why we’re letting them dig their own graves."
Mikos and Solo had looked even worse than Kagura. The two of them had actually been planning to submit to those nobles. I suppose that’s what happens when you’re threatened with harm to your family. If you ignore the emotional toll on Mikos and Solo, the deal wasn't even that bad on paper. But there is no way people who propose such things would ever keep their word.
Lilishe and Hairen did good work. We must prevent our pieces from being removed by such underhanded tactics at all costs. When I told Princess Carrie about this, the veins in her forehead were bulging.
"Well, I’m handling the follow-up, so Seraria, I expect you to perform admirably as the head of the host nation."
"Haa... that in itself is exhausting. I know it won't just be greetings; there will be all sorts of things at the banquet afterward."
Kagura and the others have it rough, but Seraria has her own burdens. Actually, there isn't a single member here who isn't busy. Kirue and Sasari are looking after the children with only a small team, though Aslin and the others are scheduled to return to support them once the trash collection is finished.
"And besides, you have to do the greetings and the banquet too, don't you?"
"Well, yes. But I am merely the King Consort. And since my personality is well-known, I’ll just play it cool and slide through."
"Don't you dare wreck the conference, okay?"
"It’ll be fine, it’ll be fine."
Anyone who gets angry at me for my behavior can be safely classified as an enemy. I’ve already notified the kings of each country of that fact. I wonder how many disgruntled people will show up. Do they realize that the recording business isn't limited to just Kagura and her group? Do they understand that the people from other countries are being sifted through as well?
But, putting that aside...
"Alright, everyone is here. We have a busy day ahead, so let’s eat and get our energy up."
"Yes!"
"Let’s eat."
"Itadakimasu!"
Now, our turbulent day begins. The Intercontinental Exchange Conference is about to start. Will Yuki and the others manage to overcome this major event?! And will Kagura and the others manage to avoid being bullied?!
Honestly, we’ve finally arrived here. Other novels might reach the event day in a single page, but this is how I’ve chosen to do things for this story.