第７６４堀：各大陸の様子 上 (Part2)
As I was thinking about that, Vilia and the others replied, as if to affirm Ria’s words.
"Yes. My brother is a resolute and fine man. He would never be swayed by women with wicked intentions."
"He has so many wives that I feel like he should be easily seduced, but it’s not like that at all. It’s truly a mystery."
"Brother is kind. He doesn't force anything. He’s just... shy."
...I suppose Dressa and the others are trying to compliment me, but it feels a bit off. I don't know why, but despite my self-restraint, I don't really feel like I'm being praised.
That said, I can definitively say that I am not the "resolute and fine man" Vilia describes. Basically, I’m the type who prefers to be lazy. If I don't have any errands to run, I’d rather just relax at home.
No, wait, everyone is like that, right? Nobody goes out of their way to leave the house if they don't have to.
While I was lost in such trivial thoughts, we arrived at the waiting room where the various nations of the If Continent were gathered.
"Excuse me."
I said that and walked in without hesitation. Inside, the kings of the If Continent were lined up, seated. The only difference was that smaller nations like Popuri and Hifii were also present. Well, the Lancer Magic Academy is a match for any major power in terms of military strength, and the Hifii Holy Kingdom is treated as an equal because they dispatch healing mages to various countries.
As for the Rogari Continent, there was talk of Hero King Taiki attending, but he only showed his face at the dinner party and that was it. Unlike the Lancer Magic Academy or the Hifii Holy Kingdom, their history is short. It seems they decided against participating to avoid backlash from other smaller nations.
Speaking of which, the Kingdom of Swords and the Kingdom of Magic have deep histories, but since their rulers, Nogosh and Nonoa, are classified as gods of this world, they didn't participate because they have a separate meeting later. Or rather, it might be rude to call them small fry, but their standing as nations is low. They are nations that excel in only one craft, so their participation isn't recognized. If they were recognized too easily, they would become targets of jealousy, just like Ranks. Both of them understand this.
Well, that’s fine. For now, I need to see how the folks from the If Continent are doing.
"Yo. You're here."
The first one to call out to me was King Lodey, who is known for his habit of sneaking away.
"You didn't run off today, then?"
"Of course not. I will inherit the techniques of the ramen shop no matter what. Or rather, I'm going to become an apprentice!!"
"Y-Your Majesty..."
At the pathetic, desire-driven declaration from King Lodey—the middle-aged man known as Blade—his subordinates, including Samantha, voiced their plea for him to just stop.
"You can ignore that Lodey fellow. It’s his usual illness. More importantly, I have been waiting for you, Yuki-dono. Please, take a seat."
The one welcoming me while staring with glinting eyes was King Zilba. Actually, the others weren't much different.
*Sigh.* It seems the meeting was somehow settled, but according to the prior reports from Jessica and the others, just as the kings of Rogari predicted, they want me to supply them with goods under favorable conditions beforehand.
It’s a hassle, but at the same time, I suppose it’s unavoidable. If they don't have the resources, they can't hope for their country's development, and I suppose a country doesn't need a ruler who is that foolish.
For now, I’ll take a seat, quickly draw out their requests, and tell them my limits to wrap up the negotiations. If I let this drag on, the Intercontinental Exchange and Trade Conference won't be able to start.
"I am glad to hear the meeting concluded safely. So, you were waiting for me?"
"Forgive my rudeness, but it is similar to King Lodey... though not quite the same. We have a few requests regarding trade with Weed."
"That should be discussed after the Intercontinental Exchange and Trade Conference, should it not? Weed is merely the mediator; we are not in a position to negotiate before the other major powers."
At least, that’s how it is externally. If rumors spread that I pushed aside other major powers to negotiate trade first, the other small nations would surely find fault with it. That’s why this formality is necessary.
"We understand that. We have no intention of making this public. It goes without saying that this is confidential."
"Besides, we don't think we could win if we waged war on Weed. If we were to strike, it would be from within. You understand that too, don't you, Yuki?"
"And since you refused on the surface, this should be fine, right?"
That was the pressure coming from King Enaria, King Zilba, and King August.
*Sigh.* King Lodey will quiet down soon since he’s just here for the ramen, and Ex and White Forest are already on our side, so I suppose I’ll do my best to handle these three countries.
The time limit is about twenty minutes. Can I do it?
And so, I began the trade discussions.
(You might be wondering why they are holding meetings for each continent now. I’ll answer that briefly: even though we held many meetings beforehand, it is natural for changes to occur when you actually see and hear things in person. We couldn't go into the main conference with those problems unresolved, so I gave them time to organize their thoughts. Well, we can't make major changes, but we can decide on future policies, so it is a productive use of time. As for Rogari, they’ve had a long-standing relationship, so that’s fine, but I wonder what kind of actions the If Continent and the New Continent will take.)