第７９０堀：第一印象 (Part1)
### Chapter 790: First Impressions
**Side: Yuki**
*Stomp, stomp, stomp... Halt!*
The army finished their march in perfect unison and came to a standstill right before my eyes.
"Salute!"
*Snap!*
At the commander's single command, they all saluted in flawless synchronization. Then, the commander stepped forward.
"We are grateful for the welcome you have extended to us, as we have come to provide reconstruction support."
The commander who spoke was a sharp-looking, salt-and-pepper-haired gentleman.
"I never imagined that I would be greeted by Princess Carrie of Haiden, the warrior princess and general of Findar, Lady Stasia, and Lady Enola, who serves as the acting bishop of the Haire Church at such a young age and is a descendant of the first Enol. Oh, forgive my lack of introduction. I am Grasund Lake, appointed by King Seasypho to lead the reconstruction support army for Haiden."
He looked directly at Princess Carrie, Lady Stasia, and Enola, naming them without a moment's hesitation. That meant he must have met them somewhere before.
"Thank you for your polite greeting. It has been a long time, Lord Lake."
"I never expected that the renowned Lord Lake would come as the commander of the reconstruction support. Oh, excuse me. It has been a long time."
"What brings the genius of naval warfare, the pride of Seasypho, to Haiden? And how did you recognize us? The last time we met, I believe I was still young enough to count my age on one hand."
"Haha. I knew you would grow up to be beauties, so I remembered you well. Of course, that goes for Lady Kagura here as well. No, I could never forget that beautiful black hair."
"Ehh!? You remember me too? Th-thank you very much."
What is with this gentlemanly middle-aged man? He’s a different type from Taizo-san. He’s a gentleman, certainly, but he’s also a nice guy who can handle a light joke.
"Now, let us set aside the pleasantries. It is no lie that I have come here with an army of ten thousand for the purpose of reconstruction support. Shall I hand over the supplies here, or would you prefer we transport them to the affected areas?"
"No, we plan to receive the supplies in the royal capital and distribute them from there. Of course, we will properly declare that these are support supplies from the Kingdom of Seasypho, so please rest assured."
"I have no doubts on that front. Your country is a proud nation of magic. Then, please lead the way to the storage facility..."
Just as I was thinking what a fine gentleman he was, the man named Lake turned his gaze toward me.
"And I would love to say that, but before we do, it seems there is a guest I am not acquainted with. Would you mind introducing him? Surely, a tourist with a child in tow hasn't come to watch my army."
Ah, right. I suppose it is suspicious for me to be here with a child while all these princesses are gathered.
"My apologies, Lord Lake. This gentleman is Yuki, the consort of the Queen of Weed, and his subordinates. They are the ones who led the resolution of the incidents that occurred in Haiden, Findar, and the Haire Church."
Princess Carrie introduced us smoothly, without a hint of panic. Still, being explained like that makes me realize how difficult cultural differences can be. I am undoubtedly the Queen's consort, but calling Milly and the others "subordinates" leaves room for doubt. Then again, introducing them all as my wives would be equally strange. Officially, Milly and the others are in a position somewhere between concubines and lovers... Well, that’s fine. I should start with a polite greeting.
"Nice to meet you, Lord Lake. I am Yuki, the consort of Queen Seraria, who rules over Weed."
Now, how will this gentleman respond to my greeting?
"My, I am humbled by your polite greeting. As I mentioned earlier, I am Grasund Lake, entrusted by the King of Seasypho to lead the reconstruction army. However, due to my own lack of study, I am not familiar with the country of Weed. Please forgive my earlier rudeness."
What a gentleman. I’m surprised he even apologized for his earlier suspicion. Moreover, in this day and age, it’s rare to see someone so willing to admit their own ignorance.
"No, please, don't worry about it. However, haven't you heard through messengers or other intelligence that Weed cooperated in calming the conflict?"
"Indeed. Information did reach me, but it all sounded so preposterous that there wasn't enough evidence to believe it. If one cannot be certain, it is synonymous with knowing nothing. However, seeing the representatives of Haiden, Findar, and the Haire Church paying their respects to you here and now, I understand. Therefore, I shall trust you, Lord Yuki."
He really is a bravo gentleman. A true gentleman. Is this what they call a "Seasypho Gentleman"? I can't just be surprised, though. I have to respond properly.
"Thank you for your excessive praise. However, Weed is a small nation, so it is only natural that you wouldn't know of it. I, too, was ignorant of you, Lord Lake, so I hope we can build a friendship from here on out."
"Ha. If a mere general like me will suffice, I would be delighted to tell you about my country. And if you would be so kind, I would be grateful if you could tell me about Weed, which I hear is on another continent."
"Yes, I don't mind. I will show you around before long."
"...Thank you."
As I suspected, he isn't just a simple gentleman. He said he couldn't believe the rumors, but he clearly has access to solid information. I tried to shake him up by mentioning the other continent, and I could see a hint of confusion at my casual response. Not that I feel bad about it. Personally, he is a general I can honestly respect. It really makes me realize that when it comes to generals or people who lead many others, it’s better to have someone with age and stability. In that regard, we in Weed are centered around young people. That might be our bottleneck.
"...Eh? Is Weed a small country? Did my ears go bad, Micos-chan? Weed is a superpower, right, Solo?"
"Yes. I believe it is a superpower... but a 'small country'? I heard the same, Senior."
"...Both of you, calm down. In terms of land area, it is undoubtedly a small country. In terms of land area, that is."
Hey, Kagura. Don't phrase it like that; it makes it sound like a superpower in other ways. Weed is merely a gateway to the world—an airport or a port for intercontinental exchange. If I were to compare it to Earth, maybe it’s like Singapore?
"It seems you are highly regarded by Lady Kagura and the others as well."
"Yes. They have been working as diplomats for our country, so they are likely overestimating me."
"Ho ho. So the young Lady Kagura is a diplomat."
"It seems the population has dwindled quite a bit since that incident. Enough that Princess Carrie herself has to come out to greet you."
"Indeed, that seems to be the case."
The gentleman seems to be struggling to gauge my true identity. Well, from an outsider's perspective, I must be an incomprehensible existence. He probably doesn't even imagine the existence of a Gate, so he likely thinks my offer to show him around is just a half-hearted joke. But the treatment I’m receiving from Haiden, Findar, and Haire is immense. Perhaps sensing this, Princess Carrie stepped forward...