第８１１堀：田舎発展物語 序 (Part1)
Chapter 811: A Tale of Rural Development – Prologue
Side: Yuki
"My daughter seems as spirited as ever."
Baron Jarna says this while watching Micos, who is chatting happily with Labyris and the others in the backyard.
"Well, it is her home, after all."
I reply, watching the scene alongside him.
In truth, Micos has been in high spirits ever since we arrived in her hometown. She even put effort into wearing a beautiful dress. It’s the classic "returning home in brocade," as they say.
"When I heard that war had broken out and that the magic students were being mobilized, my heart nearly stopped."
"…I cannot apologize on behalf of the nation, but I offer my personal apologies. That your daughter, a student, was placed in such danger—as a member of the royal family and a representative of this country, I find it deeply shameful."
Princess Carrie says this as she bows her head.
I had been wondering why she had remained so silent since we arrived at Micos’s home, but this was the reason.
Well, any normal parent would be furious to learn their child—a mere student—had been dragged onto a battlefield.
Furthermore, while the root cause lies in the corruption of the royal palace and the Haire Church, it is also true that the royal family, as the nation's overseers, had grown lax.
In times like these, taking responsibility is the duty of those at the top.
That said, such a situation is an incredibly rare occurrence.
Besides, the mobilization of students during a national crisis is not unheard of.
Usually, a princess representing her country would never bow her head to a mere baron.
But this time, things are different.
If we can establish a direct gate to Weed here in the Jarna territory, we will gain an overwhelming advantage regarding the movement of defensive forces should Haiden ever be invaded again.
One might think it would be simpler to ask the Margrave who visited the Seisifo Kingdom directly, but that would involve negotiating with someone with whom we have almost no connections—a daunting task indeed.
Therefore, if we cannot secure the Baron’s consent, it will hinder our future operations significantly.
It is against this backdrop that the Princess finds herself bowing to the Baron.
Well, in the worst-case scenario, we could force the issue, but that would eventually draw the Margrave into the fray anyway.
Now, Baron Jarna has been listening to us in silence until now, but his answer is…
"Please, raise your head. This is not the Princess’s fault. That incident was truly a crisis of national survival. I believe my daughter served her country well. Besides, she has been entrusted with the great responsibility of being an assistant diplomat. We have already received sufficient rewards."
"I am relieved to hear you say that."
*Phew.* The first hurdle is cleared.
Although Micos calls him "Dad" quite casually, he carries himself with the poise of a true noble and possesses the ability to keep his emotions in check.
Well, when we first arrived at the village, he was commanding soldiers from horseback, so this must be part of his daily routine.
As I think this, Baron Jarna’s gaze shifts to me.
"And you are Yuki, the consort of the country for which my daughter serves as a diplomat, correct? You wish to lease land in this territory for your country…"
Despite the casual "Dad" moniker, he is a well-trained, handsome middle-aged man.
His beard is neatly groomed, and he carries the distinct air of a nobleman.
It is almost hard to believe that this man is the father of Micos; he is a proper aristocrat through and through.
"Yes. It may be hard to believe, but the existence of the country of Weed and the technology of the Gates are both true. I personally guarantee it."
"I, Kagura, the second daughter of the Kamishiro house, also stand as a witness."
"I, Stasia, First Princess of the Findall Empire, shall also stand as a witness."
"I, Enora, acting priestess of the Haiden royal capital and priestess of the Weed royal capital, shall also stand as a witness."
With our existence now acknowledged, Princess Carrie and the others make their declarations once more.
"…*Sigh.* So, what my daughter said was not a joke. No, it is not that I doubt you, Princess, but it is all just so…"
"I understand your feelings well. But unfortunately, what Micos told you is the truth."
Micos is not here right now because she had embellished her account of our journey with such exaggerated, colorful details that it sounded less like a report and more like a heroic fantasy. The Baron, unable to believe a word of it, had effectively chased her out.
Everyone’s eyes are now on Baron Jarna to see what he decides.
"…I apologize, but I still cannot bring myself to believe that what you say is the truth. However, setting that aside, I have no objection to leasing the land, provided you choose a location that does not inconvenience the residents. Furthermore, if you are offering material aid and assistance with land reclamation in return, I have no reason to refuse."
*Phew.* We are relieved by the Baron’s answer.
If he had refused here, I predicted things would have become truly difficult.
"However, I cannot provide the villagers as a labor force. I apologize, but please understand. Due to the response to the Seisifo Kingdom’s arrival at the border, we have already been conscripted by the Margrave, and our workforce is currently depleted."
"I will handle that matter with the Margrave myself, so please rest assured. Since the Seisifo Kingdom and our Haiden have already formed an alliance, there is no need to station troops to guard against them. I will make arrangements so that your people can return to their work immediately."
"Thank you. Everyone will be delighted."
Since both sides have promised not to interfere with one another, it is for the best.
Come to think of it, the Seisifo Kingdom’s "reconstruction aid" to Haiden ended up being nothing more than providing shovels. They didn't perform any substantial relief work, and they didn't receive any direct compensation for it, but that has been settled by Haiden introducing them to Weed and the Seisifo Kingdom fulfilling their original goal of dispatching mages.
Well, General Lake probably didn't want to bring the supplies back after hauling them all the way here—it would hurt the soldiers' morale and slow down the march. More importantly, returning empty-handed after a "relief mission" would be a recipe for trouble.
I have my own thoughts on why the rewards for Weed are performance-based, but it’s only natural not to trust a country you’ve never heard of right from the start.
Well, regardless of the movements of other nations, if we are allowed to lease land in the Jarna territory, we don't need their labor anyway.
Once the Gate is installed, we can just bring people over from our side.
In any case, with the Baron accepting the Princess’s proposal and agreeing to lease us the land, it is a relief that we didn't stumble at the very first step.
"Now, if it isn't too much trouble, could you accompany us to show us which areas might be suitable or unsuitable for our needs?"
"Certainly. I shall introduce you to the village and we can see what land is available."
When I say this, Baron Jarna readily agrees, and we set out to tour the territory.
A peaceful, idyllic landscape spreads out before us, but as expected, even in such a rural area, conscription was unavoidable.
…Dealing with the Margrave is going to be a hassle.
I just hope the Jarna villagers can return home safely while I’m busy keeping a low profile.
"However, you mentioned leasing land, but how much do you require? Enough to build a mansion?"