第８２８堀：エメラルドの王 (Part1)
Chapter 828: The Emerald Queen
Side: Yuki
"That throne is definitely cold, you know."
"……I understand that you were cold, Taiki. But for now, we are here for an audience with the Queen."
For some reason, Taiki is fixated on the idea that the throne in the audience chamber is freezing. He must have had some kind of traumatic experience with one. But, no, no—I need to focus. We are here for an official audience. I can’t exactly ignore the sovereign of another nation to chat with him.
"This way, please."
The fact that Chancellor Aquamarine himself is acting as our guide shows just how much importance they are placing on us. Usually, a Chancellor wouldn't dream of guiding guests personally; that position is meant for standing by the King’s side to provide counsel.
The order of entry is Kagura of Haiden, Princess Stasia of Findall, Enora of the Haire Faith, and finally, us, the Weed delegation. I can’t afford to slight Haiden, Findall, or the Haire Faith.
However, for some reason, the request for this audience included Aslin and the others. I thought they might ask for children to be excluded, but that wasn't the case. Are they that wary of us? Ah, perhaps Filia’s little "demolition" incident was the cause? Regardless, Aslin and the others have accompanied Seraria to audiences many times and have experience in other places, so they won't cause any trouble.
While I was thinking about that, we arrived before the Queen.
Her appearance was such that she seemed to have left the concept of age behind; she looked like someone who could easily pass for being in her twenties. ……I feel like the general level of beauty for women in this world is consistently high.
Actually, that King of Haiden—he definitely kept quiet about this on purpose.
Well, looks and gender aside, since she is of higher standing, I prepared to offer a formal greeting, but the moment I did…
"There is no need for formalities. I am the one who summoned you."
The Queen’s words brought everyone to a halt. But among us, only one person spoke up.
"Mother!! No, Your Majesty! If you do that, our nation will be looked down upon!"
That must be the Prince mentioned earlier. He carries a certain dignity, I suppose. A bit of a greenhorn, though.
"Hold your tongue, Louis. Haiden, Findall, and the Haire Faith are equals to our nation. Besides, even if they had visited of their own accord, since we are the ones who requested their presence, there is no question of being 'looked down upon.'"
"But……"
"Furthermore, the Prince Consort of Weed is present. Who knows what kind of repercussions might follow if we forced him to bend the knee and bow his head?"
"……My apologies."
"It is fine. I know you speak out of concern. But do not interrupt again."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Hmm. He backed down obediently. Was that a calculated display of intent? By having the Prince complain first and then get scolded, he effectively silenced any other courtiers who might have said something even more foolish.
"My apologies, guests. I am Emerald Sea-Sypho, Queen of this Kingdom."
Emerald Sea-Sypho, huh? There’s a lot of naming convention tied to gems and the sea. Is that common in this country? It’s like how heirs in the Sengoku period often shared childhood names.
"However, while I intended to call upon Haiden, I did not expect so many others to gather. To the great members of the Three Houses who seek to save our nation, and to the heroes who have come from distant lands—thank you for traveling such a long way to Sea-Sypho. First, I offer my deepest gratitude."
The Queen spoke with a formal bow. She’s being quite grandiose. Well, it’s likely an appeal to show that she isn't looking down on us, and perhaps to show those around her just how impressive these visitors are.
Kagura, the representative of Haiden, responded to the greeting.
"It is we who should offer our thanks. Thanks to the warm support of Her Majesty the Queen, the people of Haiden have not suffered from starvation, and few have been left to tremble in the cold. Representing Haiden, I offer my gratitude, and I am Kagura Kamishiro, appointed by the King of Haiden to oversee the relief efforts upon learning of your nation's plight. Though I am young and inexperienced, I look forward to working with you."
"I see. I have heard reports of your magical talent, Kagura. And I have seen the results on the ground. Truly worthy of the Three Houses. I look forward to our collaboration."
"Yes. I shall certainly live up to your expectations."
Kagura bowed deeply. "Live up to expectations," huh? A Japanese person might say "I will do my absolute best," but this is a foreign land, so I suppose that’s just how it goes.
"And Princess Stasia, I am grateful you came all the way from Findall."
"Not at all. I happened to be nearby. In my current position, my role is primarily to accompany Weed. I am also a diplomat to Weed."
"Oh? Has Princess Stasia resigned from your position as General?"
"It is by the Emperor’s decree. To be a pioneer of a new era. Still, I am truly honored that you know my name."
"Nothing of the sort. I am simply happy to hear of another woman working hard in this world. But, a 'pioneer of a new era'… Does the Haire Faith share that opinion, Bishop?"
"Indeed. Weed is a nation that is truly at the forefront of the era. I, too, have come here not as a representative of Haiden, but as an attendant to Weed."
Princess Stasia and Enora both emphasized that they came for the sake of Weed. They made it clear that both nations are looking out for us.
"Is what the Findall Empire and the Haire Faith say the truth, Kagura?"
"Yes. There is no mistake. I, too, am one whose life was saved by Weed."
"……Hmm. You seem to be held in quite high regard, Prince Consort of Weed?"
"Such excessive praise makes me nervous about my future actions. My apologies for the late introduction. I am Yuki, serving as Prince Consort and advisor to the nation of Weed. I am deeply grateful for your permission to grant us an audience despite the late hour."
I returned the greeting in a safe, standard manner. My position is Prince Consort, so if the other party is a sovereign, a Queen, I must show proper respect. The others were in a unique situation, which is why their responses were a bit casual, but normally, this is how it should be.
"Do not worry about it, Yuki. Under normal circumstances, we should have arranged a meeting for tomorrow morning or afternoon, but I simply moved the schedule forward due to our own circumstances. There is no need for thanks."
Well, late-night audiences are rare. That just shows how important our visit is to the Kingdom of Sea-Sypho. Still, I imagine the deployment of the aircraft carrier was the deciding factor.
As I was thinking that, Queen Emerald opened the floor to begin the real discussion.
"Usually, I would prefer to discuss the state of our nations and enjoy a leisurely meal, but that is not possible right now. I will arrange a proper seat for us another day, so I ask for your forgiveness for the lack of decorum. As for why I summoned you in such a hurry tonight—it goes without saying—it is about that giant ship."
It’s that, then. Well, it’s going according to plan, which is a relief for us. It’s much easier to have things decided at the top than to deal with tedious meetings among underlings.