第９４６堀：亡国姫の行方 (Part1)
Chapter 946: The Whereabouts of the Fallen Princess
Side: Seraria
"Princess Palfil no longer possesses any power."
My husband states this clearly. Well, he’s not wrong. Princess Palfil has nothing left. The only thing she had was her status as the sole survivor of the Gusdo royal family and her position at the head of Aurelia Port, but even that position is meaningless now.
If the Zurable Great Empire and our Weed were to go to war, we might have been able to use the "tragic princess" as a banner. But now that the path to peace is in sight, she is nothing more than a princess of a fallen nation who treated the envoys of Seasifo with disdain. And as Emperor Eupia said, I fully understand the desire to avoid leaving behind any embers of hatred.
That is precisely why we sought a guarantee for her life. How will Emperor Eupia respond to this condition?
"...Hmm. As I thought, you seem to be having trouble handling Princess Palfil."
"To be honest, yes. If we were to fight the Zurable Great Empire, she would have been a fine banner, but now that reconciliation with you, Emperor Eupia, is complete, she is just a princess of a fallen nation. And to make matters worse, she has the 'bonus' of having detained the Seasifo envoys."
"Normally, it would be easier to just discard her. If you like, I will take her off your hands."
"Will you guarantee her life?"
"I can say yes, and I can say no. The people in the former Gusdo Kingdom territory are currently terrified because my Zurable Great Empire has annexed them. If the princess returns there and takes charge of the governance, they might calm down a little."
"I see. So, 'if she cooperates,' is that it?"
"Well, that is quite natural. If she is useful, I will spare her life. If she is useless, or worse, if she threatens us, I will use her head to aid in governance. That is all."
That’s how one uses a princess of a fallen nation, isn't it? Put her on the stage of governance to soothe the hearts of the people. If she can't do that... well, he wouldn't kill her, would he? If he were to kill a former princess now, it would likely make governing the former Gusdo territory even more difficult. While it might be effective as a temporary threat, the former Gusdo territory could become a thorn in the side—a weak point—as the Zurable Great Empire continues its struggle against the remnants of the old imperial faction.
Ah, so that’s why they handed over Aurelia Port to us so easily. It wasn't just about trade; it was to avoid bearing the full brunt of the resentment from Princess Palfil and the Gusdo Kingdom.
"Do you think the princess will accept that role? And I don't mean from the perspective of someone in power, but as the individual herself."
"...I doubt it. Her lack of judgment in detaining the Seasifo envoys and their ships proves as much. If she had handled things more skillfully in the first place, Lord Yuki and his people wouldn't have had to bring this matter to me."
That’s the truth of it. If she were a child worth protecting, it would be one thing, but Princess Palfil isn't worth risking the blood tax of Weed's citizens, the lives of our soldiers, or our own lives.
"Still, we declared our protection of the princess. If we just toss her aside and she ends up getting her head chopped off for defying the Zurable Great Empire, that would be problematic for us as well."
"Well, yes. The names of Weed and Seasifo would be dragged through the mud. We, too, wish to avoid the names of our collaborators being tarnished."
"..." "..."
Both of them are drinking their tea with truly troubled expressions. She really is a handful...
"For the time being, it would be best to isolate her somewhere where she cannot exert influence."
That really is the only option, isn't it? For us, the optimal solution is to have her stay somewhere where the prestige of the Gusdo Kingdom cannot reach.
"I suppose that is the best course of action. If she remains here, she might incite the remnants of the Gusdo Kingdom. *Sigh*, understood. In that case, we will have Princess Palfil seek asylum in Weed or Seasifo. That should allow us to postpone the problem for a while."
"I cannot think of any other method at the moment, either. But, are you sure about this?"
"Whether it's good or bad, if we're not careful, we can see a future where we end up hostile toward the very Princess Palfil we tried to save. I don't want to be the one to 'remove' her myself. Personally speaking, that is."
"I understand. I, too, do not take pleasure in removing the heads of young women. Goodness, countries are such troublesome things."
They really are. However, it is also true that if we decide the answer on our own, various problems will arise. I’m sure my husband understands that much, but...
"Still, even if I decide on asylum on my own, Princess Palfil will likely be dissatisfied."
"Well, putting aside whether she could win or not, it would mean abandoning her homeland. It is unlikely that the royal family would approve of asylum. That is precisely why the Gusdo Kingdom challenged me—the Zurable Great Empire—to the very end."
"For now, let's try talking to her. It seems she was considering seeking asylum on a Seasifo ship from the beginning anyway."
"Ah, if that is the context, it might work."
I see. If it’s the asylum Princess Palfil and her people were originally considering, perhaps the backlash won't be as severe.
"Then, can we assume that the treatment of Princess Palfil is left to us to decide?"
"Indeed. It is Weed and Seasifo that hold Aurelia, and as long as you do not unleash Princess Palfil, I will not interfere."
*Phew.* I think we can consider Princess Palfil's life secured for now. But how should I explain it to her?
"I'd like to say it's a relief, but it's hard to say if she'll actually accept asylum just like that."
"Hm? Ah, is it because you, Lord Yuki, defeated my army? She might think that if she fights with the power of Weed, she can win. How troublesome."
"Yes, truly. Well, we will do our best not to cause you any trouble."
Indeed. If Princess Palfil and her people mistakenly believe they can use us, it will be a real headache. Well, regardless, we will do our best to persuade her.
"I hope so. Well, if it proves impossible, just say the word. I don't mind bearing the infamy. This trade is just that important. Besides, one or two stains on my reputation... well, it’s nothing new at this point."
Emperor Eupia says this with a self-deprecating laugh. It’s a smile that really shows how much he’s been through.
"Understood. If it comes to that, we will consult with you."
"Very well. Then, shall we agree that the Zurable Great Empire and Weed will officially establish diplomatic relations and conduct trade? Or are there still other conditions?"
"Ah, establishing diplomatic relations and trading is no problem. Well, there are other things we would like information on, but that can wait until after we sign this treaty."
"That is true. We, too, would like to provide as much information as possible regarding the old imperial faction. But before that, may I also convey our conditions for establishing diplomatic relations with you?"
Ah, that’s right. Up until now, it had only been our conditions. They must have their own demands as well.
"We cannot accept any unreasonable demands, you know?"
"My, I don't intend to say anything that difficult. Some of it is already included in the conditions you presented earlier, Lord Yuki. It isn't that much."
"Included in what we presented?"
"The matter of Princess Palfil and the remnants of the Gusdo Kingdom. You taking that off our hands is a great help."
Well, I suppose so. Princess Palfil is currently just a lump of trouble. And after Emperor Eupia laughed heartily for a while, he immediately returned to a serious expression...