第１１６９堀：合流 (Part2)
"Wait, Kirika, was it really alright for you to show your face?"
"Yes. Since they aim to become the Master's right hand, they must eventually meet me. To avoid that would be to admit they have no future here."
"Fair point, I suppose."
"With that said, Lady Orelia, Lady Yayui, Lady Hobis, it is a pleasure to meet you. I am Kirika, and I serve as the Master’s personal guard."
Kirika bowed low as she spoke. If we were the right hand of diplomacy, was she perhaps the left hand of martial force? More importantly, seeing the deep trust placed in her by the likes of Lady Tori and Lady Riel, it was clear her standing was far above our own.
"We are honored to meet you. We look forward to working with you."
We offered our greetings, hoping to bridge the distance between us.
"I sincerely hope you all prove useful to the Master."
"Now, now, don't push them too hard. Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. Anyway, now that introductions are out of the way, let’s talk about what’s next. We’re continuing the rounds, but from here on out, I’ll be accompanying you to assess the current situation."
"But, Master, we have already met with the prominent figures of Weed, have we not?"
I tilted my head in confusion. We had already been granted an audience with Her Majesty the Queen herself—was there truly anyone left in Weed who required Yuki-sama’s personal presence? He answered with a natural, unadorned ease.
"Ah, well, these are meetings with people outside of Weed. If I don't facilitate them, it could lead to various complications."
"No, in fact, you wouldn't even be able to secure a meeting in the first place. Besides, we must inform them that Lady Orelia, Lady Yayui, and Lady Hobis will be acting as Yuki-sama’s proxies moving forward."
"..."
We were left speechless by the weight of Yuki-sama’s 'plans.' To be dealing with people *outside* of Weed meant we would be facing high-ranking figures from other nations. He intended to introduce us—novices who had yet to learn the ropes—to such people immediately?
"I know you're nervous, but don't worry too much. The people who come to me for requests aren't just high-ranking officials from other countries. There are commoners from abroad, too."
"E-excuse me? What exactly do you mean by that?"
"Sigh. Master, you aren't being clear. Lady Yayui, Lady Orelia, Lady Hobis—when we say 'commoners,' we are referring to those who still hold a certain degree of influence. Merchants, local town leaders, and the like. The Master is a very kind man, so he maintains relationships with such people, but given how busy he has been lately..."
"He simply doesn't have the time to spare. We try to assist him, but..."
"And we have our own duties to attend to here, after all."
Once they put it that way, Yayui, Hobis, and I finally understood.
"I see. So, we are to be in charge of meeting with those individuals."
"Exactly. That said, you will, of course, be meeting with high-ranking officials from other nations as well. You need to establish a rapport with them. You are my proxies, after all. If any trouble arises, those are the people you will need to rely on."
"...Y-yes, understood."
It was true. As long as we were operating in foreign lands, greeting the local powers was non-negotiable. Or rather, it was impossible to avoid such encounters entirely.
"Well, there's no need to worry yourselves to death. For today, I’m planning to take you to meet someone who handles matters for the smaller nations—a noble of sorts."
"A contact for smaller nations?"
I struggled to grasp the meaning. While I understood that dealing with high-ranking nobles was beyond our current capabilities, what kind of person would be assigned to handle smaller nations?
"I see no reason to hide it, so I'll tell you now: the person in charge is Princess Fiora of the Dafaio Kingdom."
"A princess!?"
Wait, please, hold on. Even if it is a smaller nation, they are using a royal princess as a contact person!? The very idea was beyond my comprehension. As we stood there in shock, Kirika clapped her hands together, drawing our attention.
"I understand your surprise, but think carefully. What were the original standings of the people in Weed you have met thus far? Ah, perhaps you don't remember? Or perhaps you were never aware?"
Kirika stared at us with a cold, piercing gaze, clearly exasperated by our ignorance. Of course, we knew. We were well aware of the backgrounds of Yuki-sama’s wives. It would be inexcusable not to know such things.
"Ah, I see how it is now. Yuki-sama’s wives are all prominent figures from great powers, aren't they? Meanwhile, Lady Tori and Lady Riel were once slaves, but they’re already swamped with work here in Weed."
As Hobis noted, Yuki-sama’s wives were accustomed to the politics of great powers and were ill-suited for dealing with smaller nations or commoners. That was precisely why a princess was needed to handle the smaller states.
"I am glad to see you understand. As expected of those chosen by the Master. With that settled, we shall head to the Dafaio Kingdom to discuss the recruitment of Princess Fiora and a few other matters. I look forward to working with you."
"Yes!"
Even so, for now, all we could do was conduct ourselves in a way that would not bring shame upon Yuki-sama. That was where we had to start. Commoners, thrust into meetings with foreign dignitaries after only a few days. One wonders if they will be able to endure such a grueling workplace.
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