第１２１８堀：意味の分からない話 (Part1)
Chapter 1218: A Conversation That Makes No Sense
Side: Mikos
"Can't you find a way to finagle this vehicle for me?"
The captain of the unit dispatched from Haiden as my escort has been repeating the same demand to me, Mikos, over and over again.
"As I have stated repeatedly, any negotiations regarding supplies of this nature must be conducted through Princess Carrie. I possess absolutely no authority in this matter."
I repeated the same line with practiced, icy politeness—I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve said it by now. Honestly, I wish he’d stop; I’m the one trying to drive here.
"You know full well that I’m not asking for some rigid, bureaucratic procedure. I’m simply asking you to use your personal connections to divert one my way."
"I have no such connections."
Well, if I, Mikos, were to beg Yuki-sensei for one, he’d surely give it to me, but there isn’t a single reason in the world for me to do such a thing for a man like this.
Actually, the reason I’m the one driving while dealing with these idiots is...
*“Mikos. As planned, I am gathering members with ties to the anti-royalist faction to serve as your escort. They will likely make various demands, but do not accept them under any circumstances. I will use the recordings of this to interrogate them later. I don’t expect them to be so blatant as to issue direct orders, but if they do, you are free to strike them down. That said, I would appreciate it if you could exercise as much restraint as possible.”*
Yes, this is a strategy devised by Princess Carrie.
While those who openly flaunt their opposition have gone into hiding, the "anti-royalist faction" still exists within Haiden. They aren't exactly religious zealots, but they are a collection of people who oppose the current system and policies. Specifically, they are fools who insist that the Kingdom of Haiden, a major power, should hold dominance over Weed, a mere small nation. They are people who have no idea of Weed’s true strength, yet they spout such nonsense.
So, the Princess is using this opportunity to show off things like these vehicles to discipline them properly, and for the fools who still don't get it, she intends to have their heads later.
"Tch. You’re just a little girl from a Baron’s house, don't get cocky. You should just listen to what I say. If you want, you can just hand it over to me under the guise of a 'loan'."
"That is impossible."
Honestly, how many times does he intend to make me repeat myself? I’m starting to get genuinely irritated.
"In the first place, this vehicle won't move just because you have it. You need fuel, and it requires maintenance. You can only operate it once you have all that infrastructure in place."
"Then you should just bring all that equipment along with it. Or, surely you could just build it yourself?"
Is this guy actually an idiot?
"Do you think the tools required to maintain a vehicle of this size are small? Carrying them around is incredibly difficult. And if you could build them yourselves, you would have developed them independently by now, wouldn't you?"
That’s right. Yuki-sensei has never once denied the idea of others learning about cars and developing them on their own. In fact, he has already provided various materials through Princess Carrie to serve as samples and references for Haiden. The fact that they still haven't managed to build one is...
"If we could do that, we wouldn't be struggling. That is precisely why I need the real thing. With it, I can gain significant political leverage within Haiden."
I have absolutely no idea what he’s talking about anymore. Sure, if they succeeded in producing cars independently within Haiden, their influence would grow, but...
"If you cannot produce it yourself, it is meaningless."
"Nonsense. Once I have a finished product, imitation is easy. After all, even a small, backwater nation like Weed managed to do it. That is why I am telling you to hand it over."
I stared at him, stunned by his flower-field logic. What kind of brain does he have to think that just having a finished product makes it easy to replicate? We’ve already given them all the necessary documentation, and they still haven't managed it.
"Besides, there is no benefit in it for me. More importantly, if I were to do such a thing, not only would my head roll, but yours would too."
"That is why I am telling you to cooperate 'silently.' The benefit for you is the promotion and security of the Jaria house. You wouldn't want to be the concubine of some soft, effeminate man from an unknown little country, would you?"
*Snap.*
I don't care how much they want to play their little power games within Haiden, but I will never, ever forgive anyone who insults Yuki-sensei. That is the absolute rule for us wives. It’s completely different from when the children affectionately call him "Baka" (idiot); this was clearly meant to demean him. I cannot tolerate such malicious words.
Deciding that it was worth wasting the time to properly educate him, I slammed on the brakes, bringing the bus to a sudden halt.
"Whoa!?"
The idiot who had been standing behind me, trying to persuade me, lost his balance and tumbled onto the floor.
"Ugh, what in the..."
"That’s my line. You have the audacity to insult my husband—are you prepared for the consequences? Furthermore, to spout such insolence while knowing Weed’s standing is to degrade the position of Haiden itself."
As I said this, I grabbed the idiot by the scruff of his neck and hoisted him up. Well, since I’m shorter than him, he ended up in a kneeling position, but he still couldn't shake my arm off his collar.
"Gah—y-you... what..."
"Don't make me say it again. Even if I am a concubine, I am the 'wife of Yuki, the Prince Consort of Weed.' It is only natural that I work for the prosperity of my nation. I accepted this escort duty at Princess Carrie's request for the sake of my motherland, but I cannot accept someone who demeans Weed and brings ruin to Haiden as a guard for Yuki-sensei."
I told him flatly. It’s only natural. After hearing that remark, no one but a fool would think this man is capable of providing proper protection.
By the way, the soldiers in the back seats finally seemed to grasp the situation, and they all stood up.
"W-wait! I will not tolerate such insolence!"
One man shouted, reaching for his sword. Following his lead, about a third of them did the same. But the rest of the soldiers looked confused. They probably realize that drawing their swords on me—one of the people they are supposed to be protecting—is completely backwards.
Above all, this escort mission was ordered not by the Princess, but formally under the name of the King. If you think about it normally, it’s obvious who is in the wrong.