第１２３０堀：こっちもこっちで頑張ります (Part1)
Chapter 1230: We’ll Do Our Best on This Side, Too
Side: Ratz
*Clang, clang...*
The bell chimed as I stepped into the cafe.
"Welcome, Ratz-sama."
"Hi there! I’m here for some delicious coffee again today."
As a rabbit beastman mother with a little one at home, I was here for a mix of official business and a much-needed breather at my favorite haunt.
"A table for..."
"I’m meeting a friend today. Oh! Yoo-hoo, sorry to keep you waiting."
I scanned the cafe, spotted my companion, and waved. She noticed me and waved back.
"Understood. The usual for your drink?"
"Yes, please. Café au lait, extra milk, served hot."
I may be a "grown-up," but I’ve never been a fan of black coffee; café au lait is just so much easier to drink. With that thought in mind, I sat down across from the person I was meeting.
"Honestly, it’s such a shame that even on our days off, we end up talking shop over tea, isn't it?"
"Haha, well, that’s just the nature of our positions, isn't it? But hey, we’re friends, so this is still better than dealing with people we don't know, right? Isn't that so, Charl?"
We lamented our busy lives, both of us burdened with the weight of our respective nations.
Yes, sitting across from me was Charl, the third princess of the Gartz Kingdom, who manages finance and import-export, and is also Shera’s older sister. Our relationship began about a month after Shera married Yuki, back when we traveled to Gartz to secure support for Weed’s independence. We’ve been close ever since.
"I suppose. Dealing with envoys from other countries is always a game of cat and mouse. And it’s not like sister Lowel is any help with that sort of thing..."
"Well, Lowel is a general, after all. But surely she isn't completely incapable of that kind of maneuvering? Even Seraria says she isn't a fool."
Lowel is the second princess of Gartz and sister to Charl and Shera. She’s the wielder of the legendary shield passed down in Gartz and stands at the pinnacle of their military. Perhaps because her position is similar to Seraria’s, they’ve been good friends for a long time. She often comes to Weed to see the children and ends up sparring with Seraria, which always makes Yuki-oniisama sigh.
After all, Yuki-oniisama is absolutely devoted to us. I know he’d prefer we didn't do anything dangerous. But putting that aside, while she might be a battle junkie, it seems she isn't entirely hopeless when it comes to negotiations.
"Ugh. She’s definitely not a fool, I’ll give you that. She has an instinctive knack for avoiding the most critical pitfalls. But no matter what I ask—be it motives, objectives, methods, or predicted outcomes—she just says it’s all 'intuition.' She won't loosen the purse strings for that."
"Ahaha. That sounds exactly like her."
Yeah, if you ask for money or supplies without any concrete documents or a clear vision, it’s never going to fly in Weed. Eris, my successor Tepha, Non, and the rest of the juniors would shut that down in a heartbeat. Well, we’d be the ones getting angry if they didn't, of course.
As we traded half-hearted complaints, my café au lait arrived. I took a sip and let out a sigh of relief.
"Phew. Still as good as ever. Oniisama’s brewing is great, but there’s something to be said for this, too."
"Your husband really does love housework, doesn't he?"
"He does. And it’s delicious."
"Do you think I could come over for a meal again?"
"Of course! If you let me know the schedule in advance, Oniisama will be happy to prepare something for you."
"Good. I have some things I want to discuss regarding sweets, so I’ll let you know once I’ve settled on a date."
"Sounds like a plan!"
Since Charl is Shera’s sister, she occasionally stops by the inn to relax and have a meal. Her relationship with Oniisama is excellent, so it’s really just a family affair at this point.
"Now, let’s put the small talk aside and finish up the work so we can enjoy the rest of our time."
"Understood."
I pushed my café au lait to the side and handed the documents I’d brought to Charl.
"Can I look at these now?"
"Of course."
As I answered, Charl began to scan the papers. It was quite a sight to see her chest pressed against the table as she turned the pages. She might not be on Rurua’s level, but she’s definitely bigger than me. I wonder why she’s still single?
While I was lost in thought, Charl finished reading and looked up with a serious expression.
"...A study abroad program? So, you’ve finally decided to go through with it?"
"Well, I suppose you could say things have finally settled down on our end. Until now, we’ve been entirely focused on coordinating intercontinental exchanges."
"That’s true. Things have calmed down quite a bit for us, too. Though, inevitably, a certain number of idiots still pop up."
"Well, that’s just the providence of the world. A certain percentage of people will always be idiots. By the way, you’re aware that Oniisama and the others are currently surveying the New Continent, right?"
"Yes. The 'Goblin Village,' was it? They’re visiting that place. But by our common sense, that sounds like a 'nest' of goblins, doesn't it?"
"It does, doesn't it? But apparently, it’s no different from a village of ordinary people. I’ll provide a detailed report on that later. Anyway, the kingdom protecting that village is called the Zufuia Kingdom. Weed’s name recognition is still quite low there, so the procedures took an unexpectedly long time."
"Isn't that to be expected? It’s a matter between nations, and besides, Oniisama was busy being kidnapped, fighting, negotiating, and moving from one battlefield to another in the New Continent, wasn't he?"
"That’s true. That’s exactly why we’re doing this." I pointed to the documents in Charl’s hands.
"Ah, so this is for the future. In a way, it’s inevitable."
"Exactly. Since things have calmed down, we need this. If we want to visit other countries, it takes an enormous amount of time if there’s no prior recognition or understanding. Even now, if we accidentally pull up in a car, we’re usually met by a whole battalion of soldiers."
"Ahahaha. I know that feeling. I was the same way at first. Still, just making the car a known entity would make things easier, wouldn't it? Oh, I see—that’s why a study abroad program is a good idea. Instead of dragging high-ranking officials to meetings every time, you invite young people who don't have that kind of baggage and teach them that 'intercontinental exchange is moving with Weed at the center.'"
"That’s the plan. Of course, we’ll provide opportunities to learn about magic and technology as well..."
"And that brings us to the issue of the content."
"Precisely."
To be blunt, the document I handed her only stated, "We want to implement a study abroad program in Weed." It lacked any concrete details. In reality, we’ll decide the specifics after Oniisama returns, but I wanted to get an acquaintance’s opinion before then.
"If I’m being honest, I’d love for Weed to disclose all of its technology."