第１３３６堀：急な休みの予定 (Part1)
Chapter 1336: Sudden Holiday Plans
Side: Kagura
"What on earth is the meaning of this?"
A voice cold enough to freeze the marrow of one's bones echoed through the magic communication device. The caller was Princess Carrie. The reason for her ire was the declaration I had just made: that I would be taking three days off.
"W-well, it is to celebrate the student exchange program across all of Weed. If we in leadership do not take the initiative to rest, our subordinates will never feel comfortable doing so themselves."
Though I was trembling inwardly, I had no choice but to state the facts plainly. I had been just as surprised as she was when Yuki brought it up at dinner.
*“Starting the day after tomorrow, we’re taking a three-day weekend. Have the subordinate organizations rotate their leave according to the public holiday rules so everyone gets their time off.”*
He had arrived with a permit signed by Seraria, and while the dinner table had erupted into chaos, we were eventually swayed by Yuki’s logic and agreed to take the break. Besides, the truth was that I wanted the time off to spend with Yuki.
When Yuki pointed out that we had been running our organizations in a way that made it impossible for our subordinates to take leave, even Eris and Ratz had been forced into silence. These were two women who, in terms of budget and resources, were arguably more powerful than Yuki himself. But to deny his point would have been an admission that they had built nothing but fragile, inefficient organizations.
And so, the decision was made. However, in my case, I had a superior even further up the chain.
While I am technically a resident of Weed as Yuki’s wife, I am also a scion of the Kamishiro Ducal House, formerly of Heiden. To ensure diplomatic relations remain smooth, I maintain regular contact with the Princess. Though the frequency of these calls has decreased since the Ministry of Foreign Affairs began its operations, my position as a direct line between the upper echelons means I cannot simply walk away from my duties. To the Princess, I am a vital source of information regarding Weed’s movements, and she is understandably troubled by the prospect of me taking leave without warning. After all, a break for me means a pause in negotiations between Weed and Heiden.
It was not a request the Princess could easily accept.
"...Hah. Your logic is sound, I suppose. We held the celebratory banquet with the diplomats in attendance, so it would not be strange to take a holiday. No, in fact, if we do not take this time, it might be perceived as a lack of confidence. We, too..."
Exactly. This policy applies not just to us in Weed, but to the entire Intercontinental Exchange Alliance. That includes the Princess and her court. If she were to object to this holiday, it would be tantamount to admitting that Heiden is ill-prepared and anxious. That is something the Princess, who values the prestige of the Heiden crown above all else, could never allow.
"...Grr. You told me this specifically because you knew I couldn't refuse, didn't you?"
"Not at all. I could hardly take leave without informing you. There is no issue if your side continues to operate as usual."
I had no choice but to say that. If another nation’s administration continues to function as normal, I have no right to dictate otherwise. We are simply taking a holiday to celebrate the commencement of the Alliance’s student exchange program. No one has the right to complain about that. Of course, if other nations demanded we cancel, it might become complicated, but it is only for three days.
Furthermore, it does not mean the administration will grind to a halt. It simply means that responses to those of us in the upper echelons will be delayed by three days. As for the subordinates, they will be taking their leave in shifts. The original plan was for a single day off, but we decided to have each department split into teams and take the full three-day weekend in rotation.
My department, in truth, deals primarily with the Princess and the Heiden-bound section of the Foreign Ministry, so it isn't overly difficult to manage. In fact, the moment I announced it, everyone in the office threw their hands up in joy. It made me realize just how much we had been pushing them. Yuki was right; if we don't force ourselves to take a break, our subordinates never will.
"However, what will you do if a critical situation arises during those three days?"
"That will be fine. Even though we are on holiday, this hotline with you, Princess, remains open. You may contact me as usual. However, standard paperwork and meetings will be delayed by three days. Besides, it is not uncommon for high-ranking officials involved in foreign diplomacy to be away for a week, a month, or even two. Compared to that, this is nothing."
"...I suppose you are right. *Sigh.* I suppose it is not a problem if it makes things more convenient. It does feel as though we have been working without rest, doesn't it?"
It seemed the Princess had finally realized that taking a break would not be the catastrophe she feared. Thanks to communication technology and the Gates, the rapid exchange of information and the near-instantaneous movement of goods and people have made high-speed work the norm, causing us to forget the necessity of rest. We are no different.
"Yes. It seems Yuki noticed that and forced a stop to it. Regardless of us, our subordinates cannot keep up at this pace."
"...The recent movements have indeed been intense. The student exchange program is easy to say, but the coordination is incredibly taxing. And with the establishment of the International Investigation Team, there are still many loose ends. We have been granted time, but I cannot say we have been particularly kind to our subordinates."
"Heiden has been pushing itself hard to compensate for what was lost since that incident. It is not my place to say, but..."
"I understand. Perhaps it is time we, too, took a breath. I shall consider it—no, I will decide on a holiday and contact you again."
"Yes."
With that, the communication ended.
"Phew."
"That went well. I was worried about what we would do if the Princess didn't agree," I said, letting out a sigh of relief alongside Mikos.
"You didn't need to worry so much. For all her airs, Carrie is quite reasonable," Enola remarked.
"That’s easy for you to say, Enola, since you’re on equal footing with her. But for me, she is my social and political superior. I have to be careful."
"But you're Yuki's wife now, aren't you? You don't really think Heiden is above Weed, do you?"
"Even if I married Yuki, it doesn't mean the Kamishiro Ducal House suddenly ranks above the Royal Family. I have a certain amount of influence, yes, but to flaunt it would be to invite the overthrow of the Heiden monarchy. That would only lead to chaos. I would never do such a thing."
As a Ducal House, we want the Heiden Royal Family to endure. That is why I do not behave in a way that ignores them, and Weed understands that perfectly well.