第１８２１堀：期待とはプレッシャーである (Part2)
When Prof said that, Orelia and the others waiting nearby nodded. Yes, Prof and the others are truly meticulous about such things. I'm glad Yuki has attendants for these kinds of situations.
"So, since you're here, I assume preparations are complete?"
"No problem. We're ready."
"Mikos-chan as well."
"Good, then let's go."
And so, Mikos-chan and Yuki were to meet with King Oue as scheduled. They had already been informed of our arrival, and we were led to the conference room without delay.
"Welcome, Yuki."
Upon entering the conference room, we were greeted not by the senior vassals, but by King Oue, Princess Suena, and Captain Martin of the Royal Guard. A thought crossed my mind: *Why?* I thought kings and princesses should be grandly positioned deeper within the room. Well, technically, Yuki is a consort, so their response isn't wrong, but King Oue is also the type to be deeply compassionate, much like Yuki.
"King Oue, and Princess, thank you for coming all this way to greet us."
Yuki, too, properly responded to King Oue and the Princess, following up. It was quite surprising, really, especially since we were the ones initiating the discussion.
"No, not at all. As we are welcoming the consort of Weed, it is only proper that the entire nation should come out to greet him."
"Yes. As my father, His Majesty, says. It is an immense honor for Oue to welcome Yuki and your party. I truly understood this again at yesterday's Glass Port Town completion party."
Ah, I see. The Oue Kingdom has realized its position. Well, only the major powers from each continent had properly offered greetings. They had clearly explained the background, or rather, the national power. That was also meant to tell Oue not to make unreasonable demands of Weed, and that they were borrowing power from a nation of such magnitude. Princess Carrie, for instance, had explained Haiden's national power to some extent, and then explicitly stated that it still couldn't compare to Weed. In other words, Oue, with less national power than Haiden, was even further down the hierarchy. That's why they were showing such respect. While the feeling of overdoing it was undeniable, it was still understandable.
"Ahaha, I am honored to hear you say so, but our Intercontinental Exchange Alliance consists of allies. We hope Oue can also join our ranks."
"Yes. Once this conflict ends, we sincerely hope to formally join the Alliance."
That's natural, isn't it? If they can formally join the Intercontinental Exchange Alliance, it will not only protect their nation but also provide an opportunity for significant growth. It's not necessarily about relying on other countries. No, relying on them is certainly part of it, but it also means strengthening themselves. It's hard to put into words.
"Then, to that end, let us begin discussions on resolving this conflict."
"Yes. And today, was it about wanting us to take those two individuals with the envoys sent to various regions?"
"Yes. By having these two accompany the envoys to influential southern nations, we will demonstrate Oue's advantageous position, and simultaneously prove Weed's authenticity."
"I see. Indeed, words alone are difficult. Had we not seen Glass Port Town and the grandeur of Weed ourselves, we too would have been skeptical."
That's right. Seeing Weed itself makes it undeniably clear. Mikos-chan, Kagura, and Princess Carrie were all dumbfounded by it.
"So, these two will explain Weed, transport Weed's goods, and by explaining them, we plan to raise awareness in other countries. However, regarding the goods, there might be items that are taboo or unacceptable based on the recipient country's values. We would appreciate your help in judging these, and of course, with matters of etiquette."
"I see, that is certainly important. Suena, you were selecting them, weren't you? The country was, if I recall..."
"Yes. It's the Jeyaes Kingdom, which has its capital city nestled against a forest."
The Jeyaes Kingdom, then. That's the name of the country we're heading to. We'll hear the details about what kind of country it is from now on. Expectation, while linked to one's own confidence, is also the inverse of the inability to fail. It's a common narrative, isn't it? Human words, unexpectedly, carry significant weight.