Once Alice had finished delivering the necessary information, she vanished as if to say she had conveyed all that needed to be said. The room returned to how it had been before her appearance, though the atmosphere certainly did not.
Before Alice appeared, the discussion had mostly been Chris and Eris advising Marie on how to handle the situation. But now, that dynamic had shifted dramatically.
Given the weight of any matter involving Shallow Vernal, neither Chris nor Eris could remain uninvolved.
[……Even if we can finally see a ray of hope regarding the tribute to Shallow Vernal-sama, we will need to act with extreme caution when dealing with the golden ripples afterward. With it being a mystical fruit created by the Gods, it will inevitably carry religious implications, and there’s a chance the Godism Church might move as well. The easiest route for the country would be to give Lady Marie a title and establish her as independent under some pretext…… but that is rather unrealistic, isn’t it?]
[Y- Yes. Marie hasn’t received any of the education required of a noble family head. She’s only been trained enough to behave properly as a lower noble’s daughter. To enter political and social circles as a family head would be……]
[……It would only increase Lady Marie’s burden instead. Even if she were to start learning now, it would take too long. It would never even be in time to handle golden ripple confections popping around, so that option is impossible.]
As Emperor, Chris would have preferred to handle the golden ripple matter separately from the broader affairs of the Western Region, but from the difficult expression on Baron Ritch’s face and her own thoughts, it was clear this could not be done.
Since Marie is a young lady of the Ritch Barony, factional considerations within the nobility also came into play, which plicated the procedures further.
If Marie had already received the education necessary for a family head as Eris had, Chris would have liked to grant her a title and place her under the direct protection of the state as an important figure.
[……plaints will arise that a high noble is interfering with the affairs of a lower noble, but in the matter of the golden ripples, the Hamilton Marquisdom should take the lead.]
[That’s true. It will cause Marquis Hamilton some trouble, but for Lady Marie and the Ritch Barony, that would be the solution with the least burden.]
Chris agreed with the words Marquis Hamilton muttered while thoughtfully touching his chin. Eris, who immediately understood their intention, also spoke after a moment of reflection.
[……At least publicly, we can present the golden ripple as a joint undertaking between the Ritch Barony and the Hamilton Marquisdom, while ensuring the impression that the Hamilton Marquisdom is leading the effort. That way, if any demands for the golden ripple are addressed to the Ritch Barony, they can refuse by saying “The distribution rights are held by the Hamilton Marquisdom; please direct inquiries there”. If people believe the Ritch Barony holds the authority, it wouldn’t be surprising if someone attempted to pressure them by force.]
[Ahh, regarding the matter with the Sharon count family, I stayed out of it because they have enough power to handle it themselves…… but the Ritch Barony cannot possibly handle this alone.]
[Yes…… It’s embarrassing to say this, but although I am the family head, I have little experience with noble bargaining and negotiations. I can’t hope to navigate this skillfully…… If the Hamilton Marquisdom is willing to take the lead, it would be a tremendous help.]
Hearing Eris and Marquis Hamilton’s words, Baron Ritch nodded visibly in relief. This matter had long since exceeded what he could manage himself, so Hamilton Marquisdom stepping in was more than wele.
[We’ll work out the specifics later, but the Hamilton Marquisdom will support you regarding the golden ripples. However, when it es to the western development issue, that cannot be led by us.]
[ [ ……Western development? ] ]
Both Baron Ritch and Marie wore identical expressions, their faces clearly saying “This is the first we’ve heard of that”.
It was natural for Marie, but Baron Ritch, with few connections to merchants and a weak information network, also had not yet learned anything about western development.
Seeing their reactions, Chris nodded lightly and began to explain the matter to Baron Ritch and Marie.
[It isn’t confirmed, merely a deduction based on the current situation…… but it appears that the Lord Trading pany is preparing for western development. Specifically, they seem to be moving toward constructing a Teleportation Gate in the Ritch Barony.]
[A- A Teleportation Gate!?]
[Eh? Ehhh…… the Lord Trading pany…… Eh? I thought it was about purchasing ripples……]
Both Baron Ritch and Marie looked utterly stunned, as though cold water had been dumped over their heads. At the same time, they remembered the letter they had received, one requesting a meeting with the Lord Trading pany.
To them, it had simply been about negotiating the purchase of ripples…… the idea that a matter as enormous as a Teleportation Gate might be involved had never even crossed their minds, so they could not keep up with the situation.
Chris then explained, along with her own predictions, the movements suggesting development in the western region and what the future might hold…… By the time she finished, Baron Ritch and Marie had gone pale as sheets, trembling uncontrollably.
Serious-senpai : [……Is that okay? At this rate, Marie’s stomach might not even exist anymore.]
? ? ? : [What’s really terrifying is that, timeline-wise, it hasn’t even been 10 days since Kaito-san and Marie-san met.]
Serious-senpai : [The Stomachache Devil is way too devilish……]
User Comments
0 comments from readers