Book 7: Chapter 10: Strategy Meeting

Suzette, Annette, and I.

The three of us returned to the city of Blossom.

I had Lady Annette successfully sneaked out, finally leading to the wagon we had discreetly prepared in advance. As to not stand out, the wagon, not only it was a bit smaller, it also had other commodities used as cover for our disguise, so we have no choice but to wrap our bodies across a tight space on our way home.

To be honest, one of the plans included taking her away from the mansion, if the other party allows it. Being put in an isolated environment, were everyone around makes cold gazes at you is nothing but torture, and leaving her behind after gathering that much intel is just outright cruel and ungrateful, no different from her ex-husband. If not for my intrusion, I wouldn’t be surprised if she took her life then and there.

Thankfully, we came just right in time.

However, each time the wagon bounced on the rough road, I get sandwiched on either side by the soft sensation of the two women. Soon, the cramped interior was filled with the smell of these elegant beauties, and before I realized, my head was already spinning, but certainly not of motion sickness. The journey was a peaceful one, yet I had a really difficult time.

This chapter is translated by rocheneorecormon of stabbingwithasyringe translations.

By the time we arrived to the city, I was already delirious from the heat of the cramped wagon, in all meanings.

Soon as they have found the wagon we are riding in, Irene and the others immediately rushed over.

“Welcome back, you two……ara?”

I introduced Annette to Irene, I which she accepted at once.

“Welcome to Blossom, Lady Annette.”

“thank……you.”

Annette responds, choking on her words from being deeply moved. This city shall provide her an easier way of life, far from discrimination from the outside.

The three of us then went into the mansion along with the newcomer.

Edith and the others were already waiting in the room we were led into, ready to hear our reports.

Among them was Mio, the daughter of the ambassador, who had come from the country of Kyou. She was as graceful and luxurious as the last time I saw her.

“It’s been a long time, boy.”

As soon as Mio finds me, she raises her hand lightly. Even such a trivial action from her is delicate and feminine.

“Master, I’m glad you are safe.”

Edith, who’s being polite in front of Irene, greeted me with a radiant smile.

“……Tomo.”

The last one was Julie, who welcomed me with her modest and soft tone.

Irene, the mayor of the town.

Edith, the princess knight and bodyguard.

Julie, the dark elf and powerful magic user.

Suzette, the parliament official.

Annette, the minister’s ex-five, who knows about the major faction.

And finally, Mio, the daughter of the ambassador, who possess great influence over a country.

So many members of different affiliations have gathered in this room. Yet, they all have the same circumstances.

But, at this moment, things were about to change.

These women will change the future ―― of their lives, this city, and this country, starting today.

***

We sat around a large round table that was prepared beforehand, and as we drink the tea made by the maids, I first introduced Annette to them.

After a bit of a briefing, the strategy meeting to get the country to recognize this city began.

“First, let’s go over the information we have gathered.”

At Irene’s words, I immediately began my speech.

“As we all know, the minister who was Annette’s ex-husband is the head of the current leading faction – the faction advocating appearance discrimination. Apparently, he’s done all sorts of bad things to get to his current position, but what currently stands out above is his embezzlement of taxes.”

While embezzlement of government funds is pretty common major offense for men with power in our world, it seems that it possessed greater impact here, seeing the surprised look on their faces. It was almost on the level when I first heard people of this world were still using human sacrifices, just to appease the weather. That’s how big the scandal is for the minister.

“Well then, my turn.”

Mio began her speech gracefully.

“I used my father’s connections to gather the minority group and collected information from them while he’s still in the castle. Since his very own daughter was barred from entering, many were very dissatisfied by the matter, thus almost all of them personally offered us their assistance, which was a good thing.”

Mio smiled a little wickedly and continued with her story.

“I carefully sifted through all of them and divided them into two groups: those who were simply trying to curry favor with the ambassador, and those who were seriously trying to rub it in with the ambassador. In fact, I have already met with a few of them.”

“Hmm, Well, from the perspective of the minority faction, disrupting major channels to Kyou would be a large hit to them, especially when it comes to the big merchants who are dissatisfied with the current system.”

Suzette nodded in consent.

“If the minister is found to be embezzling, the major faction will lose a lot of their funding, while the minority will then gain chucks of it – if things go on the right track of course.”

“Right. And as for the public sentiment, the distrust of the majority faction, to which the embezzling minister belongs, will grow.”

Suzette took over from Irene’s words, while Julie nodded as she listened. It’s always been the case that she doesn’t speak up much herself.

However, today, Edith is surprisingly quiet, as I turn my gaze at her. She had a difficult look on her face and seemed to be thinking about something else.

“Scandal with the major faction, The minority gaining economic advantage……oh no.”

“What’s wrong?”

Just when I though we could overturn it in one fell swoop……I asked Mio, who blurted back.

“No, it’s not that I’m rejecting, but I feel that we’re still lacking a few steps……something that can tip the scale in an instant. We’re about to do some big change, after all.”

“It’s because we won’t get a second chance if we fail this. However, if we don’t decide quickly, we’ll lose everything.”

“……not moving, correct answer?”

As expected of a patient person, Julie opted for a more cautious option.

“The only problem is that we’re not sure if the other side will stay put while we wait for the opportunity.”

Spoke Suzette in a small groan.

After all, we and the rest of the minority, have been moving too flamboyantly lately. It wouldn’t be surprising if our movements were leaked out to the opposing faction from somewhere.

“We’re not sure if this will lead to a sink or swim match but……when in doubt, it’s better to go on an offensive, or so they say…”

Mio let out her suggestion once we couldn’t decide.

However, Irene is troubled upon hearing the whole thing.

We can’t afford to lose this city.

The main reason for all the people who live here is because they have no other place to go. If we lose this city, they’ll lose everything as well.

And that pressure is all on Irene, who is in charge of everything.

Whether we stay put or whether we move forward, either path is a huge risk.

However, both sides have a chance to win.

It’s a choice between two options that can change the right answer depending on how your opponent plays. The choice that cannot be mistaken is now sitting on Irene’s shoulders.

“……may I, have a word with you all?”

Edith, who been in deep thoughts all this time, unexpectedly spoke up.

Everyone’s attention is now drawn to her.

“The royal family of this country……especially the queen……”

Edith took a deep breath and began to speak slowly.

“I know I haven’t talked much about this, but originally, I was born in that castle.”

It was a story about her birth, and about her past that she doesn’t usually talk about on a daily basis.

“That castle?……Don’t tell me-!”

Edith’s confession took Annette by surprise. It was probably because the issue with regards to her circumstances hadn’t been made public very much.

It was the same for Mio, though her expression is more aloof than the former, perhaps because she wasn’t born in this country, or maybe it was just a trader’s sense of propriety.

“Have you ever seen my mother――the current queen?”

Edith asked, aiming primarily to Annette and Suzette.

“……Yes. She was a very beautiful person.”

Lady Annette replied, a bit reservedly. However, the beauty she spoke is by this world’s standards, which means that she’s nothing like the lovely Edith here.

“Yes. The Queen is a decent-looking person――but that’s nothing but a big fat lie.”

“Lie?”

Suzette raises her voice dubiously. For her, who is making a living while hiding her appearance with a mask, she maybe wondering what it means to reveal a ‘true face’ and lie about it.

“That figure was created by magic, and it’s not her real form.”

“……I, I never heard of such magic.”

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Julie, who possessed the largest amount of magic power, as well as its most skills among us, was puzzled as well. If the queen can do it, for sure, she can as well. However, if that was the case, she wouldn’t have come to this town in the first place.

“I don’t know how it works, or how she does it, but the queen once lifted her spell in my presence. It was still vivid like it just happened yesterday…”

Edith gave a nostalgic look at the air, then continued.

“One time, I already had enough of the teasing and insults, calling me names, as well as saying I am not the queen’s real daughter. I was not easily convinced at first, but as the insults kept repeating. Soon, I held my doubts as well, considering the huge difference in our appearances…”

“And, what happened after that?”

“I called out to her for help. I had an audience with her. I told her about my hardships and various things they had said, that I wasn’t the queen’s daughter and the like. From there, she lifted up her spell. It was the first time I saw her real face and body.”

Edith, word for word, continued with a look that reminded her of the old days.

“――Don’t listen to them, Edith. You are indeed my own daughter. And with her true appearance that resembled mine, she hugged me close.”

After Edith finished speaking, the room went silent. Edith looked around, then resumed her speech once more.

“I mean, yes. The queen’s appearance doesn’t really mesh with the current mainstream, which is why she hides it with magic. But on the other hand, she has never had good feelings about the appearance discrimination happening inside her country.”

Suzette then nodded to Edith’s words.

“I see, Her Majesty may not hold power for everything, but she does serve largely as a symbol to her people.”

“……in other words, if we have the queen’s cooperation, it will make it easier for the masses to follow us?”

Julie takes it over.

“And when we have the queen and the people on our side, they won’t be able to take us lightly anymore!”

At Mio’s outcry, Irene also nodded.

“I see. That’s’s right. Thank you, everyone.”

Irene looks around at everyone gathered in the room before speaking up.

“Let’s get the minister’s information out to the minority first, and let them make preparations for that one. In the meantime, we will have an audience with the Queen and try to obtain her cooperation. Do you have any objections?”

We shook our heads unanimously.

Finally, we are now going to make our moves in earnest.

To make this country recognize this city.

We must overturn the discrimination in this country against people based on their appearance, no matter what.