CH 303

At first, we have a meal that started quietly. If modern Japanese people see it, it may be something that they think of as Shojin cuisine. But of course, it’s not vegetarian food because it clearly contains fish dishes. It’s just that there are many dishes that you can think of as Shojin cuisine.

“Un… this satoimo no nimono1 is very delicious,” I said.

“Hey, Floto, why do you know about satoimo no nimono?” Mikoto asked. “I’ve never seen anything like this over there. Where did you hear about it?”

Ah~… I’ve done it again~~~!

Because! Because! It looks like it’s Japanese food, right? For the first time in 15, 16 years! Everyone would get excited!

“That aside… our country’s cuisine isn’t very popular with people from other countries,” Emperor Sumeragi added.

Bufu…! He’s coming at me, too…

No, that might be the case, right? If you’re not used to Japanese food, it’s often bland, and it’s made with dashi stock, so it’s different from Western-style sauces, isn’t it? Do you understand that?

But if you can eat Japanese food for the first time in 15-16 years, what will happen to anyone? They’ll be like this, right? It’s not my fault!

“And you’re very good at using chopsticks…” Empress Sumeragi said.

Bufuu….! Even the empress is poking at me! No, it’s no use! It’s all over for me~!

Ah, oh no. Apart from that, if it comes down to it, I can openly say, “What about it?” No need to rush. It’s a problem that can be dealt with calmly.

“Aaaaaa, arigatou gozaimasssssssuuuu…” I whimper.

No good……. I am totally upset… I’m too mentally weak!

After the self-sabotaging meal ended, everyone took a breather before the discussion began. Now comes the real business.

“First of all… Did you say you were Floto von Caan? What did you come to our country for?” Emperor Sumeragi said.

“Eh~… that’s right~…” I said.

Yabai……. My eyes are swimming… I mean… I didn’t have a particular purpose… is it because Mikoto wanted to go to the Demon Country? It’s easy to say, so if it’s that easy, why don’t you say it? What’s the problem? I came with such a casual reason, didn’t I?

“It’s as I said at the beginning, you know?” Mikoto cut-in. “It’s just sightseeing. Floto and I are getting married. That’s why I just wanted to introduce Floto to you, Otou-sama and Okaa-sama, and show her my hometown.”

“”…………””

Un… this silence hurts. That’s true, but the emperor and empress are staring at each other in silence. I don’t understand what Mikoto is doing by saying this.

“In the Kingdom of Ploiss…is it possible for same-sex marriage?” Emperor Sumeragi said.

I haven’t said I’m a woman! My name sounds like a man’s! I might be a man!

Not like I don’t know why~… no matter how you look at it, when you have these huge breasts, you’re a woman… I don’t know if there are androgynous people in this world, but at least there’s no chance of me being mistaken for a man with how feminine I look.

“No… same-sex marriage is not recognized in the Kingdom of Ploiss…” I said.

“”…………””

When I answered honestly, the two of them stared at each other in silence. I don’t know what they mean by that, but at least I know what we’re saying is wrong.

“Fumu… Well, that’s fine for the time being… so… you just came for sightseeing? Did you take that much risk?” Emperor Sumeragi said.

“That kind of risk…… are you talking about the teleportation gate?” I said, finally making a serious face.

I think I can finally hear what I want to hear.

“Umu… Originally, those who don’t have proof can’t pass through. You must have forced your way through with Mikoto, but it’s an extremely dangerous act.”

I knew it! Yaaparina! I thought it was because it was because of Mikoto! Why’d she do it so casually?! I risked my life! Wouldn’t it have been my end in that whirlpool, after all?!

“If you don’t mind… I would like you to tell me about that teleport gate, as long as you can tell me…” I said.

“”…………””

The two are also at each other again. Then, Emperor Sumeragi speaks:

“Very well. But perhaps I can’t tell you what you want to know.”

And with that, he launches into a discussion. It seems that in this country that is called the Amakuda, the Heavenly Fall. Wherever the whirlpools were, marked the boundary to heaven. Or something like that.

It’s all over the world, or rather, it’s flowing all over the world. It seems to be something like the so-called dragon vein or something like a leyline. That teleporter seems to be a method of traveling long distances in a short time by riding the flow of a dragon vein.

It’s flowing all over the world, so if you just jump in without proof, you don’t know where it will go. And you don’t know when or where you can get out. Simply put, it’s a water slide that has no exit and the entrance and exit are forever connected. If you jump into such a thing, you’ll be thrown somewhere in the world and lost, and in the worst case, you’ll just be swept away in the dragon’s vein’s flow forever.

For that reason, they need a technique and a signpost to get to the right exit reliably. It seems that was this proof Emperor Sumeragi was talking about.

It seems that proof is not a specific substance, but something like coordinates engraved on the body. The coordinates between this country and Hexennacht’s side of the Kingdom of Del are engraved on Mikoto. Therefore, if Mikoto is alone, it is possible to come and go through it.

But of course, I don’t have those coordinates engraved in me. That’s why Mikoto said that if we get separated, I’ll end up somewhere else.

I don’t understand the theory or rationale, and letting me do such a dangerous thing. I might have died… It makes me shudder to think so.

“It’s easy to carve out the coordinates of the same route you just took,” Emperor Sumeragi said. “Once you carve out the coordinates on yourself and learn how to use them, you won’t get lost. However… we don’t even know how to set up similar shrines like the one here. My apologies, but you can’t use it to go to other places freely.”

“Ahaha…”

They nipped that idea in the bud.

That’s right. I certainly thought that if I could figure out the teleport method, I would be able to travel freely around the world. It’s a great technique for someone like me who moves around a lot. I want it.

But as I understood after listening to the explanation, first of all, this teleport is not a teleporter, the way I understood it. It’s not like you can fly freely anywhere, it’s just something that crosses from one dragon vein outlet to another. You can only move to the fixed exit of the dragon vein, and you can’t go to a place where there is no outlet, to begin with.

And just like the emperor said, this technology doesn’t seem to have been created by them. No, they may have been created by their ancestors long ago, but they can’t create them now. The technique was not clarified and could not be replicated.

For them, if the things they have now are destroyed, it will be the end of this lost technology, and the only places they can move to are here and the Kingdom of Del, their vassal state. Perhaps the creators of this technology long ago migrated across the dragon veins of the world. But now there is only one left for Del.

That there are so many impossible things in this country might be because they used this dragon vein to travel around the world and get various things there and bring them back.

And now that was a long time ago, and now this country seems to be living a closed life that doesn’t come into contact with the other world, like loose isolation.

Well… nevertheless, it has had a great influence on the Kamaal Alliance, including the Kingdom of Del, and in the past, it repeatedly fought with the Kingdoms of Ploiss and Frasia many times.

For them, the exit to Del in the Hexennacht mountain range is the last exit that can allow them entrance to the outside world. In a sense, it was natural to try to defend that place, and it was also a matter of life and death.

“Then, unless you use the Heavenly Fall, this place is completely isolated and closed off to the world?” I asked.

“Iya? There’s no such thing, is there?” Emperor Sumeragi said. “If you go a little further west, you’ll find a continent. Our country has a long history with that place.”

“…… E?”

“Nn?”

……Isn’t there a country right next door!? So even if it’s a loss of influence over the Kingdom of Dell, it’s not a matter of life and death! Good, good! I don’t mind!

……So, is this East Asia? Is the Demon Country equivalent to Japan in this world?

“Then… How about something like this? Our country… the Kingdom of Ploiss will not attack the Demon Country or facilities related to the Heavenly Fall. Instead, we will conduct trade between the two countries. If the Demon Country has no reason to fight as long as the shrine is protected, then we can peacefully coexist.”

Their security and trade benefits. If that is guaranteed…

“Ottoo~, that’s the end of this discussion,” a large man said as he pulled open the fusuma 2 and barged into the room.

He’s pretty huge. Not only is he tall, but he’s also incredibly muscular and has a great physique, so it’s amazing that he has an extra sense of pressure or presence about him. He feels bigger than his height and physique because of the aura that radiates from him.

“Subaru,” Emperor Sumeragi said.

“Onii-sama,” Mikoto said.

Their voices overlap. That’s all I knew of who this big man was. Apparently, he is the son of the emperor and Mikoto’s older brother. In other words, he’s a prince.

…………I can’t see it~. I can’t see a trace of princeliness in him. It’s much more fitting to say that he’s a thug or mercenary out there. A huge sword and a stubble. He doesn’t look like a prince of a country. If anyone sees this and thinks he’s a prince, they might have eye or mental issues.

“So you’re from House Carruthers on the other side, huh? Fu~nn…” Subaru went, staring at me.

Does this mean that we don’t need to introduce ourselves first?

Well, diplomatically, I’m the daughter of a margrave and a Feudal Lord, or a House Head, so I should be the one to show my respects to him. But, hey… there’s no reason for me to be humble even after receiving such disrespectful treatment.

“To stare at a woman so bluntly…that’s pretty undisciplined of you, isn’t it?” I said.

“Ha!” Subaru scoffed. “You’re one to tell me off! I’m Sumeragi Subaru! I’m the First Prince of this Country. What’s your name?”

“…My name is Flora Charlotte von Carruthers,” I said. “I have also been given the name Floto von Caan.”

I glare straight back at Subaru. I’m sitting so there’s quite a height difference. I get the sense of how big he is because even if he’s at a distance, it hurts to crane my neck up to see his face.

“Ha!” Subari lets out a battle cry.

“-!”

Gakiin!

And the sound of metal hitting metal other resounds. Subaru suddenly slashed with a huge sword, I blocked him with mine. The weapons of the Demon Country were like single-edged swords. The first soldiers were mostly spears, but they certainly had thin swords at their waists. I thought it might be a katana, but when I saw Subaru’s sword, I was convinced.

I barely managed to block Subaru’s sudden slash with his sword, but… this guy… he’s strong… Fighting with only a sword might be a little bad for me. For the first time other than my father and mother… I met such a strong opponent. The pressure is making my arm creak.

“What are you doing all of a sudden?” I asked Subaru.

“I can’t help it,” Subaru said. “If you want to talk about trade and diplomacy, show me your worth first!”

“Guh!”

I was pushed further from the blade lock. There is also a difference in physique and it is a tremendous pressure. If you let go of your strength just a little, you will be overwhelmed.

“Masaka, to block a blow from Subaru…” Emperor Sumeragi said.

“Chotto, Oniisama! What are you doing!? If you want to mess with Floto, I’ll be your opponent!” Mikoto cried.

“Sukkondero! This is a contract between our country and Floto von Caan!” Subaru yelled. “Or… are you going to back off now? If that’s the case, fine by me.”

He provokes me with a grin and an evil smile.

He’s a big macho man, and I thought he didn’t look like Mikoto at all… but what is this? They look a lot like siblings, don’t they? I may not be clear enough. Both are muscle brains. There’s a straight line from thought to action once they get an idea in their head. And they really do look similar.

“That face… it’s fine to continue, then,” Subaru said.

“Ee, it doesn’t bother me,” I said. “It looks like I may finally be able to spar with someone who can respond properly.”

There’s nothing wrong with it… but for some reason, the corners of my lips turn up on their own. I’m trying to put on a poker face, but I can’t stop.

It was unknown how strong this guy was, Sumeragi Subaru. I don’t think he’s serious about it just yet. But this guy is definitely the toughest opponent I’ve ever faced, apart from my parents. My body trembles when I think about it. I’m trembling and I can’t help it.

“–Mikoto! You’ve found a monster among monsters! I… I can’t stop shaking!” Subaru yelled. “I can’t believe someone is smiling so evilly at me!”

“Who are you calling evil…?” I said.

He’s so rude. How evil he is after catching a cute girl like myself off-guard earlier…

It’s… my face is helplessly grinning and I just can’t stop trembling with joy. It’s just a little bit…… it’s the first time I’ve found someone who won’t break easily even if I use all my strength!