CH 358

We returned to Cien shortly after passing through the Del Strait. It is overwhelmingly faster to go up the Welzel River and head for Floren. But it’s dangerous because it has to pass through the Welzel River in Frasian territory.

This ship can be seen, and in the worst case, it may be attacked. A ship is most vulnerable when it is navigating narrow spaces. Even a galleon would suffer damage if attacked from the shore while navigating the narrow Welzel River.

Above all, it will be revealed that the ship that fought in the Blish Strait belongs to the Kingdom of Ploiss. If that happens, it will develop into an international problem, and the royal family will find out that I am on an expedition to the Blish Isles without permission. Furthermore, it would be worst if there was a war between the Kingdoms of Frasia and Ploiss.

No… the worst thing would be if both Ploiss and Frasia became my enemies and we were attacked by both… That’s the worst. And it cannot be said that it is impossible. So even if the Welzel River is closer, there is no way to go through it now.

After returning to Cien, I immediately headed for Caanburg. Actually, I want to go to the Research Institute, but I’ll put it off for later. This negotiation cannot fail. I returned to Manor Caanburg without taking a detour.

“My deepest apologies, Master Flora!”

“Umm, uh…”

As soon as Kanbee saw me returning to Manor Caanburg, he got down on his knees. The show doesn’t make sense to me.

“Did something go wrong?” I asked.

“Yes… in truth…” Kanbee said.

Kanbee started talking about the situation. Apparently, the preliminary negotiations did not go well.

To be more specific, we were negotiating with the Kingdom of Ploiss and the Yamato Empire to conclude a treaty similar to the treaty between House Caan and the Yamato Empire. However, according to the Yamato Empire, the condition with House Caan is special, and it seems that it is inextricably tied with House Caan, and that they do not intend to make such concessions to the Kingdom of Ploiss.

Certainly, the treaty between House Caan and the Yamato Empire was almost an equal treaty. We are a small local territory here in Caan, but this treaty is as equal and fair as a treaty between nations.

However, the Yamato Empire only made a special concession because House Caan was the partner, and they said that there was no reason for the Yamato Empire to make such a concession to the Kingdom of Ploiss in the treaty between the nations.

The main body of the delegation hasn’t arrived yet, but the aid to our house has already arrived. It seems that the requested engineers and craftsmen are settling in, and they have assigned this personnel to various places to provide technical guidance.

And this main body will soon arrive. It was really last minute when I came back. I didn’t mean it on purpose, but it was a coincidence. It wasn’t clear when the other party would head over to us.

“First of all… please tell me the content of the preliminary negotiations. I can’t say anything without seeing it,” I said.

“Right…”

Kanbee fearfully handed over a document with the conditions indicated by the Yamato Empire. I glance over it.

“I see……”

“I’m sorry! Everything is my lack of power! I will accept any punishment you deem fit!”

As soon as I finished reading, Kanbee bowed his head again. If you tell Kanbee, who is a bushi, to cut open his stomach in ritual suicide, he will do it. And Mikalojus looked down at Kanbee with a bold face. He seems to have no intention of bowing his head.

“Raise your head, Kanbee.”

“………… Yes.”

If I give him that order, he has no choice but to obey. Kanbee looked up and I smiled softly.

“Kanbee, you did a great job. It’s a great success.”

“……………… Huh?”

He has a face that says he does not understand. Really……. Don’t you know, Kanbee? Mikalojus knows and that’s why he’s not bowing his head.

“That’s why I told you! This is Lord Flora’s aim!” Mikalojus bragged.

“No… but…” Kanbee said, looking bewildered as he turned back to him.

The treaty between House Caan and the Yamato Empire is as equals… No, it’s more than that.

In terms of content, it is almost the same as a military alliance, and it is clearly stated that the Yamato Empire will support House Caan if a third party launches a war. It says that they won’t help me in a war that I start from this side, but they have our back if we are attacked.

Moreover, various contents such as technical support and material support have been agreed upon. That’s a discussion even in normal times, and that’s why we asked engineers and craftsmen to be dispatched this time.

In other words, it contains content that House Caan unilaterally profits, far from being equal exchange. A normal reader would think that it also represents power relations. House Caan came under the protection of the Yamato Empire. That’s how I feel.

But in our treaty, there is even a clause that fully recognizes House Caan’s sovereignty. Military support, technical support, and material support are unilaterally borne by the Yamato Empire, but House Caan’s sovereignty is guaranteed and documented.

This time, as a representative of the Kingdom of Ploiss, the content decided from the preliminary negotiations was just a mutual non-aggression treaty. The content is that let’s not start a war with each other and be hostile. Compared to the content of House Caan and the Yamato Empire, it is far behind in quality.

Kanbee must have negotiated with the Kingdom of Ploiss to conclude a treaty equivalent to the one between House Caan and the Yamato Empire. Well, if you think about it normally, there’s no way the Yamato Empire would accept such a condition. There is no reason to make such concessions to the Kingdom of Ploiss, which it has had nothing to do with.

Ploiss knows that, so Ploiss decided the place to settle was the Neutrality Pact and the Non-Aggression Pact. Therefore, Ploiss has no complaints about the conditions that the Yamato Empire has put forward this time.

Considering that it is attached to discuss mutual visits, human resource exchanges, technology exchanges, etc. as part of ongoing negotiations, the Kingdom of Ploiss would like to jump in and sign this treaty.

“…Therefore, there is no problem with this. I have fulfilled all the conditions that His Majesty the King and His Grace the Prime Minister gave me,” I said. “If anything, we’ve accomplished more than that.”

“Is… is that how it is…?”

Kanbee finally looked relieved. Thanks to Kanbee’s desperate support, the attached conditions must have been added. I would rather praise him for doing a good job.

“Kanbee, Mikalojus, well done. Moving on… when is the main body of the delegation expected to arrive?”

“Right…” Kanbee said. “It seems that they will come through the Heaven’s Fall Shrine tomorrow. A carriage has already been dispatched to pick them up, so I think they will arrive by tomorrow evening.”

As expected of Kanbee, there are no omissions. As you’d think, the carriage cannot go to the top of the mountain. Assuming that the carriage is waiting at the foot of the mountain, is there someone going to that shrine to pick them up? They were probably from the Yamato Empire citizens who had been dispatched in advance. When that person guides you and rides a carriage at the foot of the mountain and they come here…

When I think about the people who came with me, even if they pass through the Heaven’s Fall portal tomorrow, they will probably arrive here during the day. We must prepare to receive the envoys tomorrow.

“Are we ready to welcome the envoy?”

“Yes. Not a thing is out of place.”

I guess that’s just about right. It was a situation where I might never come back, this expedition. They wouldn’t act while waiting to get my orders. Then I should take a rest tonight, too.

“Is that so…? Then it’s fine to go home for today.”

“”Yes!””

After confirming that Kanbee and Mikalojus had clocked out for the day, I look over the documents. This is a pile of work that has nothing to do with this negotiation. The necessary work was sent to the Blish Isles, but the work that couldn’t be sent there, or the work that wasn’t that important or urgent, was piling up like this.

If I don’t prioritize the things that can only be processed when I return, the amount of work that accumulates for 2 months will become irreversible. It’s still pretty hard. If I could have, I’d like to wrap up today and rest in preparation for tomorrow, but… I won’t be able to sleep until this is over…

“Mnm, mmmnnn~~~!”

I raise my arms away from my desk. Beki-gaki, and… it doesn’t creak. Stiffness… it’s not even there. This young body is amazing. I tend to do this kind of behavior out of habit, but when I turn my shoulders or my neck, I don’t get a single crack. I don’t remember being bothered by stiff shoulders because my body is so soft.

With melons this big… No, it’s about time to call it watermelons. If you tell women that you can’t get stiff shoulders even if you’re constantly carrying these watermelons, they’ll probably get angry. Mother also said that she doesn’t have stiff shoulders, so I wonder if that’s our family lineage. Alexandra seems to have relatively stiff shoulders, so I guess that’s normal.

“Flora! Are you done?”

“Huh? Yeah…”

While I was clearing up the paperwork, the 5 wives arrived. I wonder what happened even though it was quite late. Of course, it’s not midnight yet. However, in this world, when the sun goes down, there are places where it feels like it’s time to go to bed then. The current time will be late enough in this world.

“Let’s go then!”

“Come on, Miss Flora.”

“Um… Excuse us?”

“Huh? Huh? Um…?”

I was taken somewhere with my wives holding my arms around me without saying yes or no. I’ve certainly finished the paperwork, but I still have a lot of other things to do…

“Come on in!”

“………… The bath?”

I was brought to the bathroom. No, it’s still a dressing room, right? You don’t have to rush into it. When I was brought in, everyone immediately started changing into their swimsuits. And they push a swimsuit on me, too.

“Miss Flora, can you change the clothes by yourself? Then I will…”

“Wait a minute! I’m right here…”

“I think this kind of work should be done by a commoner like me.”

“I get it! I’ll change it myself…”

When I was confused, everyone started arguing over who should change my clothes, so I reluctantly changed clothes after everyone interceded. Even though this is a swimsuit, there is almost no cloth area. It’s not for swimming, it’s for taking a bath… If it covers your body like a school swimsuit, you can’t wash it, so it’s natural that the cloth area will naturally become smaller.

“Let’s go, Miss Flora.”

“Haa…”

Everyone really likes baths. I’m happy to finally be able to take a bath in this spacious bath for the first time in a long time, but even so, were they all that hungry for a bath?

Well… I was a man in my previous life, so even if I get a little dirty or smell of sweat, I don’t really care, but after all, everyone who is a girl of my age will be worried about things if they haven’t taken a bath for a long time. I guess girls must have it pretty tough, huh?

“Come on! Then Flora will sit there… Oh! We can call her Floto here. Come on, Floto! Sit down here!”

It’s true that both are fine, but is it something I have to explain again? It’s okay, but…

“Miss Flora… prepare yourself.”

“Here we go.”

Something is wrong… I’m the only one sitting, surrounded by everyone. Is this… Confucius’ Trap!?

“I’ll go to wipe off all the dirt that’s been building up so far.”

“Leave it to me.”

“Hey, wait a minute. What are you planning to do…?”

With my hands waving… 5 hungry wolves approached me. It’s strange……. Doesn’t it mean that everyone should have fun taking a bath and washing off the dirt from the long trip? Why am I the only one being targeted?

“No questions asked!”

“Be ready!”

“There will be no escape!”

“Ei!”

“Come jump into my chest~!”

“Hii~~~~!”

I collapsed on the bed feeling exhausted. But there are more sparkling clean wives waiting there. I was thoroughly washed by everyone in the bath. From corner to corner, I’m clean, spotless, and polished to a mirror sheen…

“Shiku-shiku…” I sobbed. “I can’t get married anymore…”

I can’t marry anymore because I was humiliated like that! Since I’m a man from the beginning, I’d rather have been giving that than being on the receiving end!

“What are you talking about? You’re our wife, Floto, so what’s wrong with us loving you?”

“That’s right. Miss Flora is already our wife, so there is no problem.”

No, that’s weird. There’s nothing but problems. In the first place, everyone is my bride, and this is the first time I’ve heard that I’m everyone’s bride, instead.

“You’re rather sensitive, aren’t you, Flora?” Alexandra said.

“Um… what would you say in my case? The opposite of being a concubine…” Louisa said.

“Isn’t it fine to just be a lover? If it’s a lover, it doesn’t matter if it’s a man or a woman, right? Considering my status, I’m also a lover,” Claudia said.

No… why is everyone so easily convinced? Isn’t that strange?

“Aren’t you all my brides?”

“””No, nuh-uh. Flora (Floto) is our bride.”””

“…………”

…………Is that how it was?