CH 361

The treaty was signed in the morning. I don’t know what to do next. I didn’t think it would end in just a day, no, in less than half a day…

Even if I prepare for the celebration of the signing now, it won’t end before lunch. Let’s have a normal lunch and a party to celebrate the conclusion of the treaty tonight. I thought it would take a few days, so I didn’t expect it to be today, but…

After guiding the delegation to another room, I consult with Kanbee and Mikalojus. They both said it was fine.

“Then shall we instruct the chefs to serve the celebratory food for the conclusion of the treaty tonight?” I asked. “Also… when will the delegation be returning? Do they have any requests of sightseeing or inspections over here?”

“Yes…” Kanbee replied. “They want to inspect the tea plantation…”

“Hmm…”

It doesn’t matter if the tea plantation itself is seen. In the first place, we imported the tea trees from them. It’s not a big problem even if there are some changes in the variety while planting here with grafting or cuttings.

The problem is that if you go to the tea plantation, you may see plastic greenhouses and cotton cultivation. Also, there’s a tea factory near the tea plantation… If they’re here to find out how to make black tea, that shouldn’t be seen.

On the other side, it might be thought that we don’t show them our technology despite receiving technical support from them, but our technology has few things that can be put outside to the world. If it’s related to civil engineering or construction, it’s okay to give some outflow. So if the infrastructure development progresses, there will be benefits for us as well.

But it would be bad if secrets such as product manufacturing methods and explosives were leaked. It’s important on a level that affects my fate. If our weapons superiority is lost, it will be impossible to compete with the great powers while there are only so few of us. If our products are copied, our products will not sell and it is a matter of life and death.

“Kanbee, Mikalojus, please guide them through the inspection in such a way that it will not be unnatural while minimizing leaking our House’s secrets,” I said “The terraced tea plantations we’re pioneering should pose no issue.”

“Yes! Leave it to me,” Kanbee said.

""

I can’t say, “Don’t show them anything.” But I can’t show them everything. It’s going to be difficult, but I’m sure Kanbee and Mikalojus will do something about it. For the time being, I had a detailed discussion with the two of them about which inspections would be good or bad for us.

Today’s lunch was already prepared, so there’s no problem. We surround the table with the same faces as last night. I’ve already told them about the party tonight, so the kitchen must be in a hurry by now. I told him that if the treaty was officially signed, there would be a party soon, but they shouldn’t have thought it would be tonight.

Even if it wasn’t a party, they would have known that there would be a dinner party with the delegation at some evening, so I don’t think it would be that big of a mess. However, it would not be possible to just leave as is the menu that was conceived for a normal dinner party. Well, it’s not something I worry about as the cooks will do something about it.

“So then… what are the delegation’s future plans?” I asked Kanbee and the rest.

They should have discussed the schedule with the delegation and the other diplomats on our side. You wouldn’t expect the demons to say something like, “Well, the signing is over, so we’ll go home tomorrow.”

“Right!” Kanbee said. “They that they would like to stay for about a week and deepen our relationships and understand our territory better.”

“A week…” I muttered.

Considering the round trip to the Blish Isles, if I stay another week, I will be away from there for more than 10 days. Considering the remaining days and returning to the royal capital, it is impossible.

I also want to participate in inspections, instructions, and research here, so a little longer stay is fine. Rather, I have to. But I don’t have time to inspect it with the delegation for the next week…

“I’ll be visiting with them for the first 3 days only. After that, I’ll be leaving, so Kanbee and the others will take care of the rest.”

“So you’re saying you won’t see off the Yamato Delegation?” Kanbee said.

Well, diplomatically, that’s not proper… To leave a guest to go somewhere just because the host has plans for the future… Normally, people would get angry if they were told to inspect it without their host and then go home without their host. But I don’t have much free time. As expected, I can’t go out with them for a week.

“Instead… let’s have my mother take care of the delegation and Subaru-sama,” I said. “Then we can still keep up appearances, can’t we?”

If my mother who is supposed to be a better host than I am joins the delegation, the rudeness of not having me as host will be alleviated somewhat. Besides, Subaru likes Mother, so he’d be happier with her than with me.

“There are many places that even my mother can’t be shown to, so please think about that,” I said. “Also, during the three days I’m going to accompany them, I will give priority to inspecting House Caan’s facilities. I will go alone to the places that the delegation can’t see, so please make adjustments for that, as well.”

I plan to accompany the mission for the first three days and do all the inspections and instructions that I have to do. Of course, during that time, I will be acting separately from the delegation, so I will entrust the reception to Kanbee and Mikalojus. It’s going to be a messed up schedule, and I’m sure I’ll be a little rude to the delegation, but I’d like them to put up with it.

The three involving me, Kanbee, and Mikalojus, go further than before and put together a schedule. Where the mission wants to see, where they go around, and where I go during that time… It’s a pretty tiresome schedule, but I can’t help it.

The Yamato Empire cannot be neglected, but it is also impossible to give everything to the Yamato Empire. If Kamui, the Emperor, had come, I wouldn’t have been able to respond like this, but someone of Subaru’s level would still be fine. If I could show him around using Mother instead, he would be satisfied with it.

The party to celebrate the conclusion of the treaty was held quite grandly, and the attendees seemed satisfied. I think it was well done for a party that was held in a hurry. I will have to reward the hard work of the cooks and House Servants.

As expected, it seems that Subaru was trying not to drink too much, probably because of what happened yesterday. Or rather, I was impressed that he could drink again tonight. If it were me, I wouldn’t be able to drink even if you told me to have more the night after I had a hangover.

What’s more, Subaru wasn’t drinking it reluctantly, but the fact that he was drinking it with pleasure was amazing. Even though he was drinking less than yesterday, he still drank quite a lot, and there may be a lot of heavy drinkers in the Yamato Empire.

The wives were also present at the party, but Mikoto and Subaru only exchanged a few words and otherwise had almost no contact. Even so, since they are siblings, it would be nice to have more talks, but…

“Regarding the inspections starting tomorrow… Mikoto, is it okay if you don’t come with your older brother, Subaru-sama?” I asked. “You don’t have to join us…”

“About that!” Mikoto said. “Even though Subaru-onii-sama didn’t come after me that much, we were still fighting each other for the right of succession, right? No matter how much you say he’s my older brother, there’s nothing to talk about because he’s my older brother! I’d rather be alone than with him!”

Hmmm… From my point of view, it’s like dealing with my older brother Friedrich? Well, Subaru didn’t seem to be as bad as Friedrich, but I guess Takeru, the second prince, was the same as our Friedrich.

I heard that they didn’t actually try to kill each other, but they were living in a situation where they didn’t know when they would be assassinated by another sibling. They will not speak anymore. It doesn’t seem like he’s going to declare grudges or be hostile, but he’s not someone I want to go out of my way to get close to.

“Understood,” I said. “Well then, what are your plans for tomorrow…?”

I talk to my wives about their plans. Even if I tell them to wait for me at home anyway, they’ll probably come with me, and even if they’re my wives, they’ll have to wait for me in guest rooms when they can’t enter the confidential areas, but there’s no problem if I go out with them.

Everyone already knew that, so there was no particular opposition. After briefly discussing the schedule, tonight I slept in a big bed that felt too small.

The next day, as soon as the preparations for the morning are complete, I go out. Well, it’s already too late for me. I’ve finished my daily training and work, so there’s nothing to worry about. The amount of work that has been piling up won’t be reduced, but the processing is progressing there too, and if the delegation returns earlier… I would like to say that, but I can’t say that.

Big Brother Georg returned to Carruthers Territory. There is no point in following our inspection, and there is also the management of his land. Mother plans to continue to be Subaru’s host even after I’m gone, so she’s following me.

I went to Cien first today. This is my convenience rather than the balance of the inspections. It was because I wanted to go to the research institute as soon as possible and talk to Eins.

“This is a port of the Kingdom of Ploiss?!” one of the diplomats yelled. “What a huge facility… and the size of that ship… incredible…”

The ambassadors are surprised to see the galleons lined up in Cien’s harbor. This is exactly what I was aiming for because they were purposefully arranged to intimidate.

In truth, the galleon ships lined up here can’t move properly. The ship itself is well made, but the crews are insufficient. Of course, I can move some of them, but I don’t have enough personnel to move all the galleons lined up here.

Right now, we have surplus ships and a shortage of manpower. Most of the ships and men that can crew them are sent to the Blish Isles. The galleons lined up here are the ships moored at Cien’s Naval Port. The same sailors brought the boat here, returned to the port by land, and steered the boat again to bring it here.

It’s bluffing for the sake of appearances, but I think it’s okay because the envoys were surprised as I intended. In fact, several ships have been in and out since a while ago on a round trip to the Knights Nation and the Blish Isles. The boats lined up have people going in and out, so you wouldn’t think that they were non-functional ships being brought out for a show.

In the first place, the galleon ship has various special parts compared to other ships. That’s why it’s difficult to bring a sailor around and tell him to man the ship. It’s not impossible, but it won’t work perfectly. But from the perspective of the delegation who don’t know about that, in the worst case, they should think that the sailors working at this port are crewing these ships.

“Well then, Mother, Kanbee, Mikalojus, please do the rest,” I said.

“Aren’t you the only one sneaking out to do fun things, Flora dear?” Mother said.

“Leave it to us,” Kanbee said.

If Mother really was upset as she said, I wouldn’t be able to move forward. That’s why I leave the rest to everyone else and head to Eins’ laboratory west of Cien. There should be no problem since the delegation also hasn’t protested because I have plans and circumstances. Even if they were guides, they weren’t always attached to the delegation members.

They have had a caretaker, so there will be times when I act separately. Just because a state guest has come doesn’t mean that the head diplomat always accompanies the state guest. The caretaker will probably accompany them, but the other people will only meet for the scheduled parts while doing their work.

That’s why I left and came to the research institute. It’s my facility, so I don’t hesitate for anyone.

“Eins,” I said.

“Oh! Oh! If it isn’t you, Lord Flora! I’ve been waiting for you!”

For the time being, I had foreseen that he would come to visit today. Visiting here is the top priority. It doesn’t make sense if I didn’t get to meet Eins because I didn’t give any notice.

“I heard that that thing is ready…” I said.

“The results written in your letter were very wonderful!” Eins said.

We start talking to each other immediately and the conversation gets confused. What’s more, what he’s saying is confusing…

“You have to increase the strength of the barrel. To do that, basic industrial strength…” I said.

“We have a prototype. It’s unsuitable for mass production because it takes time and effort…” Eins said.

In addition, each one answers the other’s discussion. It feels like two conversations are going on at the same time. But neither stop. Anyway, there are so many things I want to talk about, I want to talk about three or four things at the same time.

“My, my~……Even if you talk so much at once, other people won’t understand~. The two of you should be able to get it, but~……let’s calm down and talk slowly, shall we~?”

“Mrs. Anneliese? Were you here, as well?” I asked.

Eins’s wife, Anneliese, came with her usual gentle way of speaking. In any case, Eins and I are talking fast, and we are talking about many things at the same time, and we are talking at different times. Other people will not understand what we are saying. It sounds like the conversation doesn’t mesh well.

“Fuu… well then… Let’s calm down and talk for a moment. Dr. Eins, Mrs. Anneliese,” I said. ”

“Fumu… I suppose it can’t be helped,” Eins grumbled.

“Right then~. Then let’s make some tea~,” Anneliese said.

We decided to settle down at once thanks to Anneliese, so we went into the back of the research institute, sat down on chairs, and crowded around a table.