CH 81.2

「You……to think you built something this complicated underground」

Laura-san’s voice echoed in the underground tunnels where two trolley rails had been drawn.

The magic crystal generators hanging from the walls glowed suspiciously and big magic crystals were heaped haphazardly in the baskets on the ground.

It was hard work to make them but it was also hard work to adjust them to produce a quantifiable profit for them.

I wasn’t even going to tell Laura-san until it got out.

「Maa, it’s not that much」

「I’m not complimenting you. When in the world have you built this?」

「No, well, that’s not the point.」

The plan itself had been in motion before I met her.

I never thought that I would become a noble that time.

「I hope you’re not taking too many risks……」

「Since I got married, I’ve been very careful」

「You should……」

Laura-san rubbed her forehead, sighed loudly and deeply, and then, turned serious again.

「In any case, we have to get this technology out to the public soon, okay?」

「Publicize it? Do I have to?」

「I don’t care if I have to die with you but you must think of our children.」

She’s smiling as she speaks but her eyes are quite serious.

Eh? Was it that bad that our lives are already in danger?

I thought they would just confiscate all our facilities and technology and expel us from Torquiva.

「W-what are you talking about?」

「To sum it up, this country wants magic crystals more than bread right now. This technology is so close to the core of the problem that if we are not careful about how we’re going to disclose it……I don’t know how many faces we would step on.」

「That doesn’t sound good」

I could only nod my head when I heard the word “face”.

In the peaceful Japan, crushing someone’s face would be a matter of losing one’s job or being left behind but in this country, crushing someone’s face is directly linked to death.

And that’s the part I don’t understand as a country bumpkin who has never been to the royal capital.

Laura-san was originally sent from the royal capital to fill my gap there.

I have no intention of complaining about her decision.

I simply bowed my head.

「Laura-san, thank you very much. You saved my life. Please make the adjustments.」

「Don’t mind it. I’m a Schenker now too……」

After saying that, she was silent for a few seconds then, suddenly grabbed me by the collar and pulled me to her.

「……just to be clear, you’re not hiding anything else like this, are you?」

「No. I only built this place to make some money before I got married.」

「Alright, don’t do anything like this again in the future.」

She said alright but that doesn’t mean she’s not pissed off.

「……I’m going to ask for my parents’ help in presenting this. Your honor will be reduce from a large loaf of bread to an ear of wheat but it will not cost you your life.」

「That’s fine. Laura-san, I apologize again for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience.」

She had stubbornly avoided any contact with her parents until now and now she was finally forced to use the “family” card.

I felt the weight of my inadequacy weighing heavily on my back.

「I don’t have any choice. Besides, in a world where……you’ll never know what might happen, it’s only fitting for our children to at least have a face to face connection with my parents.」

I bowed deeply to her once again.

We are family and we are close so there’s a sense of helplessness because nothing else could be done.

-0-

-Scene Change-

-0-

What can I say? I was surprised again that Laura-san’s family is really from a genuine military family.

The speed of the development is crazy.

A week after she sent the letter, her older brother, who had come from the royal capital, had already arrived at Torquiva.

「You are Sawadi?」

「It’s my pleasure to meet you, your excellency.」

Laura-san’s older brother was a blonde, tough looking guy, and very much like a soldier like her.

He is only 30 years old but his rank is major general. Their family is very wealthy so it’s no surprise that he is a very successful man.

He got off the bright red intercontinental train with a cigarette in his mouth and stared at me in frustration.