Read Novel Full Vol 20 Chapter 14
Vol 20 Chapter 14
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Chapter 14 – Perfect Timing!
I went to the Castle to discuss the Beastmen City matter. I wanted to talk them out of the idea of a regular shipping route if possible, but Camille-san, Mauro-san, and Donatella-san all seemed very keen on the idea, which left me rather perplexed. However, it seems like my workload will be reduced, so maybe it’s not such a bad idea after all. The bigger issue is Camille-san’s stress level.
“…..That’s what I mean.”
“I-I see. That’s inexcusable. Let’s think of a countermeasure.”
Camille-san’s complaining finally came to an end. I immediately followed Camille-san and suggested that we come up with a countermeasure.
It’s already too late, I knew that I was forcing her to work hard, but it seems that I’ve made her work harder than I imagined, and I feel so sorry for her.
Also, I’m not sure if Camille-san is the type to yell or lose her temper, so I’m very afraid of her calmly talking about her dissatisfaction with the harassment she’s received.
I feel a sense of fear that if I go too far, my opponents will disappear without me even noticing. And they’ve prepared carefully so that no one will notice that they’ve disappeared for a while…
Well, let’s not think about the scary things anymore. It seems that complaining has relieved some of their stress, and if we think about countermeasures now, it should be okay.
Still, the people in power in this world are pretty annoying. Well, it’s hard to compare because I don’t know most of the people in power in Japan, but it seems like the quality is worse here because the legal system and information transmission are less advanced.
It may be natural to assume that if you break the law, you can be easily overpowered by the authorities and that there’s no problem with being exposed on the Internet, but when it happens to you, it’s hard to accept that it’s inevitable.
At first, the interference wasn’t too bad due to the mage’s influence and the Crown Prince’s tightening.
However, it seems that the more time passed, the more the interference increased.
It seems that complaints started coming in, both directly and indirectly, saying things like, “You can’t refuse my visit, I’m royalty, I’m nobility, I’m a big merchant!”
But Camille-san and the others firmly refused.
When they talked about it, the faces of Camille-san, Mauro-san, and Donatella-san lit up.
They said that it is a merchant’s dream to firmly refuse the important people who think that their demands should be accepted.
I think I’ve heard something similar in a famous manga, but this dream seems a little harsher. Is it the difference between those who fight and those who make money?
If it had ended there, it would have been peaceful, but the powerful people who were firmly rejected would not have been satisfied with that, and they would have come back in the form of harassment.
The influence of the luxury liner is great, and the powerful people who could not bite into it would have their influence tarnished.
The people who were hit the hardest were the large trading companies that catered to the nobility and powerful people in the jewelry, beauty, and alcohol industries, as well as the second prince’s faction. And the women associated with them.
The women, in particular, were furious at being left out of the social scene, and it seems that the second prince’s faction had a number of defectors as a result.
So, malicious harassment also increased. Up to that point, Camille-san and the others had expected this. In fact, they were willing to accept the harassment because it was natural for them to be on opposing sides.
What they didn’t expect was the growing arrogance of the Crown Prince’s faction.
The higher-ups, including the Crown Prince, know our strengths to a certain extent, so we still have a good relationship.
The problem is the middle and lower ranks. “We’re the Crown Prince’s faction, so of course we’ll get preferential treatment, right?” The number of idiots saying such things has suddenly increased.
When the benefits are received, nobles who switched from other factions join them and pressure Camille-san and the others to let them come aboard since they have switched to the Crown Prince’s faction.
Of course, their demands were refused, and a complaint was filed with the Crown Prince, but the Crown Prince, whose faction had grown rapidly due to the battle victory and the second prince’s mistake, was also struggling to maintain control.
They would often sneak around and mess with Camille-san and the others when the crown prince wasn’t looking.
Camille-san and the others had a good relationship with the Crown Prince, and it was good to be able to get along with the largest faction, so they took a quiet approach until the factions calmed down.
However, the factions never calmed down, and lately, the opinion that the Castle should be administered by the country has often been discussed.
No matter what they do, Camille-san and the others are at their maximum stress level, and I’ve come to add to the problem. I’ve brought a souvenir in the form of a regular shipping route… this is a perfect example of the word “perfect timing”. There’s no doubt about it.
“So what are you going to do about it?”
I can’t handle power struggles, so I’m just going to throw everything at them.
“We will not accept any more reservations, and we will announce that we are leaving this country in three months, including the reason for our departure.”
“Huh? Aren’t we talking about the regular shipping route?”
…But is it okay if we leave? As Mauro-san says, we can take the orphans with us, and we can leave the Castle floating in the harbor that the Aquamarine Kingdom is currently constructing.
The promise I made to the God of Gastronomy-sama was to open the luxury liner, and as long as people come, it doesn’t matter where it is.
“Yes, we’re talking about the regular shipping route. We also have no intention of severing our ties with the Crown Prince, so please don’t worry.”
There’s no sign of anything to relax about, is there? But I think I understand what Camille-san is up to.
“Is this a threat?”
“Yes. It is the Crown Prince’s fault, but he is not incompetent. Our announcement will deal with those who have acted against the national interest, and we’ll succeed in uniting the factions.”
So you mean to round up all those who ignored the Crown Prince’s tightening of the reins and did unnecessary things?
Normally, one or two ships wouldn’t be enough to deal with the noble factions, but the Castle is a fraud.
It seems that the country will lose its national interests as a result, so they won’t let it go easily. It seems that the factions are expanding and having a hard time, so it’s going to be terrible.
I think it’s going to be more than just a tightening; it’s going to be a purge, right?
“But won’t that bring back the second prince’s spirit?”
I don’t care about the power struggle, but I don’t have a good impression of the second prince, so I don’t want him to get better.
“It’s not just the Crown Prince’s faction that’s involved. I’ll make sure to mention that as well, so don’t worry.”
That reminds me. Originally, I had a bad relationship with the second prince, and we had a fight. There’s a lot of material there.
“So the compromise is a regular shipping route?”
I was against the regular shipping route, but if it means my workload will decrease, I don’t mind.
“No, not yet. I think that’s where things will end up, but even though it was rejected, there are proposals on the national agenda to seize the Castle. At that time, we will respond forcefully to make it clear that the Castle can do well in any country. We will also show our determination by taking in the children from the orphanage on the Castle before the announcement.
Camille-san, you’re the type who buys a fight sold to you at a high price, aren’t you?
That’s like saying you won’t take a half-baked punishment. The opponents have their national pride, and they’ll make a big fuss.
In essence, it’s just a dispute over the rights to the Castle, but it’s tricky because it involves a country. There will almost certainly be bloodshed.
“Can we not just leave it as it is?
I don’t like the idea of the Castle being confiscated, but I also don’t like the idea of blood being shed under my influence. Even if a regular shipping route is necessary, a regular shipping route between the southern city and the Aquamarine Kingdom would be fine.
“This ship is too attractive. Half-measures will only make the damage worse.”
“That’s right. No matter where we go, the people in power will want the Castle. If they try to get their hands on it, they’ll suffer. If we don’t prove this, we might not be able to go anywhere at all.”
“Yes, the two of them are right. Wataru, this is the decisive moment.”
Mauro-san and Donatella-san rejected my weak opinion, and Alessia-san, who had been quietly listening, also joined the conversation.
I guess they mean that if we’re going to do it, we should do it thoroughly.
“I understand. I’ll cooperate as much as I can, so please make them pay for their mistake.”
“Of course.”
“Well, this ship is so unfair, so don’t worry about it and do whatever you want.”
“That’s right, it will end if we just stay in the Castle.”
Camille-san gave me a strong answer with all the determination she could muster, but Mauro-san and Donatella-san said something blunt.
But it’s true. It’s a terrible story, but at worst, it’s a draw, and our safety is guaranteed. In a way, a fight where there is no way to lose is unfair.
Well, from the point of view of the person who fights, it doesn’t matter if it’s unfair as long as there’s no harm done.
“That is true. Hey Camille, can’t you do something so that Lucca isn’t affected?”
Alessia-san, who had been pushing me until now, began to worry about her hometown after seeing the reality of the situation. I can’t help but think that she was thinking about me, and that makes me flutter.
“Marquis Lucca has a good relationship with both the Crown Prince and us, so as long as there is no civil war, I don’t think it will have much effect on Lucca.”
“I see, that’s a bit of a relief… Hey, Wataru, can’t we stay at the Castle for a while?”
Alessia-san seemed to be a little relieved by Camille-san’s answer, but it didn’t seem to allay her fears completely, and she asked me to stay.
“I’m worried about the outcome too, so I’ll stay here. If Lucca becomes dangerous, I’ll send a ship out, so please don’t worry.”
I’m perfectly willing to leave everything to them, but I can’t be so irresponsible as to go elsewhere in this situation. I’ll probably just end up watching the chaos outside, but that’s much better than being unable to react.
“Yeah, that’s a big help.”
Alessia-san smiles happily, and although it seems a bit like a match-pump, I seem to be steadily gaining favor with the ladies lately.
Well, there’s still a lot to do, but now that we’ve reached a point where we can take a break, I think we should take a short break. Rimu and Pent are definitely sleeping.
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