Chapter 506 Tsubaki Negotiation
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Tsubaki, who had been unconscious, wakes up unexpectedly. Her blackouts lasted only a short time. She collapses on the cold wooden floor, but when she wakes up, she is sleeping on the futon.
As she lies on the futon, Tsubaki’s eyes meet with Iris’s, who is sitting by her bedside, her blue hair tied in a knot on either side. She knew immediately that she was the one who had checked on her when she fainted.
”…Are you feeling better?”
”Y-yes… I’m fine…”
”T-then, I’ll go get Shinji, desu”
Iris stands up and heads to the next room, and Tsubaki, who has only her upper body up, looks away from her. Looking at her chest, she sees that her kimono, which was supposed to be stained with a nosebleed, is still there, only the stain is gone.
(This is magic, isn’t it? It’s amazing…)
While she is thinking absent-mindedly, Shinji arrives at the same time as Iris. The room where Tsubaki was sleeping is the next room to the one where Shinji and the others were mingling. Therefore, the room is still clean.
”Princess, I’m very sorry about this…”
”Eh? No, it was my sudden visit, and, well, I was wondering if it was appropriate to ask to come over. But then I fainted…”
”I’m sorry you had to see something inappropriate. I apologize again”
”P-please don’t worry about it… I had my own faults too…”
Tsubaki’s face turned bright red at this terrible blunder. And unable to face Shinji who sits next to her and bows deeply, she says something like she forgives him without any blame. Meanwhile, after causing her to faint, Shinji had been thinking that this could be a weakness, but he was relieved and grateful to Tsubaki’s forgiveness.
”Thank you very much. So, princess. What is it that brings you here alone at this late hour of the night?”
Tsubaki is trembling with embarrassment, but when she hears Shinji’s words, she breathes in and out heavily to calm herself down. It took a few seconds for her face to change from that of a red and embarrassed woman to that of a princess of a country, but Shinji did not speak a word during that time. Now, after Tsubaki is calm, she sits upright on the futon and looks into Shinji’s eyes.
”I believe Shinji-sama is planning to leave the castle tomorrow. And you don’t intend to visit the castle again, do you?”
”…I doubt that will be the case. The exchange of information is over. We return to our search. Now that we know they’re not in the city, there’s no need for us to come”
”That’s not your real reason, is it? I believe it is. For example… Soukai Country will die out. I think it’s because you’re sure of that”
Shinji’s expression did not change, but he was surprised inwardly to hear the princess of her country speak of the destruction of her country, even if it was only a metaphor. In fact, having spent the day in the castle of Soukai Country, he feels that most of the people in the castle do not believe that Tenshou Country can be defeated. The only exceptions are Iwao, Garoumaru, Kuroumaru, and their entourage. Still, Tsubaki has interesting thoughts. Thinking this, Shinji chooses to join in with the conversation, his smile deepening.
”Even so, it is up to us whether we leave the country or not. We have given you our information in return, and we are the ones who captured the masked soldiers. There is nothing wrong with that, is there?”
”…Yes, you are absolutely right. But if we let Shinji-sama and the others go, the future of our country will be lost. Isn’t that right?”
Tsubaki’s radical remarks, perhaps hoping to extract as much information as possible from Shinji, reached a level that would have angered the people of this country. A princess of her own country is saying that her country can’t do it on its own. It would be strange not to be offended.
”From my personal point of view, I think the princess is right. I felt that the difference in strength was too great. The masked soldiers and the black holes. No one in this country can take these countermeasures”
”…yes, that’s right. In this country where magic is only a means to fight, I don’t think people know what to do”
”Well, I also wonder how Tenshou Country came to develop these two things, but… it doesn’t matter now. The magic has been established and is in use”
For Shinji, he is curious about the conception and development process. Was it all done by the elderly woman whom Freri saw, or did she have someone’s help? He would like to talk with a person who has a crazy idea of making a clone of herself, but he thinks that he will never have such a chance.
”Shinji-sama, can you take countermeasures against this?”
”Well, I can’t say until I try. But I don’t intend to try”
If Tsubaki is going to come straight at him, Shinji refuses her without any indirect expression. He knew the reason for her visit even before he told her. No matter how much she clings to him, no matter how much she tries to offer her body, Shinji is going to refuse. After all, the magician of Tenshou Country is dangerous. Or so he thought.
”Please, I will do whatever I can do. For a reward, I will use my savings, and if necessary, I will talk to my father. So…”
”Please forgive me, but I will not accept the offer, no matter how much more money you offer me”
”…So there is someone in that country…”
Shinji refuses without a moment’s thought, and Tsubaki discerns a faint truth in his attitude. If the masked soldiers are created beings, then there must be someone who created them. What kind of being it is, she does not know, but it is a being that Shinji does not want to be involved with.
Therefore, Tsubaki is truly prepared. She has come to the point where simply following her father’s policy is no longer an option.
”That’s right. I’m glad you understand why we don’t want to get involved. Let’s not talk about it anymore. In the first place, the princess is supposed to be married to the man who saves the country from this disaster, isn’t she? Wouldn’t it be against Lord Iwao’s policy if you made the move yourself?”
Coincidentally, Shinji’s words served as a reminder to Tsubaki, who had already made up her mind to make a decision. But that is precisely why Tsubaki speaks her words so openly.
”Yes. That’s right. I’m going against my father’s policy. If I save the country from disaster, it will be my right to choose my husband. And I will be the ruler and rule the land”
It took Shinji a while to understand what Tsubaki was saying with her straight eyes. He wondered how difficult it would be for a woman to do this in a society where women are expected to take a step back. But it was also true that Shinji found it interesting.
”Are you serious? How difficult would it be for a princess like you to become a ruler with no precedent and no one to support you?”
”What’s the use of precedent? If I just follow my father who wants to protect the country without any concrete plan, destruction will be inevitable. Then, I have no choice but to do it myself”
Tsubaki stands up in a fit of anger and gazes at Shinji, who remains seated. The heat in her eyes was befitting a princess and the only princess in the land.
”I am Tsubaki. I am the princess of Soukai Country. If I do not do what is right for my country and my people, who will? So, Shinji-sama. When I become queen, I will use my power to fulfill your wish. Therefore, please help us in this national crisis”
Shinji felt as if he had witnessed the moment when Tsubaki’s sleeping talent had sprouted. Or should one say, a talent that attracts people. If he had been in a more free position before he met Alvin and the others, he might have offered his help.
However, Shinji now has a lot of things to do and a lot of things to bear. He could not take the risk. That’s when a thought came to his mind.
[Shinji, it’s bad]
[What’s wrong? Freri?]
Freri’s words came as an unexpected surprise to Shinji, who was inwardly surprised by the thought that showed she was in a great hurry.
[Tenshou Country may catch uncle and aunt]
[What…?]
Shinji swallows his reply to Tsubaki and falls silent.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.