Chapter 338 The Canaria-Ferguson Diplomatic Summit ①
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Several days had passed since then. Just as Queen Cecile had predicted, a delegation led by King William arrived from the Kingdom of Ferguson ¹ to the west. I had been summoned to the royal palace upon their arrival, but…
”Let’s see… Ferguson wants to deepen our ties… and we can’t afford to offend them… but we mustn’t just roll over for them either…”
In the waiting room, Prince Roland was pacing back and forth, muttering under his breath. It seemed he was expected to participate in today’s talks as well. I’d thought they’d keep him under wraps a bit longer, especially if they were worried about a honey trap ² from that noblewoman-the daughter of Duke Greiter, Unia Greiter.
I stole a glance at the Queen, but she remained silent. The Prime Minister, Marquis Dan Samoro, was the same. They were likely prioritizing the Prince’s education over any concerns about a honey trap. Still, this situation wasn’t great. I stood up from my chair and approached him.
”Your Highness,” I said.
”Ah, Kento-sa-I mean, Lord Harvest! What is it?” Roland asked, looking up.
Roland, who had been circling the room like a caged animal, looked up at me while trying to force a dignified tone. Nervous was written in bold letters all over his face. It was his first time handling foreign diplomacy, so I couldn’t blame him, but this wouldn’t do.
”Your Highness, what do you believe is your most important duty today?” I asked.
”Eh? Well… to help ensure these talks are a success, I suppose?” Roland answered tentatively.
His answer was hesitant. At least he wasn’t claiming he’d squeeze Ferguson for every penny to make a name for himself, but it was still the wrong answer.
”Incorrect. With all due respect, no one expects that of you,” I said.
”What?! Then… is it to watch my sister closely and learn from her example?” Roland asked.
”Wrong again. Completely, utterly off the mark. Zero points,” I replied.
”You’re kidding…!” Roland groaned.
Deflated by the string of rejections, Roland let out a pathetic voice. I nearly cracked a smile, but that would have been rude. Of course, the Queen was only pretending to keep a poker face; her shoulders were clearly shaking with laughter.
”Your Majesty’s job today is to sit in your chair and keep your chin up,” I told him.
”Wait… just sitting? I know I’m not much help, but surely-” Roland began.
”No. You are to sit there with pride,” I interrupted.
”I don’t follow…?” Roland asked, tilting his head.
He looked adorable in his confusion. He was desperately trying to process my words, and the sight of him-reminding me of a confused puppy-made me want to pat his head. I restrained myself and began to lay out my philosophy.
”Listen. You sit there grandly, with your chest out. By all means, learn what you can from the Queen and King William’s exchange. If you have a question, ask Marquis Samoro next to you. But above all else, you sit there and you do not waver, no matter what happens,” I explained.
”…Are you telling me to be a decoration?” Roland asked.
”No. I am telling you to act like a true successor. You don’t interfere with the work of the current monarch, but you aren’t just daydreaming either. You act like a future King who is observant and thoughtful,” I said.
”And that means… sitting grandly with pride?” Roland whispered.
”Exactly. You’ll find that sitting still and silent is harder than it sounds, especially when the nation’s future is on the line. Do not let your eyes wander. Do not fidget. Do not lean in, do not scowl, and do not look surprised,” I told him.
”……”
”It’s as simple as that. If you don’t, the enemy will see the future King as just another child. But if you sit there with unshakeable composure, they’ll think to themselves: ‘The Kingdom of Canaria is going to be a formidable opponent for generations to come.’”
”……!”
Roland’s eyes widened as he digested my words. He looked down for a moment, then raised his head and said, “I understand.” It was a strong, dependable response. He marched over to the chair in the corner, sat down, and closed his eyes, chest out.
He looked exactly like his sister, who was sitting just a few feet away. The Queen beckoned me over. I took the seat beside her, and she leaned in close, whispering directly into my ear.
”You’ve certainly taken to this ‘tutor’ role, haven’t you? Honestly… I thought I might get wet just listening to you,” Cecile whispered.
Spoken like a truly seductive Queen-though in reality, she was either a brilliant statesman or a girl with a romantic IQ of thirty. Well, Your Majesty, I thought I might get hard myself!
I felt Marquis Samoro’s gaze burning into me, but at least my advice seemed to land. My experience from my old world and the role-playing I’d done since coming here had actually come in handy. To be honest, it was a technique I cultivated mainly to make female customers say embarrassing things, but I’ll keep that to myself. If you just stay quiet and project an air of mystery, people tend to get anxious and say things on their own. Silence is golden.
”Lady Cecile, everything is prepared,” the maid Muse announced.
The Queen stood up and gestured for Roland to follow Muse. Marquis Samoro followed them, and I took the rear. We were moving in the order of the seating chart.
We entered the conference room we’d used for the meeting with the Crown Princess of Ierse. Marquis Roost Badcage, who had been our envoy to Ferguson, was there to greet us.
”You’ve returned safely, I see,” Cecile said.
”Indeed. As you can see, I haven’t lost a single finger,” Badcage replied.
”Umu, it was a difficult task; you have my thanks. I’d like to hear your report, but we shouldn’t keep our guests waiting,” Cecile said.
”Quite. We can discuss the details once everyone is seated,” Badcage answered.
It was a formal exchange, but I could tell she was relieved to see her father-in-law in one piece. I felt the same.
We passed the Marquis and took our seats on the right side of the massive table. I was a little nervous about whether Roland might trip, but he handled it perfectly. Interestingly, my father-in-law sat on the opposite side with the three visitors. He wasn’t a traitor; he was simply acting as the host for the delegation. He’d speak if asked, but otherwise, he’d stay out of it.
I turned my attention to the three people across from us. Sitting directly across from the Queen was surely King William. He had short, curly, light-brown hair, and though he was sitting, he looked tall and slender. With that face as charming as a storybook prince, he looked more like a prince than a king. Hard to believe he was a father of five. Looks can be deceiving.
Next to him was the girl I assumed was Lady Unia Greiter. She was much younger-or at least more doll-like-than I’d imagined. Her blonde hair was done up in an intricate style, and she sat there with a perfectly blank expression. She was a beauty, certainly, but she looked like a mannequin.
Last but not least was General Sachet. I’d heard he led the expedition to the southern forest with my father-in-law to hunt ‘Zil Meina,’ but… he was a tough one to look at. A portly, bloated man. He looked like he’d been trained at some point, but there was no spirit in his expression. Is this old guy really okay?
And so, the summit between the Prince, the Girl, and the Old Man began. Given that they’d traveled all this way just as the ‘Stampede’ chaos was settling down, they had to be more than they appeared.
King William was the first to speak. He gazed at Queen Cecile with sorrowful eyes and whispered in a seductive baritone:
”It’s been a long time, Cecile. How have you been?”
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Summary:
The Ferguson Kingdom delegation arrives for a high-stakes meeting with Queen Cecile. Kento coaches a nervous Prince Roland on the importance of maintaining a dignified, ‘ornamental’ presence to signal national strength. The chapter ends as the meeting begins with a suspiciously personal greeting from King William to Cecile.
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Trivia:
- Kento’s teaching methods are derived from his past life sales experience and role-playing with customers.
- Roost Badcage is Kento’s father-in-law and was acting as the envoy to Ferguson.
- King William looks deceptively young despite having five children.
- Unia Greiter’s presence is a suspected ‘honey trap’ against Roland.
- General Sachet participated in the hunt for Zil Meina
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Character Insight:
Kento shows growth as a mentor, using his unconventional background to bolster the royal family’s political standing. Cecile’s playful yet provocative comment to Kento highlights their deepening bond despite the formal setting.
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Behind the Scenes:
The author uses Kento’s internal monologue to bridge the gap between heavy political drama and the lighthearted, adult-oriented roots of the series.
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TL Notes:
Notes:
• Cecile – A queen in the capital who possesses the authority to regulate business and commerce, particularly concerning moral or public order issues. She is currently investigating Kento’s shop, ‘Harvest.’ Have long golden hair, elegant, and wearing expensive white dress with gold accesories.
• Roland – he younger brother of Queen Cecile and the heir apparent to the Canaria throne. Clean, golden-blonde hair, same color as the Queen, innocent, beautiful face that could be mistaken for a girl but dressed in a boy’s formal wear.
• Unia – The third daughter of the house of Duke Greiter. Has blonde hair tied in an intricate style, dol-like beauty, and expressionless face.
• Samoro – A middle-aged Marquis and Prime Minister with a lot of white hair, a magnificent mustache, and luxurious attire. He is a key figure in the court who has supported the Queen since her enthronement.
• Kento – The owner of the magic tool shop ‘Harvest,’ which discretely sells adult goods. He’s a former overworked, ordinary salaryman from modern Japan who was suddenly transported (isekai’d) to this fantasy world. He has dark hair and an unremarkable appearance, typically wearing a plain, slightly suspicious-looking shop owner’s clothes looks like Kazuma Satou from certain series. He has a minimal amount of magic power, enough to craft his specialty items.
• Muse – Cecile’s trusted attendant and chief maid, Muse handles sensitive, discreet tasks like espionage and product acquisition. Have sharp, black eyes, wearing maid uniform, and have expressionless face.
• Ierse – The Crown Princess and wife of Gilliam, originally from a foreign land. She is described as lively and healthy with a unique charm. She wants to cheer up her husband. Has long haired hair.
• Roost – Duke of Badcage and father of Tina Badcage. He has long silver hair mixed with some white, a cool-headed expression, and red eyes. Despite a relatively slender build, he possesses a strong fighting spirit.
• Sachet – A General of the Ferguson Kingdom. An old soldier who is deppuri (corpulent/fat) but possesses thick muscle beneath the fat.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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