Chapter 596 Southern Continent Letter ③
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Hiding their butts and running away…?”
”…Yes. That’s what the letter from the Southern Continent said.”
It was a letter from our former client, Nada, and her master, Meryamisha-dono10. I was relaying its contents to Her Majesty Cecile and His Highness Roland, her younger brother. The conversation was finally approaching the heart of the matter, but the letter’s puzzling content had Her Majesty tilting her head in confusion.
”…Why would Succubi8 need to flee? If they were being lured in by a ‘Ddo-Buddy1,’ I could understand it. But this…”
”…It seems more natural to think they’re afraid of something.”
I already knew the answer, and I was sure Her Majesty had her own idea forming. Even so, we exchanged those words while holding each other’s gaze, deliberately slow, deliberate.
A strange strain flowed through the room. His Highness Roland had already stopped reacting even to the word “Ddo-Buddy”-he simply looked back and forth between Her Majesty and me.
For a while, Her Majesty and I remained silent. But we couldn’t stay like this forever. Just as I started thinking, “Man, she really is beautiful,” Her Majesty spoke, her voice heavy with gravity.
”…That thing?”
”…That thing, yes.”
”How in the world…?”
”There must have been Succubi who witnessed it. Or perhaps Succubi have some means of sharing information among themselves…”
”Were Succubi truly such social creatures? No… but given the circumstances, there’s no other conclusion to draw…”
We aligned our perspectives while keeping the crucial details covered. Her Majesty’s sharp stare as she continued to glare at me was uncomfortable. Normally, I’d consider that a reward… but unfortunately, this time didn’t fall under “normally.”
”…Um, excuse me. What exactly is ‘that thing’?”
His Highness Roland, unable to follow the conversation alone, asked timidly. At this point, we had no choice but to explain-to the future king on the edge of his crowning.
”The ‘Small Ddo-Buddy Cannon2.’ The magical weapon this fellow had Nada-dono12 take back with her.”
”Small… Ddo-Buddy… Cannon…? Um, would that possibly be…”
”Exactly as it sounds. It’s a miniaturized version of the ‘Ddo-Buddy Cannon’ you’ve also seen. Its power lessens in proportion with size, but even so, it easily surpasses an average mage’s magic.”
”Wait… that’s a state secret, isn’t it? And we even have an agreement with the Coalmine Kingdom6… so why would you…?”
”Because this fellow worried about his woman returning to the unstable Southern Continent. I was also careless to give permission after he begged me…”
”Um, ‘his woman’… Nada-dono is, well, that Nada-dono, right…? The envoy from the Southern Continent… Lord… Harvest?”
I didn’t regret it at all, and I had Her Majesty’s permission, but having it explained that I’d handed over state secrets to another country for personal reasons stung a little. Especially when the boy who looked up to me now gave me that look.
Well, he was more shocked by my quick hands and lack of morals than anything else… I accepted that gaze and waited for Her Majesty to continue.
”I’ll explain the general sequence. Roland, you know Nada-dono infiltrated the capital of Aurumcame Governor State5 and exposed the Succubus outbreak, correct?”
”Y-yes…”
”During that mission, she encountered a powerful Incubus9 and used the ‘Small Ddo-Buddy Cannon.’ Specifically, she stabbed the ‘Small Ddo-Buddy Cannon’ into that Incubus’s buttocks and fired.”
”What… EHHH!?”
”Presumably, other Succubi witnessed the scene. Or perhaps they perceived it through some other means. And then the information spread to other Succubi as well. As a result, Succubi who saw nothing more than a ‘Ddo-Buddy’ and mistook it for the ‘Small Ddo-Buddy Cannon’ have started hiding their butts and running away… so it would seem.”
”That… that can’t be…”
”I find it hard to believe myself, but logically, that’s the only conclusion.”
”Ugh…”
Her Majesty had explained the situation from the beginning, and His Highness listened with an expression more like “I don’t want to believe this” than mere skepticism. I understood how he felt-but given the indirect evidence, the chain of events could only be as Her Majesty had laid out.
”…At any rate, I understand the situation. It’s an absurd story, but… this is good for Meryamisha-dono and Lord Harvest’s shop, right?”
”…Well, yes. Not only can they easily repel troublesome Succubi, it also serves as a tailwind for selling ‘Ddo-Buddy’ products. It should be nothing but good news for the two of them.”
Exactly. Despite the hellish atmosphere, it was good news if you could call it that. Meryamisha-dono would gain considerable fame from this event, and she could profit by selling “Ddo-Buddy” products to other lords.
Naturally, my shop would also see increased sales. Once this report was finished, I planned to ramp up production of “Ddo-Buddy” products and export them in bulk. If all went well, the entire Aurumcame Governor State would become a customer, laying the groundwork for forming a “Super Ddo-Buddy Trade Zone3.” But…
”The problem is whether Coalmine will discover the existence of the ‘Small Ddo-Buddy Cannon.’”
Her Majesty looked at me again as she spoke. Yes-the “Ddo-Buddy Cannon” technology was jointly developed with the northern Coalmine Kingdom, and it wasn’t something I was supposed to let leak. It was none other than I who had bent Her Majesty’s stance on that to protect Nada.
Her Majesty’s eyes silently conveyed, “You said you’d take responsibility, so make it work.” One might think there’s no way news of events on the distant Southern Continent would reach Coalmine-but it was surprisingly risky. That was why I’d grown serious, and why Her Majesty was giving me that exasperated squint.
”First, the fact that Succubi flee upon seeing ‘Ddo-Buddy’ will soon spread across all of Aurumcame. Meryamisha-dono cannot leave the Succubi unchecked forever, so she will certainly exploit this. We could stop her if we wanted to… but that would be too cruel.”
”…I’d appreciate it if you could let it happen. First and foremost, stabilizing the Governor State’s situation is the priority.”
”Mmm. Of course, after Roland’s crowning, it will be Roland’s decision… but you don’t intend to go back on your earlier words, do you?”
”Yes, Sister. I have no intention of breaking that promise.”
I breathed a sigh of relief at Her Majesty’s generous attitude and His Highness’s firm response. His Highness’s belief-that he would not push away a hand reached out in search of salvation-had remained unchanged, even as he continued to experience the weight of that burden.
Translation:7“Very well. In that case, that information will soon reach this continent too. First, it will reach Sylvaol-who has been anxiously watching the Southern Continent’s situation for trade purposes. And if it reaches Sylvaol, that means it will reach Coalmine as well.”
”Queen Ierse11, you mean…?”
”Exactly.”
Her Majesty Ierse, who rose from Crown Prince Consort to Queen this past spring, was originally a princess of the Maritime Nation of Sylvaol, the kingdom to the southeast. She still keeps close contact with her family-there’s no way she would miss such important information.
”Word of Succubi fearing ‘Ddo-Buddy’ will reach her too. Or about the mysterious ‘white light’ that pierced the capital’s night sky. Given who she is, it wouldn’t be strange for her to connect those pieces and realize the existence of the ‘Small Ddo-Buddy Cannon.’”
”Is that… really so…? From distant Coalmine, the existence of the ‘Small Ddo-Buddy Cannon’ used on the Southern Continent…?”
Translation:4“Roland, do not underestimate that woman. Do not forget-it was that very woman who imagined the ‘Ddo-Buddy Trade Zone’ when she saw this kingdom-which had only just repelled Coalmine temporarily-and this man. Perhaps it’s understandable since you haven’t faced her yet…”
”…Understood. At the crowning ceremony, I will see for myself with my own eyes.”
”Mmm, that’s good.”
His Highness nodded at his sister’s advice. Yes-she was scheduled to visit our kingdom again on the day of the crowning. Even as queen, even after having a child, her lightness on her feet remained. And likely, so did her political acumen and sharp eye.
”And Lord Harvest, you understand as well, don’t you?”
”…Yes. I intend to clean up my own mess.”
”Very well. By the day of the crowning-before Ierse visits our kingdom-prepare enough negotiation material to convince her.”
”As you command.”
And so, I found myself bestowed with a new homework assignment from Her Majesty.
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Summary:
Queen Cecile and Harvest discuss a letter from Nada and Meryamisha-dono on the Southern Continent. The discovery: Succubi are fleeing from Ddo-Buddy products, mistaking them for the Small Ddo-Buddy Cannon that Nada used against an Incubus. The conversation is thick with unspoken understanding-Harvest and Cecile communicate in half-sentences while Roland struggles to follow. Cecile permits the information leak to continue, knowing it will spread to Sylvaol and then to Coalmine Kingdom via Queen Ierse, a former Sylvaol princess. Harvest is tasked with preparing negotiation material to justify the technology leak to Ierse before the crowning.
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Trivia:
- The “Ddo-Buddy Cannon” technology is jointly owned with Coalmine Kingdom; Harvest’s unauthorized miniaturization and transfer to Nada forms a treaty violation.
- Nada used the Small Ddo-Buddy Cannon by stabbing it into an Incubus’s buttocks and firing-Succubi witnessed this and now fear anything resembling a Ddo-Buddy.
- Ierse was Crown Prince Consort of Coalmine, became Queen in spring of the current year. Originally a princess of Sylvaol (Maritime Nation, southeast).
- Ierse was the one who imagined the “Ddo-Buddy Trade Zone” concept when she first saw Harvest and his kingdom’s potential.
- Roland’s crowning is soon; Ierse will attend, giving Harvest a deadline to prepare his defense.
- The “Super Ddo-Buddy Trade Zone” aims to include the entire Aurumcame Governor State.
- Cecile’s “usually this would be a reward” line refers to enjoying Cecile’s attention, but the current strain makes it uncomfortable.
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Translation Notes:
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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