Chapter 304 International Relations in the Wake of the ”Stampede” ①
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
It had been a few days since “Project Harvest” ¹ kicked off, plunging me into a peak popularity phase that I still wasn’t sure I actually wanted.
Things were finally starting to settle down with the people in my immediate circle. I’d already lodged a formal protest with the Archbishop, while Marm-san the receptionist had been thoroughly chewed out by the Guild Master. Even Sera-chan from the Merchant Guild Tasogare ² had reached her limit with my unreserved staring.
That didn’t stop everyone else, though. I was still being bombarded with strangely suggestive conversation and women flaunting their curves at every turn. Just walking down the street meant being washed in a tide of whispers and voyeuristic heat.
If this were just “normal” popularity, I’d be all for it. But knowing these women were likely eyeing my purse strings more than my personality left a bitter taste in my mouth. And honestly? There was a good chance some of them were foreign spies trying to wiggle their way in.
I was still chewing on those complicated thoughts when a summons arrived from Queen Cecile. I wondered if the paperwork for my latest request had cleared early, but Lily doubted it. I couldn’t help but wonder what Her Majesty wanted with me now.
I found her in her usual office, but two things were definitely not usual. The moment I stepped inside, Muse the maid and Merluza, the Captain of the Guard, both turned a very visible shade of crimson.
I stood there for a moment, not sure if I should acknowledge it or pretend I was blind. The mistress of the room, however, didn’t seem to care. She glanced at her blushing staff for a second before turning her weary, hard-working gaze back to me.
”Word has arrived from the Kingdom of Ferguson ³ in the west,” she began.
”Oh?” I offered.
Her Majesty’s first words were a point-blank report. Ferguson was where this whole “Stampede” ⁴ mess had started. Since they were allies of the Canaria Kingdom, I didn’t think a letter was cause for such a heavy atmosphere, but I was clearly missing something.
”Is there a problem?” I asked.
”Not a ‘problem,’ exactly,” Cecile replied. “But King William himself is planning a visit. Officially, it’s an apology for letting the ‘Stampede’ spill over their borders and a formal thank-you for our help in ending it. Of course, ‘official’ is just a polite way of saying he’s lying through his teeth.”
She dangled the envelope – presumably the King’s letter – between her fingers, her eyes narrowing. I don’t know much about the style of rulers, but her expression told me that being ‘allies’ didn’t mean she was letting her guard down.
”To put it bluntly, we got lucky,” she continued in a low voice. “Unlike our country, which only saw damage in the lands of Count Kudoah, Ferguson was practically sliced in half. I expected it would be months before they were in any state for a face-to-face meeting, and yet…”
She was right. I’d heard the evil female dragon, Zil Meina, had carved a path of total destruction from the northern mountains all the way south through their territory.
We’d sent word of my brother-in-law Martin’s ‘predictions’ to Ferguson ahead of time, which kept the body count low, but you can’t evacuate a road. The main east-west trade routes connecting our two nations had been completely severed.
The fact that this letter reached us – and that the King was already on his way – meant they’d either fixed the roads in record time or had a very urgent reason to bypass them. They were in a hurry to talk. I could think of a few reasons why.
”King William seems intensely curious about the new magi-tech weapon that brought Zil Meina down,” Cecile said. “He saw the beast with his own eyes, so naturally, he’s dying to know how we struck down a monster he couldn’t touch. And beyond that, as a King, he’s terrified of a neighbor having that kind of military strength.”
As I thought, that was the primary objective. I nodded as she spoke. If I were him, I’d be losing sleep over it, too. A monster that nearly ended his kingdom was swatted out of the sky by a neighbor’s new weapon.
He needed to know if that spearhead would ever be pointed at him, and if the Canaria Kingdom was still the ‘friendly neighbor’ he remembered. And if he could find a way to grasp the secrets of that ‘new model weapon,’ all the better. If his spies were half as fast as his couriers, he probably already knew I was involved.
”King William has already left the capital with General Sachet in tow,” the Queen continued. “They’re busy men, so I’ll be arranging a formal audience the moment they arrive. Oh, and Duke Roost Badcage will be returning with them.”
”Father-in-law? That’s good news,” I said.
I felt a genuine wave of relief for Tina’s father. Duke Badcage was the one who’d hand-delivered the warnings to Ferguson.
Tina’s pregnancy had been discovered while he was away, and I’d been itching to give him the news. She’d be thrilled to have him back. However, I knew Her Majesty wasn’t giving me a family update for no reason.
The Duke had been in Ferguson throughout the entire commotion. He knew the state of that country better than anyone. If he was returning with the King, he’d certainly be participating in the talks.
”So,” I asked, “is that an order for me to join the meeting with my father-in-law? Or a warning to stay away from the Ferguson delegation?”
”The former,” the Queen replied. “Trying to hide you would just be more troublesome than it’s worth. We’ve gained a new ally in Coalmine ⁵ and we’re deepening ties with Sylvaol, but our country does not betray old friends. We need to show them that.”
I was happy to hear that. The last thing I wanted was to survive a monster apocalypse only to start fighting humans again. I’d hate for the “Ddo-Buddy Cannon” ⁶ to be used for anything like that. I nodded, and she seemed satisfied.
”We’ll go over the details right before the meeting,” she said. “Not that I have much to ask of you. You’re already under orders not to leak the structure or technology of the ‘Ddo-Buddy Cannon’ to other countries due to the promise with Coalmine.”
”I understand, Your Majesty,” I said firmly. “I won’t let my tongue slip to anyone without your permission.”
I tried to sound as professional as possible, but Cecile just stared at me with suspicious eyes. I hadn’t broken a single ‘don’t tell anyone’ order she’d given me yet. Had I?
”Actually, the letter mentions another companion joining them,” she said, her expression turning sour.
Seeing the look on her face told me exactly what she was worried about.
”Is it a woman?” I asked.
”Yes. King William calls her a ‘female relative,’” she muttered.
”Could it be… are you worried I’ll try to lay a hand on her?” I asked.
The Queen didn’t answer, but her eyes said everything. ‘You know exactly what you’re like.’ It was a bit insulting, but given my track record, it was a fair concern.
”But if she’s the King’s ‘relative,’ she’s royalty, right?” I asked.
”Technically blood-related, but with zero claim to the throne,” Cecile explained. “Her family was demoted to subject status generations ago. She’s not referred to as royalty. In our country, she’d be like a daughter of the Badcage family – roughly the same standing as Tina.”
”Ah…” I said, finally getting it.
So, a daughter of a high-ranking noble house. It wasn’t that strange; after all, Tina had been at the ceasefire conference with Coalmine. But if they were ‘curious’ about the new weapon…
I had to wonder: if a beautiful woman came up to me and whispered, ‘Do it for the sake of our kingdoms’ friendship,’ could I actually say no? I liked to think I could, but I was being a bit full of myself. Ferguson likely had other plans.
”Aren’t they more likely to be aiming for Prince Roland?” I suggested.
”Umu. We’ll have to be on guard for that as well,” the Queen admitted.
If they were looking for a real prize, they’d go for the Queen’s brother, not me. Roland was already the locked-in heir to the throne. If Ferguson wanted to deepen friendship, a formal marriage proposal to the future King was the standard move.
”Fine. If that’s their game, so be it,” Cecile sighed. “I’ll have to judge for myself if she is worthy of being Roland’s partner and the future Queen. But… Lord Harvest? May I vent for a moment?”
”By all means,” I replied.
”Why is it,” she groaned, “that after surviving two back-to-back national catastrophes, I still have to spend my time managing the libidos of men?”
”Honestly? I’m sorry,” I said.
I had no choice but to bow my head and take the blame.
—
Summary:
The protagonist deals with the fallout of his sudden massive popularity caused by ‘Project Harvest’. He is summoned by Queen Cecile to discuss an impending diplomatic visit from King William of Ferguson. The meeting reveals the high political stakes surrounding the protagonist’s new weaponry and potential marriage traps.
—
Trivia:
- The ‘Ddo-Buddy Cannon’ tech is legally bound to Coalmine and cannot be shared.
- Tina is pregnant, and her father Roost is currently unaware as he was in Ferguson.
- The Ferguson Kingdom was severely damaged by the dragon Zil Meina.
- The protagonist’s popularity isn’t just a gag; it carries risk of foreign espionage
—
Character Insight:
Queen Cecile shows signs of extreme burnout from state affairs, shifting her focus from war to the headache of managing noble marriages and her brother’s future. The protagonist is becoming more cynical about female attention, realizing the political weight he now carries.
—
Behind the Scenes:
The ‘Project Harvest’ effect seems to be a recurring plot device used to bridge the gap between combat arcs and slice-of-life/political arcs.
—
TL Notes:
Notes:
• Marm – The attractive, red-haired, tanned receptionist at the Adventurer’s Guild. She wears a uniform that emphasizes her ‘nice body.’ She is kind and acts like a supportive ‘big sister’ figure to Kento. Looks like Mirajane Strauss from certain series.
• Sera – A young, earnest salesperson from the Tasogare Merchant Guild, Kento’s supplier. She is characterized by her braided brown hair, large round glasses, and freckles. She’s serious about her job and easily flustered, especially by Kento’s adult goods business. Looks like Onodera from certain series.
• 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.
• Lily – the sl*ve and primary experiment subject for the magic shop, ‘Harvest.’ She has striking pink hair, Blue eyes, medium breasts, which the Protagonist associates with being ‘wanton’. She has a working knowledge of magic, which she kept hidden from the slave trader.
• Merluza – The Captain of the Royal Guard, a veteran soldier and Lion Beast-person. She testifies to the military necessity and effectiveness of the ‘Tremble Ddo-Buddy’ (which she calls ‘Bob’) for female beast-person soldiers, ensuring job performance isn’t compromised by ‘heat’. Have dull yellow hair, large feline ears, wearing armor, and large scar over the right eye.
• 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.
• Martin – Lily’s non-blood-related younger brother. Considered the strongest candidate to succeed the Popol family due to his lineage and manifested ‘power. He has pink hair.
• Sachet – A General of the Ferguson Kingdom. An old soldier who is deppuri (corpulent/fat) but possesses thick muscle beneath the fat.
• 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.
• 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.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
Leave a Reply