Chapter 366 Adult Responsibilities
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”…And that concludes my report,” I said, finishing the briefing.
”Indeed. You’ve done well, Lord Harvest,” Queen Cecile replied with a nod.
It was late at night, following the secret date between Prince Roland of Canaria and Lady Unia, the daughter of Grand Duke Greter. Most of the details had already been relayed by the maid, Muse, and Her Majesty had caught a glimpse of the pair return with her own eyes. I was simply there to provide my personal take on the evening.
”…We shall increase our support for Ferguson¹,” the Queen declared.
”Then it’s settled?” I asked.
”Yes. It is decided. Roland’s future consort shall be Lady Unia Greter.”
Her Majesty’s mind was made up. Of course, a marriage between royalty and the high nobility still faced plenty of hurdles, but the formal engagement would likely coincide with Roland’s coronation.
Honestly, after a first date that dramatic, telling the boy “it didn’t work out” would probably shatter his mind. For the sake of our precious Prince’s healthy development, I’ll pray for a successful outcome. That said…
”Are you certain about this?” I asked, testing the waters.
”Don’t play innocent with me,” the Queen countered. “You’re the one who practically glued them together.”
”As His Highness’s tutor, I merely did what needed to be done. …Though, seeing how earnest he was, I suppose I did get a bit carried away,” I replied.
As a loyal retainer, I had to double-check the wisdom of her decision. My personal judgment was one thing, but political reality was another. We both had to ensure nothing had been overlooked.
”…It shouldn’t be an issue,” the Queen continued. “We’ve vetted her thoroughly. The chance of this being a ‘honey trap’ is non-existent. She isn’t the type of woman to make a choice that contradicts her own desires.”
”True. Conversely, if His Highness didn’t have the requisite charm, she never would have let him in,” I noted.
”Hmph. To think it would turn out like that, though… She was already acting like a devoted wife. She stayed half a step behind him, watching his every move, noting exactly what he liked to eat. And then, as they parted, she had him remove her necklace and told him, ‘Please put this back on me tomorrow, with your own hands’…”
”…I imagine King William was quite rattled by that display,” I said, suppressing a smile.
”Ha! It was a masterpiece. He looked like he was worried she’d eaten something poisonous. Clearly, even her own side didn’t expect Unia to fall this hard.”
”I suppose not. Even I didn’t anticipate it going this well. I’d have been happy if she just viewed him as a cute younger brother,” I admitted.
It seems tonight’s dinner had been quite the show. I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall. Whether you’re a commoner or a prince, a teenager’s first love is the same regardless of the world. Suddenly everything is in Technicolor, your head is in the clouds, and you spend your nights writhing on your bed in a dreamlike daze. I’ll just watch over them with a warm, slightly pitying gaze.
”My only concern is whether the Grand Duke will actually part with his daughter,” the Queen mused.
”Yes, he’s known to dote on her,” I said.
”It’s not just sentiment. She’s brilliant. I’ve heard she’s responsible for the recent growth of the Greter family fortune. The Ferguson Prime Minister might kick up a fuss too.”
”Hence the extra support?”
”Exactly. We need to offer a price that makes losing Unia feel like a bargain.”
Being a royal is a massive headache. Since political leadership is tied to bloodlines, talent is always in short supply. Marriage is the primary tool to either fix that deficit or accelerate growth. By securing a “good wife” for our side, we were taking a powerful card out of Ferguson’s hand. It was a cold, unromantic way to look at it, but we adults had to handle the messy reality while the kids enjoyed their romance.
”So, we’re looking at supplies, funds, and personnel?” I asked.
”Indeed. More of everything. I want to accelerate the restoration of our Kudoah County territory so we can start assisting southern Ferguson as well.”
”Ah… I heard Satsuki and the others are working hard. Is there no end in sight?”
Kudoah County was the only region in our kingdom to take a heavy hit during the ‘Stampede².’ According to Suu from the Beast-person Association, the court mage Satsuki and Sister Amelia were busy being hailed as the ‘Great Mage’ and the ‘Saint’ while they rebuilt the province.
”They’re busy hunting down the last of the monsters and assisting the villages. It’s a slow process. Luckily the disaster hit in winter, so crop damage was minimal. If they can finish the spring planting, things will stabilize by autumn.”
”So, this spring is the turning point?” I asked.
”For us, yes. And for every season after,” the Queen replied.
The same applied to Ferguson. If we were only just getting by, there was no way they would survive the spring without help. This will be a grueling year for them; next year will be their make-or-break point. Which meant they’d be even more desperate for our aid – giving us more opportunities to rack up political favors. It’s a cynical business compared to the purity of young love.
”…Forgive me. I cannot return Satsuki and Amelia to you just yet,” she added after a pause.
The Queen had misread my silence. I certainly missed having them around, but ‘Project Harvest’ was already filling the gaps they left. Unlike the wars of the past, this disaster wasn’t her fault. You can’t stop an act of God. Still, I appreciated that she felt the weight of it.
”It can’t be helped, so please don’t let it weigh on you. I was just thinking that it feels a bit… predatory, taking advantage of Ferguson’s weakness like this,” I said.
”Oh? Since when did you become such a humanitarian?” she asked with a smirk.
”I don’t know. Maybe I just saw something too bright and pure tonight, and it rubbed off on me.”
”Hmph. Don’t worry about it. Their problems are their own. Though, if you find a way to make the deal even more mutually beneficial, I’m all ears.”
I decided to keep that in the back of my mind. A better deal might mean getting Satsuki back sooner. But first, I had to ensure the Roland-Unia marriage was a lock.
”We need a kickback for the Greter family specifically, don’t we?”
”Yes. Their daughter marrying into a neighboring royal house brings prestige, but they’re already Dukes. They need something tangible.”
”So… we’re going with that?”
”Indeed. ‘Ddo-Buddy Diplomacy³.’ I hear Unia has an older brother. His wife is the perfect target. And the mother… well, I’m sure we can win her over too.”
Our kingdom’s “Ddo-Buddy Diplomacy” was becoming our ultimate weapon. It was a “Big Stick Policy” where the “sticks” were actually high-end magic massagers, aphrodisiacs, and slime-vibrators. It was enough to make any traditional diplomat turn pale.
”The Greter family trades heavily with the Western Isles. We should negotiate including export rights to those nations as part of the package,” the Queen suggested.
”We’ll need a liaison. It would have been easier if Unia could do it, but…”
”Not yet. Once she’s married in, we can put her to work. For now, we’ll ask her for advice on how to convince her father and what products might appeal to them.”
”Understood. I suppose that means my shop is headed for another production spike? Ferguson and the Isles… I can’t even begin to guess the demand in the Western Isles.”
Expansion after expansion. I hadn’t even finished the new factory for the Church yet, and now my head was spinning with new orders. Just as I was wondering how to manage the workload, the Queen spoke up.
”Speaking of which, they should be arriving soon. You can consult with them regarding the production increase.”
—
Summary:
Lord Harvest reports to Queen Cecile about the successful secret date between Prince Roland and Lady Unia. Cecile decides to officially move forward with their marriage as a political masterstroke to secure Unia’s talent and influence over the Ferguson kingdom. Meanwhile, the group discusses the economic and diplomatic strategy of using adult goods to sway noble families.
—
Trivia:
- Unia is the one who initiated the ‘necklace’ gesture to ensure a second meeting.
- Kudoah County was the primary area damaged by the recent monster Stampede.
- The ‘Ddo-Buddy’ Diplomacy isn’t just a joke; it’s being used as a serious trade negotiation tool for the Western Isles.
- Satsuki and Amelia are currently away performing humanitarian/reconstruction work.
- The protagonist is currently overwhelmed with multiple production requests: the Church, Ferguson, and now the Greter family/Western Isles
—
Character Insight:
Lord Harvest shows a rare moment of ‘humanitarian’ hesitation, feeling predatory about exploiting Ferguson’s weakness, though he quickly returns to his pragmatic merchant roots. Cecile remains a cold, calculating monarch who views her brother’s pure love primarily as a lucky political asset.
—
Behind the Scenes:
The author uses the contrast between ‘pure teenage love’ and ‘cynical adult politics’ to ground the fantasy world’s economy.
—
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.
• 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.
• Unia – The third daughter of the house of Duke Greiter. Has blonde hair tied in an intricate style, dol-like beauty, and expressionless face.
• Satsuki – A talented Court Mage who was forced to analyze the shop’s adult magic tools. Miranda’s granddaughter. Now she’s the new worker at Harvest, a development she finds both humiliating and surprisingly fulfilling due to the rapid progress in her research under Kento’s guidance. Has long black hair, palace mage robe, and staff.
• Amelia – The Sister of the Church of Demon-Subjugating, who usually buys from Kento, has light blue hair.
• Suu – Secretary for the Royal Capital Beast-person Mutual Aid Association and a cat beast-person. Sample No. 19 in Kento’s report. She steps up as the first witness for the defense. Wears glasses and a tight suit.
• Soi – An old professor from Ajire seminary, the first to raise a question. Looks like wizardly.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
Leave a Reply