Chapter 548 Season of Trials ②
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”So then, we’re requesting support from the Adventurer’s Guild to bolster our guards?”
”Aye, or mercenaries, or even the vagrants in the streets,” I replied in a measured tone. “Anything will do. The goal is simply to increase our headcount. Let’s have them handle the road maintenance as well. It’s a classic case of killing two birds with one stone.1“
”Two birds… with one stone?” Prince Roland tilted his head, youthful confusion coloring his expression.
I sighed, adopting the patient cadence of a tutor.
”Ah, right. It means achieving two goals with a single action—like striking two birds with one stone. It’s an idiom.”
”I see… Lord Harvest, you certainly know some fascinating expressions.”
”I’m honored you think so, Your Highness. Though you must be careful. There is also the saying, ‘He who chases two hares catches neither.’2 One should never lose sight of the target.”
”How incredibly cynical,” Roland protested. “Surely that depends entirely on the outcome, does it not?”
”Indeed. That is precisely why one must carefully judge whether a strategy will kill two birds or result in catching no hares at all.”
The succession had begun in earnest, with Prince Roland now standing as heir to the throne.
Somehow, I had ended up guiding the prince in the duties of kingship. I was pouring every scrap of knowledge I possessed—both from this world and my previous one—into supporting him.
I felt I was giving decent advice, at least.
Still, like Roland, I was a novice when it came to supporting a monarch.
I glanced toward the Queen, who stood with her arms folded, waiting for her assessment.
”So, is this acceptable, Your Majesty?” I asked.
”Yes,” the Queen replied with refined composure. “Increase personnel and maintain the roads. It is not a bad plan at all. If all goes well, you intend to have them build inns as well, I presume? In your own words, a ‘three birds, one stone’ strategy?”
”Yes. This entire crisis stemmed from a lack of manpower. By increasing the population through a single initiative, we solve the issues of guards, roads, and inns. Even if we did nothing, people would eventually gather and the problem might resolve itself, but if the state actively promotes it, the situation will improve exponentially.”
”Quite true. Fortunately, the treasury is healthy, and as trade grows more active, we can recover the investment through taxes. This is precisely the time to loosen the purse strings.”
I could not help but admire her.
This woman truly was a Wise Queen.
She understood exactly when bold action was required.
Throughout her reign, she had likely spent most of her time thinking about defensive policies—how to minimize losses and preserve stability.
Yet now she had shifted seamlessly toward growth and expansion.
My only regret was that the reign of such a capable monarch would end in a year’s time.
A faint sense of melancholy washed over me as our policy discussion continued.
”Well, that covers the essentials. Did you take good notes, Roland?”
”Yes, Sister.”
”Good. Today we drafted policies ourselves, but in practice, refining such proposals is usually the responsibility of bureaucrats.”
”Is that so…? Then what was the purpose of this exercise?”
”Because there will be times when you must think for yourself,” the Queen said firmly. “The plans put forward by bureaucrats are not always correct. Especially when their ideas align perfectly with your own. Those are often the moments when a critical oversight is hiding somewhere. Specifically—”
The Queen genuinely intended to pass every piece of wisdom she had accumulated on to the prince.
Roland, in turn, listened with complete sincerity.
Still, there were limits to human endurance.
After a lengthy lecture following the policy discussion, his eyelids had begun to droop.
”Oh dear, I’ve rambled on rather too long. Lord Harvest, didn’t you mention bringing a treat?”
”Oh? Ah, yes, that’s right. Though I do wonder whether it will suit Your Majesty’s tastes.”
”…! A break?” Roland blurted out, suddenly sounding far more energetic.
”Heh, heh. Yes, let us take a short rest.”
The Queen had noticed as well.
At the mention of a treat, Roland immediately came back to life, and tea was promptly prepared.
I settled into my chair and brought out the sweets I had brought with me.
Incidentally, it was not the Queen’s maid, Muse, who prepared the tea, but one of the maids serving the prince. I suspected they were still learning the duties expected of royal attendants.
”Oh? A rather unusual pastry. Did you make this yourself?” the Queen asked.
”Yes. My wives are currently pregnant, and I wanted them to have something light and sweet they could enjoy.”
”Kento-san, you make sweets too?!”
”Only as a hobby. Compared to the palace chefs, it’s nothing worth mentioning.”
Today’s offering was a cake made with fruit that even Carley, my beloved Ancient Elf, could stomach despite her severe morning sickness.
The flavor was bright and refreshing—something akin to a lemon cake from my previous world.
”…Delicious!”
”Indeed. It is quite exquisite.”
Roland gave his honest, childlike verdict, while the Queen elegantly covered her mouth with one hand.
Both seemed thoroughly pleased.
”I’m glad to hear it. Sweets help keep the mind sharp, after all. Please, enjoy yourselves.”
I watched them eat.
Looking at them now, they truly resembled a sister and brother.
I had always thought their features and hair were similar, but that impression had only grown stronger since the Queen had begun showing a gentler side of herself.
”Fufu…”
”Is something amusing?”
”No, merely a memory. It occurs to me that when I first took the throne, the Prime Minister used to prepare tea and sweets for me as well.”
”…! Lord Samoro did?”
Prime Minister Dan Samoro.
He was the man who had supported the Queen after she inherited the burden of ruling following the deaths of the previous King and Queen.
The fact that she had successfully protected the kingdom and guided it safely toward Roland’s succession owed much to his efforts.
To me, however, he had always seemed like nothing more than a stern old man.
The idea that such a severe-looking man would do something so thoughtful was surprising.
”When you first took the throne, Sister…?”
”Yes. Back then, every second felt precious. When I complained that mealtimes were a nuisance, he practically forced sweets on me, insisting they were something I could eat while working.”
Correction.
That was not a thoughtful gesture.
That was emergency fuel for someone buried beneath endless overtime.
I noticed Roland staring solemnly at his slice of cake.
”Heh, heh. Don’t worry. Once I became more capable of handling the workload, I was able to eat proper meals again. Besides, your situation is different. I am making preparations now so that you never end up in that position.”
”Y-Yes!”
Whether one suffered before becoming king or after becoming king, I personally wanted no part of either option.
Roland, however, seemed to have chosen the former.
As always, he was an earnest young man.
”Besides, you have Lady Unia as well.”
”Ah… y-yes.”
The Queen, determined to encourage her younger brother, shifted the conversation to Lady Unia Greter—the prince’s future wife.
Come to think of it, how exactly would they handle her?
Her intellect was far too valuable to waste.
On the other hand, whether a queen from another country should actively participate in domestic politics was a separate question entirely.
”Speaking of Lady Unia, do you intend to entrust her with government affairs as well?”
”Yes, that is the plan, at least for now. I have spoken with her extensively, and she understands her position. I will not grant her decision-making authority, but she will make an excellent advisor for Roland.”
I see.
If that was the case, the prince would need to work even harder.
At this rate, I could only imagine him ending up like the Crown Prince couple of the northern Coalmine Kingdom.
In other words, a husband perpetually pushed around by his energetic wife.
I still remembered Crown Prince Gilliam being dispatched on two business trips under the orders of Crown Princess Consort Ierse.
Admittedly, those trips had benefited the kingdom greatly.
Still, the husband had clearly suffered for it.
While pondering this, I noticed Roland’s cheeks turning red, perhaps from imagining his future married life with Lady Unia.
Sensing my gaze, Roland tilted his head.
”Kento-san…? Is something wrong?”
”…No. Good luck, young man.”
Being pushed around by women was apparently a universal constant, regardless of the world.
I silently wished the prince luck while conveniently ignoring the fact that I myself had already been molded into an educator by the Queen’s own hands.
—
Summary:
Harvest advises Prince Roland and the Queen on policies to increase manpower for national projects, effectively teaching the Prince through a session of collaborative planning. During a tea break, the Queen shares stories of her own difficult transition to the throne, underscoring the importance of preparing Roland for his future duties. The scene concludes with a brief, contemplative look at the political implications of the Prince’s upcoming marriage to Lady Unia.
—
Trivia:
The Queen’s former reliance on emergency sweets highlights the severity of her early reign.
Prince Roland is being deliberately prepared to avoid the Queen’s own past struggles.
The Prime Minister’s role was instrumental in the Queen’s ability to hand over a stable nation.
Harvest recognizes the similarity between Prince Roland’s future and the domestic dynamics of the neighboring Coalmine Kingdom.
—
Translation Notes:
Notes:
• Roland – The younger brother of Queen Cecile and the King of Ferguson, this heir to the Canaria throne is earnest and diligent but inexperienced in governance. He possesses golden-blonde hair and a delicate, innocent face often mistaken for a girl. Close to Unia, he once participated in a Social Studies Field Trip led by Harvest, balancing his formal princely duties with a studious, yet youthful demeanor.
• Harvest – Viscount Kento Harvest is a gaunt, pragmatic former adventurer and merchant who balances running a magic-circuit shop with his role as a mentor and policy advisor to the royal family. Clad in a tattered academic coat, he leverages knowledge from a past world and noble authority to navigate local politics. He is sexually proactive, maintaining complex relationships with numerous lovers and dependents.
• Muse – Muse is an expressionless, sharp-eyed royal maid serving Queen Cecile. Clad in a traditional uniform, this trusted attendant balances her official palace duties with discreet tasks like espionage and procurement. Highly efficient, she is especially indispensable during the high-pressure arrival of foreign delegations, managing sensitive operations while remaining a poised and constant presence.
• Kento – Lord Harvest, the reclusive Viscount and master of the Dildo-Buddy Mansion magic shop, resembles a dark-haired Japanese salaryman. Bound to the Queen, he uses strategic acumen to manage diplomatic and cultural discussions regarding his adult-toy inventory. Socially perceptive yet cautious, he shares a quiet intimacy with his companion Amelia and puts guests at ease with informal greetings.
• Carley – Ancient Elf Haha-sama, the youthful, flat-chested Captain of the Wielope Empire, is a wife to Kento and Harvest and is now pregnant. This pragmatic matriarch oversees assassins and royals like Emperor Dee-bou and Gustav. Unshaken by magic or restraints, she grants Forest Blessings and steers church-state diplomacy, utilizing her extraordinary stamina to secure the future of her lineage and empire.
• Samoro – Prime Minister Dan of the Samoro family is a middle-aged Marquis and veteran courtier known for his abundant white hair, grand mustache, and opulent robes. A powerful political figure who served previous rulers, he has staunchly backed the Queen since her coronation, leveraging his noble prestige and influence to support her reign.
• Dan – A high-ranking official serving as the Prime Minister. He stands behind the Queen during audiences and provides silent approval of successful diplomatic interactions through subtle gestures like nodding.
• Unia – As the third daughter of the Duke of Greter and a Marquis’s descendant, she heads the Ferguson delegation. With intricate blonde hair and a doll-like beauty, she possesses an expressionless face and a sharp, perceptive demeanor. As the designated future Queen and spouse to Roland, she occupies a position of significant influence and responsibility.
• Gilliam – The Crown Prince of the Coalmine Kingdom is a simple, naive figure struggling with the pressures of an ongoing war. Often overwhelmed by his energetic and dominant wife, Ierse, he appears henpecked in their relationship, frequently finding himself subordinate to her forceful personality.
• Ierse – As the vibrant Crown Princess and Lord of the Coalmine Kingdom, this brilliant mastermind radiates charm and strength. Though formerly of Sylvaol, she is now deeply devoted to her husband, Gilliam. Currently heavily pregnant, she maintains a powerhouse presence while tirelessly supporting her partner and preparing for the arrival of their heir.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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