Chapter 549 Ohiisama ①
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
While the Canaria Kingdom prepared for a royal succession and Kento, the proprietor of the magic circuit shop Harvest, found himself increasingly cornered, a different struggle was quietly taking shape across the sea on the Southern Continent.
The nation in question was Aurumcame.
Or perhaps, as Kento might have called it, the Governorate of Aurumcame.
Centuries earlier, it had been a single province within the great empire that once ruled the Southern Continent. Located along the northwestern coast, it sat somewhat apart from the continent’s political center. Yet thanks to the great river that flowed from south to north through its territory, its farmlands were rich and productive, making it one of the wealthiest governorates in the region.
Wealth naturally drew people.
Merchant vessels traveled downriver from the south. Caravans crossed the deserts from east and west. Ships moved constantly between the coastal cities. Even traders from the Maritime Nation of Sylvaol in the Northern Continent considered Aurumcame their primary destination.
In one of those prosperous port cities, as night slowly settled over the harbor, a woman listened to a report from one of her retainers.
”And that is the current situation.”
The elderly man lowered his head respectfully.
”The Governor—your father—does not have much time remaining.”
”Hm? Is that so?”
Her response was utterly indifferent.
The old man’s shoulders stiffened.
”My Lady, this is hardly the time for such a reaction.”
The woman was a striking beauty, her dark complexion characteristic of the Southern Continent. She was tall, elegantly proportioned, and carried herself with effortless confidence.
Yet more eye-catching than her appearance was her hair.
Long white locks spilled down her back, bright enough to stand out even beneath the darkness of night. As she listened, she lazily wound a strand around one finger, creating a stark contrast against her skin.
”But isn’t this a conversation we’ve been putting off for years?” she asked. “As far back as I can remember, Father has been bedridden. The inevitable is simply arriving at last.”
”That may be true, but…”
The old retainer hesitated.
”He is still your father, My Lady.”
The woman lounged upon a floor bed, a style of bedding commonly found throughout the Southern Continent1.
There was nothing ordinary about this one.
The mattress was woven from fabrics so fine that producing them would take months, perhaps years. The cushions supporting her arm were made from the same luxurious material. Tapestries covered the walls, each representing an enormous investment of labor and wealth. Rich carpets covered the floor, while embroidered cloth draped from the canopy above.
Even so, the most valuable textile in the room was the nightwear she wore.
Imported from the East, the fabric was impossibly soft, lightweight, and renowned for how beautifully it accepted dye. It clung naturally to her figure, accentuating every curve.
”That’s exactly why it’s long overdue, Geezer.”
Her tone remained cool and detached.
”I appreciate that he entrusted this city to me, but only because I happened to be one of the daughters he favored. I was merely one child among countless sons and daughters born to his concubines. I happened to draw a winning lot. Nothing more.”
The old man lowered his eyes.
”We were never really a family, were we?” she continued. “So why should I pretend otherwise now?”
”My Lady…”
The man had served her since childhood.
He understood all too well that neither the Governor’s family nor the path they had chosen could be changed now.
”More importantly, the preparations are complete, aren’t they?”
His expression immediately shifted back to one of professional composure.
”Every detail is in place, My Lady.”
”Good. Has anyone been behaving suspiciously?”
”No. The entire region is quiet. Most people appear to be waiting for the Governor’s death before making a move.”
”And my eldest brother?”
The old man sighed.
”He remains determined to oversee the funeral rites personally. It also appears he intends to secure some form of testament from the Governor.”
”…That sounds like him.”
The woman clicked her tongue.
”If my dear brother possessed even a shred of decency, none of this would be necessary.”
The current state of Aurumcame’s succession crisis stemmed from several intertwined problems.
The first was the Governor himself.
A notorious womanizer, he had fathered an astonishing number of children. Including those born outside formal marriages, the total reportedly exceeded one hundred. Even among the legitimate heirs, there were more than a dozen serious candidates.
The troublesome part was that they were all capable.
Each had been recognized by the Governor. Each had been entrusted with responsibility. Any one of them possessed the ability to govern.
The second problem was that the Governor had never chosen a successor.
Whether out of indecision, curiosity, affection, or simple whimsy, he had continued observing his children without ever naming an heir. Now, crippled by illness and unable to speak, he could no longer make that choice even if he wished to.
The third problem was the eldest son.
He was neither incompetent nor foolish.
Unfortunately, he was a man who considered fairness an inconvenience.
Possessing both talent and ambition, he pursued the governorship through any means available. If pressure worked, he applied pressure. If manipulation worked, he manipulated. He firmly believed that persistence could eventually overwhelm reason itself.
The fourth problem was everyone else.
Aurumcame’s wealth attracted constant foreign interest. Neighboring powers, merchants, noble factions, guilds, and countless political actors all sought influence over the succession. The eldest son eagerly exploited those interests, making promises one day and breaking them the next. He never crossed the line into outright treason, but his maneuvering left every alliance uncertain.
An ally today might become a rival tomorrow.
As a result, no one truly knew who supported whom anymore.
And somewhere in the middle of that political swamp stood the woman known simply as the Princess.
Ironically, she had no desire to become Governor.
She liked her current position.
This port city was large enough to be prosperous and important, yet small enough that she remained its unquestioned authority. Interesting people arrived daily from distant lands. Rare goods flowed constantly through the harbor. Life was comfortable.
Keeping that life, however, would require careful planning.
Whoever emerged victorious from the succession struggle would need to view her as an ally—or at the very least, as someone harmless enough to leave in place.
She intended to use every tool available.
Unlike her eldest brother, she preferred subtler methods.
One such method involved an unusual magic circuit she had acquired by chance. Through it, she hoped to establish connections with influential figures in the Northern Continent. She had no illusions about it becoming a miracle solution. At best, it could provide funding and useful contacts.
Anything beyond that would depend on the judgment of the girl called Nada-rme.
As these calculations turned over in her mind, the Princess—one of the mysterious figures whose existence Kento and his companions only vaguely suspected—made her decision.
”Regardless, while the Governor still lives, make certain every possible preparation has been completed.”
Her voice left no room for argument.
”When the time comes, we must be ready to move immediately.”
”…As you wish, My Lady.”
—
Summary:
The Princess of Aurumcame receives a report regarding her father’s impending death and her eldest brother’s schemes to seize power. Maintaining a detached and pragmatic demeanor, she orders her subordinate to finalize preparations for the inevitable succession crisis. She intends to leverage a new magic circuit discovery as an insurance policy to maintain her current influence regardless of who becomes the next Governor.
—
Trivia:
The Governor’s child count exceeds three digits.
The Princess identifies her eldest brother as being competent but inherently unfair.
The Governor has been unable to speak for a long time due to his illness.
—
Translation Notes:
Notes:
• 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.
• Kento – Lord Harvest, a reclusive Viscount resembling a dark-haired salaryman, runs the Harvest magic circuit and adult-toy store. Bound to the Queen, he uses strategic acumen to handle diplomatic discussions while currently being hemmed in by political forces. Socially perceptive yet cautious, he shares a quiet intimacy with his companion Amelia and uses informal greetings to put his guests at ease.
• Nada – A tall, slender Southern Continent envoy known to Kento and his group. She has dark skin, glossy black hair, and sharp almond eyes. Devoted to her master, she balances a blank diplomatic facade with a curious, naive nature, vulgar slang, and a fondness for fist-bumping. While exploring Canarias and sharing a sensual awakening with the protagonist, she remains an expert in trade and geography.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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