kscans

Chapter 84 - A Foreign Palace and the Little One

"Now then... here, no strange beaks can interrupt. What is your intention?!"

"Well, you see~, I just thought it was a waste of human resources~~"

In the prepared reception room, with only their close aides remaining, the two of them suddenly got brutally honest. Masahad’s aides stared, their eyes wide with surprise. They had not accompanied their master on his goodwill visit to Frontier and had stayed behind to guard his home. In contrast, the few who had accompanied him gazed into the distance with enlightened, lukewarm eyes. It was a scene they had seen countless times on their journey here.

...Ah, it’s started again.

Their true thoughts did not escape their lips.

"To reduce them to slaves is an act unbecoming of a human being! Are you a demon?!"

"I won’t deny it, but what good comes from dying! I’m just saying let’s take in the people who aren’t directly involved! In Frontier!!"

She’s not denying it..........

Well, she is a demon, after all.

Dorfen and Hyrulia exchanged suspicious glances.

After a round of shouting their respective arguments at each other, the two took a break with coffee. Then, the Little One suddenly looked up.

"Oh right, there’s this too. This drink, I can make it taste even better, you know?"

The girl grinned, and the Donautil side stared in astonishment. This was a specialty product of Donautil. They had not distributed it elsewhere.

She dares to critique something in which they undoubtedly had the upper hand?

Masahad put down his cup and pierced the Little One with a probing gaze. However, she was not one to be fazed by such a thing. Heaving a great sigh, haa, he beckoned with his finger for the Little One to speak.

"It’s true... this is completely different."

"Right?♪"

The Little One beamed, nipaa, and savored the newly brewed coffee. She used some washi paper she had on hand to create a simple something for drip brewing.

I believe the size of Melitta’s hole was patented, wasn’t it?

The famous coffee lady, Melitta. She had experimented with ways to quickly prepare coffee during the busy morning hours and created the Melitta coffee dripper, which would be loved by the world for a long time.

If the hole is too big or the osmotic pressure too high, neither aroma nor flavor is born. The Little One adjusted the hole to be smaller to allow for a proper steeping, letting the coffee drip out potapota, and brewed a cup.

It was a success, and the coffee, now free from the unpleasant taste of fine grounds, impressed even Masahad and his men.

"Including things like this, Frontier will fully support Donautil with the technological assistance it lacks, you know? At least for as long as I’m alive. How about it? Give me the people from the joint punishment in exchange."

So it all comes back to that.

"Why do you desire slaves so much? Is there something more to this?"

Seeing Masahad’s probing words, the Little One finally realized his misunderstanding.

"Bwahah, ah, I see. That? It’s just a figure of speech."

"A figure of speech?"

"Yup yup♪"

Holding a cup of the first delicious coffee she’d had in a while, the Little One explained.

If she had just said she would take them in, the retainers would not have agreed. She had thought that if she said she was making them slaves, it would in a sense be a punishment and would be more readily accepted, so that’s what she said.

"I didn’t think they’d oppose it so much~"

"Of course they would, you fool. Donautil has no law to reduce a noble to a slave. Those of high birth have the right to be granted an honorable death."

The Little One’s lips twisted into a grin, niyo.

A right, huh? Once you’re dead, everyone’s the same, right? It’s the end, right? Well, I suppose for commoners, being tortured to death is a common form of execution. So I guess that leads to that kind of thinking, but it runs deep.

It was a country where taking a life in one stroke was an act of mercy. The difference in values was insurmountable.

"Well, for that reason, the people I take in will live as commoners. Whether they can live in luxury will depend on their own efforts from now on, but I’ll give them an ordinary life, you know?"

Masahad held his head in his hands for a moment and fell silent at the girl’s casual declaration.

It was not a bad deal.

Executions cost money, and if it meant eradicating a whole clan, the amount would be enormous. The management of the criminals, the associated labor costs, food expenses, and so on. The more he thought about it, the more attractive the girl’s proposal seemed.

"...Can you promise they will never set foot in Donautil again?"

"Leave it to me. I’ll make them work and eat so much they won’t even have time to get homesick."

The Little One gave a thumbs-up, cha. King Masahad was annoyed by her overly smug face.

In the end, an agreement was reached, and Donautil secured technological assistance from Frontier in exchange for handing over many of its criminals.

"Was it alright for you to make such a promise on your own?"

"It’s fine, it’s fine. It’s only for things I have the rights to."

As for the rest, if she passed it off to Katsumi, he would surely teach Donautil useful technologies that posed no problem for Kilfan.

"Ahh, I’m tired. It’s over. Let’s do some sightseeing and then go home."

The Little One smiled brightly.

And so, the great commotion that had decided the fate of a nation came to a close.

Though there were joys and sorrows of all sizes, they were of no concern to the Little One.

It would take time to identify the criminals and capture their entire clans. It seemed the executions would be carried out after everyone was caught, and the criminals to be sent to Frontier would be escorted in batches as they were gathered.

In between, King Masahad was kept busy, running around after the girl who was out sightseeing and had even gotten her hands on some coffee seedlings.

"I told you we don’t export themmmm!!"

"Just for me!! I’ll keep it a secret, so give it to meeee!!"

Just as the Little One, holding the seedlings, tried to fly away with Pochiko-san, Marrow’s snake caught her. It wrapped around her, nururi, snatched the seedlings, and Marrow burned them right in front of the Little One’s eyes.

"Waaaahhhhn!"

Seeing the Little One genuinely crying, Marrow wore an awkward expression and knelt down.

"I’m sorry. Please don’t trouble my brother, Hiiro."

"Weeehhheeen!"

As the Little One would not stop crying, Marrow grew flustered. Hearing the cries, someone descended from above and kicked Marrow in the back.

‘You! How dare you make my sister cryyy!!’

It was Cesare who had jumped down. He let out a furious roar and embraced the Little One.

"Onii-samaaa, my seedlingsss!"

‘There, there. Just wait. I will turn a country like this to ash.’

At Cesare’s words, the people of Donautil were horrified. Everyone knew that he had led the charge and marched on the royal palace.

"Ah, let’s not do that."

The crow that had been crying was already laughing.

It would be a waste to have such a culturally different country turned to ash.

Seeing his pouting sister, Cesare immediately nodded.

‘I see, I understand.’

While the people let out a sigh of relief, ho, Masahad smiled wryly and promised to send the Little One coffee beans regularly, though he could not give her seedlings.

And so the days passed, and on the eve of the Frontier party’s return, a ball was held.

To showcase the culture of the central region in the grand hall, the dressed-up Little One and Marrow in Donautil’s formal attire performed a dance. The people of Donautil, who had no culture of dancing, were extremely curious.

"When you’re dressed like that, you look like a prince too, Marrow."

"You too. Well, looks aren’t that important, though."

The smiling pair made for a well-matched couple. The people around them watched with warm smiles. Their gliding feet were flawless as they danced two waltzes and received a great round of applause.

After returning to her seat, Masahad handed the Little One a drink and spoke to her with a slightly thoughtful expression.

"Ah... now that our countries have finally established diplomatic relations, I was wondering if you would consider forming a bond through marriage?"

"A bond?"

The Little One tilted her head, kyon.

By the time Dorfen and Chihaya, who had noticed the conversation, could rush over, it was too late. Masahad had already said the crucial words.

"For example, how about you and Marrow? Your ages are not far apart, and if you wish, Marrow could even marry into your family."

It was Marrow who answered the beaming Masahad. He stood there with an uncomfortable air.

"Brother, Hiiro has a fiancé."

"What? It seems to have been decided quite early. However, would not a marriage with a royal be more beneficial for her family?"

"Hiiro’s fiancé is royalty. You know him as well, do you not, brother? He is His Highness Prince Romel."

King Masahad spat out the contents of the glass he had been about to drink, buh.

"That man?!"

"That man."

An ice-cold atmosphere that needed no explanation. For some reason, Romel seemed to have the impression of a demon king in every country. The sharp-witted man of power who ruled Frontier from the shadows.

Well, that’s not wrong, though~~

At the mention of Romel’s name, Masahad’s spirits sank, and he slumped his shoulders. Watching him with a wry smile, the Little One enjoyed her last night in Donautil.

Having pried open a sliver of the world’s secrets, there would probably be many more things to come.

Today, too, the Little One is full of energy♪