47 Episode 46: The Gray Earl Son
The designated location is the corner of the outhouse garden. The tea Ilia prepared for me and the treats Raini made for me, ready to go. Later we just wait for Miguel to come.
"Dear Anisphere, We have brought the Marquis Graphite son."
"Ha, Lord Ilia. You can call me Miguel, right?
Miguel, who has been guided by Ilia, says lightly with a seemingly good grin of people. Ilia\'s expression doesn\'t even move, and she takes a step back with a gentle glance as it is.
Miguel doesn\'t look like he cared about how Ilia looked like that, and he turns to me. I give Miguel my hand and ask him to shake it.
"Thank you for responding to our sudden invitation."
"No! This was also convenient because I had an appointment with Miss Uphilia. Oh, of course I was looking forward to a moment with Princess Anisphere, too!
"Well, you\'re good"
If I finish shaking hands and step back, Uffi will step forward to take his place. Yuffi\'s hand holds a handkerchief and offers it straight to Miguel. Miguel takes the handkerchief offered by Uffi with respect and goes straight to his nostalgia.
"You did make good on your promise. It\'s a pleasure to see you again, Master Ufilia."
"Yeah, I wanted to see you, too. Lord Miguel."
If we laugh at each other, we\'ll stay seated. Ilia and Raini are asked to refrain from doing so at a short distance. Uffi next to me, Miguel sits face-to-face.
"Hey, the tea treats here are great!
"Because it\'s one of my proud squire\'s dishes. If you were indulgent, most importantly."
"I\'m also jealous that we have this kind of tea treat available exclusively!
Miguel consumes one treat after another. That\'s something I can eat a lot, I stare at.
Exhale with tea as you go, and Miguel looks at this one with a smiling grin. The atmosphere I felt before that I couldn\'t grasp was alive.... Well, what shall I do?
You don\'t like working with this kind of hand. Then I guess it would be a bad idea to behave strangely. Let\'s attack like ourselves from here on out.
"... well. Then I\'ll let you go vegan from here. Honestly, I\'m not going to go around or anything. I\'m sorry if you\'re here for a noble tea party."
"Ho? And say what?
"I want to know if you\'re someone I can get along with. It\'s a hard atmosphere to grasp. I want to know if I can trust you."
"That\'s quite frank."
Miguel\'s smile remains the same. Nico and I feel those eyes look at me with interest. Show me a smile so I can respond, too.
"I\'d like a candid opinion from Miguel, too. If you were to bet on me, how far would you bet?
"Is that a bet?
"Yes. How much future do you keep with me?
"That, of course. As his subordinate, he became Princess Anisphere\'s hand, his leg..."
"I want to hear Miguel\'s feelings, not as a Graphite family position."
I say to block Miguel\'s words. So Miguel shook his expression just a little bit. The main thing that has changed is the eyes. The intriguing eye color looks deeper. Look back at me like that. I wait for Miguel\'s next word.
"... you really don\'t look like a nobleman rather than a royal, the princess. No, I don\'t hate it, though, do I? I\'d rather. You know, dating a nobleman can be a tough thing to do."
Miguel laughs when he breaks his posture and attitude at the same time. The vegetarian expression looked like a prank kid, and to be honest, it seemed like I had finally seen a side that seemed to favor me.
I get my feet together under the dress to go with it, too. I feel Ilia narrowed her eyes when I found her for a purpose, but dare ignore her and put a cheek wand on her desk.
"Oh, nice. Hey, I\'ve always felt like I could get along with the princess, you know, me."
"I\'ll say it often. Isn\'t that a pose, too?
"Well, how about that?
"Well, good. So, what do you say? How much value have you personally found in me?
"Is he still on his way? No, if it\'s worth it, I don\'t think it\'s a bad idea to give loyalty to a princess, do I? It\'s going to show you a different and exciting form of governance than His Majesty Orphans."
Exciting governance. Well, it\'s exciting in the sense that you might just make and go about things you haven\'t seen before. It is inevitable to spread magic, and I will not deny it.
"So? Because what does the princess want from me?
"I want you to be on my side, but I\'m not telling you to be. I want you to give me information instead."
"Informative?
"You\'re right, you\'re the queen of freaks. Who will be on your side and who will be enemies with the bumps you\'ve neglected before? I don\'t have the information to identify it."
"I see?"
"So, I wanted to connect with you who seemed to have information. That\'s what I want."
"Hmm?
Miguel hammering for fun. I look into Miguel\'s eyes so he doesn\'t change his expression in particular.
Well, I don\'t know how to get out. I think he showed me some vegetables, but I don\'t see the bottom at all.
"So?"
"So, what?
"Is it in my interest? Princess."
"... So what do you want?
"Can I snort when I say the King\'s throne?
I ran chills on my spine and my cheeks were about to cramp unexpectedly. No, I know you\'re obviously joking, but I got a rejection reflexively.
Then an evil sign drifted from Ufi, who was sitting next to him. Even colder chills run and breathe like coughing. Miguel\'s laughing oddly when I\'m breathing. Konnya.
"I\'m kidding, I\'m talking to a boulder."
"... that\'s a funny joke"
"I\'m sorry about this. What I want, hey. Then I want you to tell me about magic."
"About magic?
"That\'s an idea that doesn\'t exist. What the hell do I perceive to produce such a thing? And I found a new theory where no one came looking at me. I admit it\'s too much of a rush to accept in this country, but I won\'t deny it."
"... I\'d appreciate it if you could appreciate that much."
"I would also rate it. Honestly, I\'m glad the princess has a royal bondage."
Miguel narrowed his eyes and switched the emotions that were floating in the color of those eyes. I can\'t feel the heat of my emotions, just eyes to observe.
"I\'m scared. Imagine when the princess disappeared from this country."
"... why is that?
"The foundation of the Kingdom of Palletia is heavily occupied by the Spirit. There are plenty of resources for spiritual relations as a national characteristic. For example, if a princess travels to another country to enlighten magic, everyone will find value in spiritual resources. Then I need to take the Kingdom of Palletia. Your magic might have stripped your fangs. If a princess is to leave this country alone and take over a" named "demon, even more so, magic can be used even if she is not a nobleman. It\'s horrible."
"... that I would work with another country to destroy this country?
"It\'s not impossible to have such a future, is it? In fact, the princess\'s position was low. Even now, around the Ministry of Magic, the princess is reluctant to be king."
That\'s an impossible imagination of the future. I think so, but I can\'t deny that it looks that way from the side. In fact, when Al Kun became king, he thought of leaving this country as one option.
If they think I hate this country. And if you look to the kingdom of Palletia, which is rich in resources to use magic. Maybe I\'ll join forces with other countries to start a war. That seems... a little undeniable.
It wouldn\'t have been strange if I had been a national bandit if I had misaligned myself with one thing. Objectively, I don\'t deny it.
"It\'s easy to deny it. You don\'t think about what happens when a human being as capable of acting as a princess abandons his country?
"I also think about leaving if you tell me to leave. I won\'t do it because it\'s irresponsible."
"Scary. Scary. Truth is, the king and his wife are good parents now. His Majesty was conservative in some places, but not foolish. Well, I\'ve been too cautious to allow the rise of the Ministry of Magic until now."
"... What is the Graphite family\'s position?
That\'s where I\'ve always been concerned. The Graphites don\'t really know what kind of house it is. Miguel deepens his mouth grin funny to my inquiry.
"Do you want to hear that? Well, it\'s neutral. I don\'t put my shoulder in either. Prioritize those who are in the national interest. That\'s the kind of stance I\'ve had since I was the head of the Ministry of Magic."
"But you left when you were a generation ago, didn\'t you?
"I heard it was because His Majesty bowed his head. He bowed his head to Grandpa, who was then the secretary and had penetrated his position of neutrality, and asked him to leave the seat of the secretary. To consolidate the country\'s policies, to unify the will of the nobles, who are thick in their magical faith, including the Chartreuse family."
So you\'re saying that at Father\'s request, the nobles who are organizing the present Ministry of Magic, starting with the Chartreuse family, have begun to have power? Originally, the Ministry of Magic was the secretary of the neutral Graphite family?
"Beside His Majesty was Lord Grants, who was good enough to have de as a wizard, and Queen Silphine. After the Graphites took a step back and gave way, they paced with the Ministry of Magic, put the country in turmoil and stabilized the reign in case of an external illness. That in itself is a feat, but it has created a soil for future seeds of discord in order to take stability."
"... but it doesn\'t make sense for the country to remain rough"
"Especially you."
As a father, I guess it was a painful way to keep pace with the aristocrats whose magic beliefs are deeply ingrained. At the time, I asked people how rough the country was. He said he used a somewhat forceful hand to bring the country together quickly.
I thought he was like a father and not like a father. That man is not really fit for contention. So even if we can stabilize it, the problems of the Ministry of Magic have deepened its roots. There is good and bad, but the king cannot speak only on that side.
Maybe that\'s why the next generation of me was a wreck is also God\'s extraction, I can\'t believe it.
"What the Graphites want is the stability and prosperity of the nation. Anyone can do that. If the king is stupid, it\'s enough to put the king in perspective, isn\'t it?
"... to the point of becoming. It\'s good to hear that story. Relieved."
"Hmm?"
"Miguel. Don\'t you want to make an alliance with me?
"Alliance?"
"We\'re not so close to being comrades. What we give each other priority is stability and prosperity in the country. Then let\'s form an alliance with me. If it\'s in my interest, you just have to keep the alliance going. If I tilt the country, you can drag it down relentlessly."
I tell Miguel as I slap him in the neck with my fingers. Although Miguel rounded his eyes for a moment, he immediately held his belly and laughed.
"Ha ha! You can drag yourself down if it\'s not in the country\'s interest! Nice, nice, Princess! You\'re the best!
"... that much?
"You don\'t get tired of watching a woman with that much temper. Uh, that\'s crazy. But you\'re really a parent and a child, and a princess."
"Hmm?"
"They also said His Majesty Orphans. If you need it to stabilize the country, drop this neck. Then Lord Grants and Queen Sylphine squeezed me."
"... uh, it\'s amazing"
It was too easy to imagine a father whose mother was preaching and shrinking his shoulders under pressure from Lord Grants. But I\'m just a little relieved when people say they\'re similar. I\'m glad you think I\'m a proper daughter.
I am royal even if I rot, and I grew up in this country. I don\'t hate this country, and I don\'t wish it was rough. That\'s why I thought I could swallow the pain or be king. I\'ve never been over it before, though.
"So, alliance, alliance. You think it\'s okay to remain neutral?
"Yeah, I wouldn\'t even tell you to be on my side. Let\'s keep our hands together while our interests match."
"Fine. This is my personal covenant with the princess. The Graphites are, once and for all, sire by but neutral in their position. I\'m not going to change that position even if I take the lead. Is that all right with you?
I nod and show. I\'m sure the loyalty of Zildu\'s grandfather and the present Marquis Graphite was dedicated to his father. Somehow I feel that way.
So what I get is Miguel\'s trust and loyalty. When he doesn\'t get along with it, he could turn to my enemy. But I don\'t mind. Sometimes it\'s better to have a dry relationship.
"From today on, I\'m your ally. Say hello again, Princess Anisphere?
"This is Miguel. I\'d like to ask you a quick favor."
"Yes, sir. Instead, give me good information on magic."
"... then. Raini!"
When I call Raini, Raini, who was waiting a short distance away, rushes up.
"Are you calling? Dear Annis."
"Bring me one Mana Blade. Give it to Miguel."
"... because it\'s good?
"It\'s an alliance. I\'ll take care of it, that\'s why."
Mana Blade hasn\'t used it as her primary weapon since I got the Celestial either. I may carry it as a protective weapon.
Miguel might have something in the future. You might be able to guess your alliance with me. So I\'ll give it to you as protection when something happens. This is my sincerity.
"Oh! Rumor has it you\'re a demon prop! Can I have one?
"Yeah, definitely use it. But if you use it too much, you\'ll be suspicious of my relationship."
"Of course it is! So, again, you\'re asking for information?
"Yep. All I want to hear is about the aristocracy that seems to take my side and the aristocracy that needs to be careful."
"Hmm..."
Miguel strokes his jaw to my question. Put your hand down while I stroke your chin.
"First, the Voltaire family. Looks like you\'re gathering support over there with the intention of delivering to Chartreuse\'s cauldron. Our Lord is also a Taka of Magic Faith. I\'m sure Lang, my son, knows, but he won\'t impress the princess very well."
"Oh, I know that\'s a boulder."
"So, he said he was turning up the heat on Miss Uphilia. He wants to welcome me to his wife in the future."
"He\'s gonna break it."
I\'m not saying what. It really hurts my eclampsia, Lang......
If you turn a blind eye to Ufi, who has been listening to you in silence since the other day, he\'s got an unpleasant eyebrow.
"Not noble after that, but what is the son of a major merchant in the country as well? Rumors broke out in this case that the management of the Chamber of Commerce was inclined. There may be times when you may have been taken off your feet because you had a strong connection with the nobles."
"... now you\'re not even a nobleman, but a merchant\'s son went to an aristocratic college?
I\'ve never questioned it before, but speaking of which, why was the merchant\'s son at the College of Aristocrats? I thought that was just a place to educate the aristocrats.
"There are also children in the College of Aristocracy who have been welcomed into adoption, like Raini, or who plan to be taken as adopted children. If you pay to pass the exam, you\'ll be welcomed as a special student."
"There was such a system?
"Otherwise I wonder if it would be difficult to live as a nobleman. Because it\'s also a social place. Even if you are taught manners at home, it is very difficult to connect. But you still need money to enroll, so you can\'t do it unless you\'re a millionaire merchant."
Hmm, it was. I don\'t know much about the college, so it\'s kind of fresh.
"He said he was going to be a son-in-law in the noble house in the future. So I went to college earlier to get an education to be my son-in-law.
"What?"
"Huh?"
"Did you have a fiancée?!? I, I had no idea!?"
Raini reveals her surprise by opening up to the point where her eyes are going to pop out. Uh, that\'s why the merchant\'s son was at the College of Aristocrats. He said he went to college to be educated as an aristocrat in anticipation of becoming an aristocrat in the future.
I was struck by Raini\'s charm. Besides, he said he stuck with his fiancée to become a nobleman.... Yeah, a little boulder for that.
"What was that merchant\'s son like?
"... with a very good face and soft hips. I took a step back because I\'m a civilian, but it\'s very popular with women, and I\'m being discouraged by men..."
"... so did they burn you because you might be in a similar position to yourself?
"... Yes"
Raini is also raised a civilian, and the situation is certainly similar in the form of an adopted son and a son-in-law. So I don\'t know if it\'s sympathy or empathy, but I think I\'m getting close to Raini and caught up in the charm...?
Besides, I have a fiancée, and I can\'t help but get annoyed in an environment where I think I can be a nobleman in the future, but I\'m being discouraged. Is that even a factor that got caught up in Raini...?
Is that why my son was taken care of?
"Mr. Saran!?"
"Saran? Is that the name of the merchant\'s son?
"Right. Saran Meki, son of the Meki Grand Chamber of Commerce."
"... I\'ve heard the name of the Chamber of Commerce on the boulder."
The Meki Grand Chamber of Commerce is a name I hear about. I have a wide range of businesses and have a thriving investment. You think it\'s a good chamber of commerce with a good gold spin and a good memory from the nobles? It\'s just like Tomas once told me there were some black rumors to make money.
... I\'m a little more worried about the Cyan Baron family than I am about this. When this happens, I become aware that I really don\'t have enough hands. I almost zeroed my tongue by accident.
"... you\'re totally out of hands. That\'s why you can\'t even let it happen."
I wonder if my mother has tasted this itching tooth as well. No, maybe I\'m still savoring it.
If you think so, you can\'t just hold him like this on a boulder.
"Well, I mean, there\'s a lot of homes that could potentially be enemies like this."
"I\'m sick of you....... What house looks like you could be on my side?
"Hmm, I don\'t know. If the house belongs to a faction of the Duke of Magenta\'s, it seems like you could use some help. I don\'t know if you\'ll follow me to Princess Anisphere from the bottom of my heart. This is Miss Uphilia with the neck."
"... the reason for this is because they think I\'m being treated with contempt by the royal family?
Uffi asks as he narrows his eyes. Oh, well, maybe even the Duke\'s faction has a house that\'s drunk on Lord Grants, like Caindo-kun is drunk on Ufi.
"Well, you are. Some people say they were surrounded as the comforter of Princess Anisphere because Prince Algard dumped them"
"... oh, yeah. That\'s what they say."
In fact, I won\'t surround you. Comforter. Hey, no, yeah. What do you think? Instead I\'m the one who was consoled...? No, I don\'t suppose that\'s what you mean, but maybe it\'s not a power relationship as we all think!?
Perhaps that and this is also due to the fact that I remain unsure of the reality of magic. Intentionally, the information on the magic props came down, and this previous exhibition sponsored by the Ministry of Magic was ruined because of Al.
"Actually, I was going to throw a tea party hosted by me to deepen my knowledge of magic..."
"As far as it goes. So you can\'t tell which house to invite, and you\'re counting on me? Is that a recommendation from Your Majesty or the Queen?
"No, I named the Graphite family"
"Ho ho! I see, Miss Uphilia. I wondered if His Majesty or the Queen had accidentally zeroed it. Then you can rest assured. Fine, then I can put it around, okay?
"Really? That\'s comforting"
"But, could you color the reward a little bit more?
"Besides Mana Blade? Right... I don\'t mind."
The connection with Miguel is now so precious that it seems like you can get your hands out of your throat. You don\'t have to spare it if that\'s what you get in a deal with demon props.
Then he elbows on the table so Miguel can get in front and look straight at me. Many times I\'ve been seen, those curious eyes.
"Then would you enlighten me here on the philosophy of magic?
"The philosophy of magic?
"Why was magic born and for what? As an advocate, I\'d like you to speak to Princess Anisphere."
Those eyes showed a greedy light with the momentum of not telling me to eat.