Vol 4: Chapter 15
** Kruvan Holy Kingdom **
As soon as Earl Sillys returned to the mansion, his daughter, Eva, ran over to him. She lifted her skirt and bowed courteously to the Earl.
「Father. How is the situation in the Lev Magic Empire?」
The Earl was pleased that while his daughter was almost maddeningly impatient about the crisis, she still kept to the etiquette of nobles. But he knows… that all her thoughts revolve around the boy who wasn’t here. That made him feel conflicted.
The Earl moved to his office room with his daughter and the chief butler.
「It seems that the border town is beginning to accept Lev refugees. Since that town is in Duke Ebene’s territory, the Duke has hurried back there. We hadn’t considered sending an army to aid the Levs, but Duke Grenjido decided to lead 10, 000 cavalrymen from the 5th to 7th Holy King’s Knights Order with haste.」
Eva listened intently. The Earl was sure that there was something she else wanted to hear more, but the major news for the noble society is the fact that–
–The newly crowned Her Majesty the Holy King granted her predecessor, Duke Grenjido, an army to lead to the Empire.
Some would see this as the Holy King still having a close relationship with her father and relying on him. While at the same time, some others would argue that Her Majesty is driving away the troublesome predecessor to his death.
(In actuality, the predecessor Holy King was being unreasonable saying, “My arms are itching to punch something! I’m going to the frontlines!” and he tried to go to the Empire with only 500 horsemen. But Her Majesty stopped the predecessor in a hurry, and requested that he at least bring an army with him.)
Earl Sillys sighed inwardly when he watched that exchange in person.
(But it seemed to me that Duke Grenjido couldn’t watch the Holy King worrying about “what if we sent our army to aid another country in crisis and it leads to huge casualties?”, so the Duke said he would go “at his own risk”. If the Holy King neglected the Empire completely, she will be seen as a “Cold King”, and if she pokes her neck into their problem and suffers a loss, she will be slammed for that “mistake”. It is a difficult situation for Her Majesty the Holy King who just took office.)
Even if the Earl told the noble society about this, it would hold no weight since he is originally thought of as the “Holy King’s Dagger”. This news will quickly spread among the nobles, and there will surely be no shortage of topics for the next few months.
「Umm, Father… about Her Highness Anastasia and Reiji…」
Eva asked about what she wanted to know the most.
The Earl shook his head.
「There is no follow-up report.」
「Is that so…」
Seeing his daughter dejectedly drop her shoulders pained the Earl as a father.
However, there is no point in talking about hopeful speculations. And Eva is smart, so she will find out instantly if the Earl tried to please her with speculations.
「I didn’t want to talk about this, but…」the Earl said with a sigh.「Duke Grenjido wants me to accompany him.」
「—You, father?」
「He thinks it would be more useful for me to negotiate with the Lev Magic Empire, the Keith Gran Federation – which has already decided to send troops, and the Saint Knight Kingdom.」
The Earl’s “Magic Eye of Inquire” can detect the other party’s lie.
He would like to think that the other countries would not plot any schemes when fighting against a common enemy, the monsters… but that is not a guarantee.
Grenjido probably wants to eliminate the risk of being stabbed in the back before facing the monsters.
「I am thinking of going.」
The Earl had already replied with consent.
Since he will be away from the mansion for a long time, he has to inform Eva.
Eva then pondered for a while.
「Father, perhaps you should refuse.」
「Why?」
「I think your intention to save the Empire is noble, but you are not a military attaché. You have never worked with a foreign or military attaché either, correct? If so, the disadvantages of leaving the newly crowned Her Majesty the Holy King and the Holy City is far greater.」
「It is as you say.」
The Earl’s smile deepened. For a girl who will be 13 years old this year, she can already deduce the political situation to this extent.
「Then why?」Eva asked.
「About that, you see…」
The Earl didn’t think of advantages or disadvantages. In fact, he didn’t have to think at all. The advantages and disadvantages popped into his head immediately.
He just didn’t consider them.
When the Earl saw the actions of Duke Grejido, he thought–
(Oh, this guy just wants to look cool in front of his daughter.)
Duke Grenjido had all sorts of reasons to help out the new Holy King, but his motive was an extremely simple one; He wanted to look cool in his daughter’s eyes. The Earl easily understood that.
—Hey, Earl. Why don’t you accompany me?
So when the Duke asked him that, the Earl nodded immediately.
And now that his daughter asks him “Why do you want to go when there is a disadvantage?”
「Eva, it’s because of you.」
The Earl cannot help but say that.
His daughter is desperate for information about Reiji, but the Earl is limited in what he can do as long as he is in the Holy City.
But what if he was on the front line?
New and different information would come in every day.
If he can deliver that information, his daughter will surely be pleased.
「Because of me?」
「Yes.」
After all, even the Earl wanted to look cool in front of his daughter.
「I understand! In other words, you will take me too!?」
「Yes– wait what?!」
His intent wasn’t transmitted correctly.
「No, Eva. That’s not–」
「Thank you, father! We can get more reliable information from the live scene. I will conduct myself properly so as not to bring shame to the name of House Sillys!」
「…………」
「…………」
Eva jumped off her chair and raised her right fist to the ceiling excitedly.
「P-Please excuse my behaviour. I didn’t mean to do that… Ah, umm…I am so ashamed enough to wish I can just disappear…」
She hid her bright red with her hands and sunk back.
(Reiji-san, you will pay for the crime of doing this to my daughter.)
The Earl vowed in his heart.
