Set Sail [Part 1]
The academy’s summer vacation had just started, and it was the day the Count Stuart family set off for Imperial Japan.
A large amount of cargo was being loaded into the merchant ship Joshua had prepared.
The largest port in the Kingdom, the Simmons territory’s port, was now crowded with people who came to help out with the sail preparation and see the Stuart family off. These helpers consisted of not only the Rothschild Company’s personnel and House Stuart’s servants, but also the sailors from other ships, fishermen, and the House of Marquis Simmons’ servants.
“To think that Emma-sama‘s first sea trip will be to Imperial Japan… Their destination is so far that I’m worried for her, Caitlyn.”
“Emma-sama‘s first sea trip will be to Imperial Japan… It’s so far that I’m worried too, Catherine.”
Catherine and Caitlyn, the twins of the Simmons family who were used to traveling, gave instructions to their servants briskly while feeling worried about Emma internally.
“Thank you for your concern, Catherine-sama, Caitlyn-sama. Also, I’m very grateful for your kind help in loading the baggage and even assisting us in handling the formalities.”
“We have always been in Emma-sama‘s care, so this much is natural, right, Caitlyn?”
“Uh-huh, we have always been in Emma-sama‘s care, so this much is natural, Catherine.”
When talking about how much luggage a Count family needed to bring on a two-month journey, of course it would turn out to be a lot. Moreover, it was further added with the relief supplies for Imperial Japan.
In addition to food, they brought timber (in anticipation of any reconstruction work needed in the future), fabric for clothing, medicine with enough kind and quantity to open a pharmacy, and teaching materials in the Kingdom language (the lingua franca of the Kingdom and the Empire, or basically the “English” in this world), etc.
“I’m surprised at the amount of cargo, but the number of people who came to help is also shocking, isn’t it, Caitlyn?”
“The amount of cargo is surprising, but the number of helpers is also shocking indeed, Catherine.”
It was only a few days ago House Stuart publicly announced their visit to Imperial Japan. “Following Melsa Stuart’s achievements, House Stuart will continue to forge the path of diplomatic exchange with Imperial Japan” was the official statement they had released.
Francesca, who had become overprotective of Emma since the commotion with Robert, was standing to one side as she worried about Emma incessantly. Meanwhile, Marion was asking George to bring her a katana as a souvenir as she was interested in the swordsmanship of Imperial Japan’s samurais. During that time, Catherine and Caitlyn single handedly took care of all the arrangements for the sail.
The family originally planned to hire some people for the loading work on the day, but they didn’t need to in the end because the rumor of the Holy Maiden’s departure had spread to all corners, and the Holy Maiden’s believers gathered at the port to help voluntarily.
“I was also surprised. Jacob-san, the sailor, and his younger brother, the slum children, and even seamstresses with their husbands too, for some reason, have all come to help.”
Sailors and fishermen loaded the baggage. The seamstresses polished the ship’s interior, their husbands confirmed the number of cargo that had been loaded, and the slum children took care of the cats and insects that the family had snuck in.
“This must be the fruit of Emma-sama‘s everyday kindness, right, Caitlyn?”
“Yeah, this is the fruit of Emma-sama‘s everyday kindness, Catherine.”
Since most of the travel expenses this time were paid by the Kingdom, in other words, national taxes, it was safest to save money.
