Episode 31 – Negotiations over Seeds and Tears of Mandane

The white space that appeared when I was run over by the truck and when Sophia cut me with her sword.

I find myself feeling nostalgic for the feeling of floating in space.

“Seiji-kun!”
“This voice is……Truth san!”
“Yes, yes! You remember me so well!”
“You protected me, didn’t you? In the end, I was bitten by a crocodile, though……”
“Haha, ……, are you still rooting for me?”
“Well. I’m glad Raquel-chan was saved!”
“Fufu, Seiji-kun is a very good boy, isn’t he? I can’t stop grinning when I imagine Mandane-chan conceiving Seiji-kun’s child!”
“My baby……”
“Seiji-kun is doing very well. I am sure Seiji will be able to fill the hole in their hearts.”
“……”

Hearing Truth san’s words reassured me, but on the other hand, I was worried about Raquel and my face was shadowed by worry.

“What’s wrong?”
“It’s regarding Raquel-chan. ……”
“You don’t need to worry. I won’t kill Raquel.”
“You?”
“Yeah. I will not kill Raquel.”
“Are you Gaia?”
“I don’t know. I don’t know if that being Gaia is me or not, although it is a name that humans have given themselves.”
“……”
“But one thing is for sure, I love Eric very much, and Eric is the one and only one who can make those three princesses happy.”
“I don’t know if I can do that. …… I was so scared when I tried to save Raquel.”
“Humans are by nature slaves to fear.”
“……”
“But don’t worry. Until now, there have been 1250 assassination attempts on Seiji-kun, Sophia and Mandane by people who are up to no good, but I have prevented all of them.”
“That’s a huge number. ……”
“So, Seiji-kun, do what you have to do.”
“What needs to be done. ……”
“Mandane-chan is kind, but she is a sensitive girl. So, Seiji-kun, you must give her an abundance of love.”
“…… Yes!”
“Very well! Then, go back to the other world. Everybody needs you, Seiji. Sera, Sophia, Mandane, and Luvia.”
“I am necessary …….”

As I mumble this, Truth-san smiles gently. Of course, since this is a blank space, I cannot visually confirm her presence. However, she is smiling at me, gently enveloping me. While I was feeling comforted by this contradictory sensation, my vision gradually darkened and I lost consciousness again.

“My Seiji-kun…… my blessing…… my hope……”

X X X

I should be lying in my hut, but my body was so warm I couldn’t hear the rain. I woke up in a fluffy down comforter.

I am in a royal palace. I wondered if someone had brought me here while I was unconscious. As I was thinking of various situations, Sera, who was standing beside me, looked at me sadly with tears in her eyes.

“Eric-sama…… Eric-sama!”
“Sera-chan!”
“I was worried about you since you’ve been sleeping all the time for ……1 weeks!”
“I’m fine. I’m okay.”

I was relieved when Sera jumped into the room and carefully patted her head. Then I felt the eyes of another person looking at me. I looked at the person and saw a beautiful blue-haired swordsman looking at me with moistened eyes.

“Sera,……, you shouldn’t stick to people who are sick,…… uuu,……..”
“Come here, Sophia-chan!”
“……Eric……Eric!”

The three of us hugged each other tightly, as if to make up for all the sweet moments we had missed during the week.

According to Sophia, the heavy rain had long since stopped and the people at the royal palace had been resourceful in repairing the bridge and rescuing me, Mandane, and Raquel. However, all the wheat seeds have been washed away, and they are negotiating with merchants from outside the country to invite them in to purchase wheat seeds. But the finances of the Kingdom of Ernia are quite tight. So they are having a difficult time.

Mandane need me. Therefore, I must be of help to Mandane.

With that in mind, I washed my body, ate a meal, and then, together with Sophia, went to the main conference room of the Ernia palace, where negotiations were being held over wheat seeds.

X　X　X

“(Merchant 1) The promissory note from the Kingdom of Ernia alone is quite demanding. If Your Majesty desires, I, the vice president of the Antiochian Chamber of Commerce, will go to the Kingdom of Ilas and look for someone who would be willing to act as a guarantor!”
“The Kingdom of Isaac is in a state of discord with the Kingdom of Ilas …… and it’s pretty tight on time, so I’ll manage there …….”
“(Merchant 2) The fields of the Kingdom of Ernia have now been severely damaged by the floods. So even if you sow seeds, it is also very doubtful that you will be able to harvest a large amount of wheat. With the endorsement of the Kingdom of Henesys, we can prepare the seeds right now, but ……”
“(Mandane) I can no longer ask for the help of the Henesys Kingdom. If you don’t like the terms, I’ll even consider raising the face value of the Ernia Royal Promissory Note!”
“(Merchant 3)Your Highness Princess Mandane,…… I beg your pardon, but the amount of money is not the important thing. It is only the prospect of recovery that is …… important.”
“(Mandane)……”

Pang! (sound of door opening)

The door was opened with a tremendous force. Inside it, the merchants from outside the country, His Majesty the King of the Kingdom of Ernia, Mandane, Isaac-san, and other bureaucrats are sitting and negotiating. However, the expressions on the faces of those on the Ernia side were dark without exception.

“Eh!? Eric and Sophia!”

Mandane, who was appealing to the merchants, notices our presence and rolls her eyes. Then the two on the merchants’ side were startled and stood up abruptly.

“Isn’t it Her Highness Princess Sophia? She is said to be one of the three most beautiful women on the Orient Continent, along with Her Highness Princess Mandane, who is also here. There is no doubt about it! It has been a long time!”
“Meyer san, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce! It’s been three years since we met?”
“Yes. You have grown more beautiful in the time I have not seen you! Your beautiful face is the pride of the Kingdom of Halkeginia!”
“Chairman Meyer also looks even younger than he did three years ago.”
“Haha! It’s all thanks to Lake Orbis!”

The tension that had been running high in this large conference room soon relaxed, and the expressions on the faces of both the kingdom and the merchants relaxed.

But,

“His Majesty Eric…..”
“The Marquis of Berne, Vice-President of the Antiochian Chamber of Commerce….”

As soon as he saw my face, he trembled and prostrated himself before me. Both the Erania Royal Palace side and the Chamber of Commerce side tilted their heads and looked at the Marquis of Berne, who was on his knees.

“Yes. I am Bern, the servant of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince Eric, the next king of the Kingdom of Iras. Your Royal Highness, please forgive me for being such an insignificant speck. I have sinned against you.”

At present, our country and the Kingdom of Ernia are in a state of diplomatic relations. The Antiochian Chamber of Commerce is based in my country and I hold 100% of its shares. Yet, I come to an enemy country without permission and proceed with negotiations. If it were the old Eric, he would have lost his head.

The Marquis of Berne is terrified. The people around him were also horrified by my true presence.

“Look up, please.”
“……”
“Tell me everything, without concealment, about why the Marquis de Berne is here.”

The Marquis of Berne, who had a serious expression on his face, eventually spun his words with a resigned look on his face.

“Before I crossed the border with the Kingdom of Ernia, I was treated well by the people here in the Kingdom of Ernia. The people of the Kingdom of Ernia, royalty, nobility, and commoners alike, were all kind to me, and I was so impressed by their warm hospitality that I kept in touch with them even after we crossed paths. Then, by chance, I was staying in the Kingdom of Halkeginia on an iron sand-related business, and when I heard that the Kingdom of Ernia had been severely damaged by a flood, I couldn’t stand still. ……”
“I see. So that’s what happened. ……”
“……”

The Marquis of Berne was biting his lip and his eyes were watering. His family’s record might be erased for plotting rebellion. He must be feeling such anxiety.

I worked on the farm with the people of the Kingdom of Ernia. It was hard work, but I understand what the Marquis of Berne is trying to say.

That’s why I

“The Marquis of Berne.”
“Yes. ……”
“How much do you think the seed cost will be?”
“Eh? I mean, …… about 10,000 gold coins of the Kingdom of Ilas.”
“Get the check ready now. I will pay you the 10,000 gold coins. And when this journey is over, I will make the Marquis of Berne the chairman of the Antiochian Chamber of Commerce.”

“”EEEEeeeeeehhhhh!!!!!””

I was momentarily startled by the voice that made me think the large conference room would collapse, but I straightened my residence and spoke softly to Mandane.

“Mandane.”
“Y-Yes!”
“I think the flood has made the fields more fertile. So, if you have a good harvest and harvest a lot of wheat, please share one-tenth of the whole crop with our country. I want to eat bread made from fresh wheat grown with sweat and tears by the people of the Kingdom of Ernia. If this could be accomplished for 10,000 gold coins, it would be cheap!”

I suggested to Mandane with a smile on my face.

Mandane looked at His Majesty the King beside him, his beautiful emerald eyes moistening. Then, with a look of conviction, she turned to me and said

“Yes! I accept your proposal!”

Mandane with a bright expression. The tears rolling down her soft cheeks were jewels themselves.

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