“No… I was just… I was desperate to protect those in front of me, even if that was all I could do…”
“I’ve been looking for people who can do things like that.” His Majesty put his hands down on the counter. “I intend to nationalize the slaving trade in this country. Slave traders will become public servants, and there will be proper tests they have to go through. That will make them easier to manage, after all. On top of that, to ensure that the slaves aren’t just used as manual labor until it breaks them and then thrown away, we will also establish facilities to train them for jobs. At the same time, I also intend to create an intermediary service to help people find jobs so they won’t be reduced to slavery in the first place.”
“That’s…”
“Yes,” he said. “It’s exactly the same as what you’ve been doing. That’s what the country is going to do.”
That’s incredible! Doing that will surely save people like San! I thought.
While I was thinking that, Souma extended his hand to me. “And I want to hire you as the first head of the jobs training facility.”
“M-Me?!” I yelped.
“You came up with the idea and implemented it yourself,” he said. “I think you’re the best person for the job. You can take that money I showed you earlier to help with the preparations. Why don’t you use that money to set her free and start working on it together?”
I looked over to San.
San nodded to me with a smile, then spoke these words: “‘Every lull comes to an end, and the tides can suddenly change.’”
…Yeah. That’s right, San, Grandpa. This is that opportunity.
I nodded back to San, then took the hand Souma had offered me. “I’ll do it! Please, let me!”
“Thanks. I’ll be looking forward to seeing your skills in action.”
We exchanged a firm handshake. The contract was sealed.
Grandpa, I’m going to be serving the king now. You don’t have to worry about me anymore, okay?
While closing my eyes and reporting this to my grandpa, who had surely gone to heaven, Lady Roroa said, “Looks like ya got that all settled then,” and wrapped herself around Souma’s arm. “Well, let’s leave it at that for work today. For here on, I’m thinkin’ it’s time we had our date, ain’t it? Right, Big Sister Ai?”
When Lady Roroa called out toward the door, a strong and beautiful dark elf woman came inside. Wasn’t this person the second candidate to become King Souma’s queen, Lady Aisha?! I remembered having seen her host the music program alongside King Souma before!
Lady Aisha seemed slightly embarrassed, but she wrapped herself around the arm opposite Lady Roroa. “Wh-Why, yes. We should do that.”
“Um, you two? Could you not do this in public…” the king said.
““No!””
“…Oh, okay.”
When they both shouted him down, Souma slumped his shoulders in resignation.
At first glance, he looked like he should be happy with a beautiful flower in each hand, yet he was clearly feeling anxious. He might be the capable king who had destroyed the Principality of Amidonia, but he was weak when it came to the women who would be the significant others in his life.
“Maybe I should watch out, too…” I murmured.
“Did you say something, Master Ginger?” Perhaps imitating those two, San wrapped herself around my arm with a smile.
That smile left me feeling fulfilled, and there was nothing I could say.
— It seemed that being no match for the woman you love was something that affected king and commoner alike.
Chapter 4: The Museum in the Royal Capital
It was just after noon on the day I had unexpectedly discovered Ginger Camus.
Having finished recruiting him and having left his shop, Aisha, Roroa, and I decided to wander around the castle town of Parnam. Roroa was calling it a date. I was walking through the streets with a pretty girl on each arm.
“Though, even though it’s a date, we’re not really dressed up for the occasion,” Roroa said, sounding dissatisfied.
I was dressed in my usual outfit for when I went out in secret, Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago Union traveler’s fashion (Kitakaze Kozou style), and today the two of them were wearing hooded robes over the top of their regular outfits. Our faces were all well known to the public, so we were dressed this way to keep from making a scene.
“It would seem unavoidable,” Aisha said. “If we are discovered, we would not be able to have our date.”
Roroa stuck out her tongue. “True that. Considerin’ my position, I really can’t show my face. I’m sure some folks here are none too fond of Amidonia, after all.”
Roroa said that jokingly, but I was pretty sure she was right. While our two countries had been peacefully united in a way that served the interests of both, the Elfrieden Kingdom and Principality of Amidonia had been enemies for a long time. That fact wasn’t going to go away so easily.
I was overcome by a feeling I couldn’t quite describe, but Roroa put on a bold smile. “Well, I’m a real lovable gal, it’s only a matter of time before I grab the people of the kingdom by the heartstrings. I’m more worried about you, Darlin’. If you don’t learn to be more sociable, the people of the principality’ll hate your guts.”
“…I suppose you’re right,” I murmured. I thought Roroa’s ability to blast away negativity like this was wonderful. “I can’t act like you do, Roroa, so I’ll slowly but surely protect the people of the principality’s lives and property, then get them to recognize me as their king.”
“Hee hee,” Roroa giggled, hugging me. “Also, if you’re seen actin’ all lovey-dovey with li’l ol’ me, don’t ya think that’d put the folks from the principality at ease, too?”
Aisha pulled her off of me. “W-We are in the middle of a public street. What you are doing is enviably scandalous!”
“Hmph, what’s the matter with it? We’re on a date, ain’t we?” Roroa demanded. “How’s about you get all lovey-dovey with him too, Big Sister Ai?”
“I would love nothing more than to do so, but… out of consideration for the First Primary Queen, Liscia, who allowed us to go on this date, perhaps we should not get too carried away?” Aisha pointed out.
Aisha was the Second Primary Queen, while Roroa was the Third Primary Queen. In this country where polygamy was commonly practiced by the nobility, knightly class, and wealthy merchants (polyandry, while less common, existed as well), it seemed that respecting this sort of pecking order among the queens or wives was key to preventing later troubles in the home.
Roroa seemed dissatisfied. “Y’say that, but Darlin’ and Big Sister Liscia’ve been betrothed for, like, half a year, ain’t they? They may not’ve gotten down to baby makin’ yet, but they’ve gotta have kissed, at least, right?”
Roroa looked in my direction, forcing me to blatantly avert my gaze. If I were to list the romantic things I had done with Liscia, there was resting my head in her lap, a kiss on the cheek, sleeping next to each other, and that was about it.
Having discerned that from my demeanor, Roroa looked at me coldly. “…Darlin’. You ain’t gonna tell me you haven’t even done that, are you?”
“No, you see… I’ve been very busy, and…”
“Don’t ya feel bad for Big Sister Cia, doin’ that to her?” Roroa snapped.
“So you think that, too, Roroa!” Even Aisha jumped in to agree. “I know you were hesitant at first, sire, because the betrothal was something decided on without either your or Lady Liscia’s permission. However, now, it’s plain for all to see that you love one another. Given our position, we cannot receive your love and affection before Lady Liscia has, so, please, flirt with her more.”