Though it was being done over a simple receiver, the two of them very much enjoyed this time together.
Jeanne had a sip of tea and took a moment to relax. “Whew… About the ambassador thing, I wish I could have gone myself. If I had, I could have seen you in person without the screen between us, and we could have had wine instead of tea…”
“I don’t hold my alcohol that well,” Hakuya replied with a wry smile. “Though it’s not like I can’t drink at all…”
“Oh, now that’s a surprise.”
“The alcohol goes to my head quickly,” he explained. “Once I’ve had two glasses, I’m out like a light in no time.”
“Hee hee. If I had to, I could always nurse you when you did?”
“I’d feel pathetic, as a man, so I’d rather you not have to do that.”
“Ahaha… Haha…” Jeanne’s smile gradually shrank. “Well… I say that, but it’s not like I can leave the Empire. I have my duties; and besides, without me here, my sister would truly be all alone.”
“…How can she be alone?” Hakuya asked. “Surely there are more capable people in the Empire than there are stars in the sky.”
“That’s not how I meant it. There’s a difference between retainers and family.”
Jeanne lowered her eyes, the discussion clearly paining her.
“My sister is working her hardest to carry the empire our father left to her. She has many retainers who swear loyalty to her. However, they can offer my sister no comfort. Normally, that would be the duty of us, her family, but I’m busy with my duties, and our youngest sister is an eccentric… Well, let’s just say I can’t count on her to do much in that regard. I think I ought to find her a husband that will marry into our family; but the throne casts a long shadow, and only men of ambition will approach her. Even if a man of no ambition were to try to approach my sister, the ambitious ones would simply get in his way, I’m sure…”
Hakuya was silent.
The empress’ solitude. When he heard that, Hakuya thought of his own master. Of Souma, who, when he wasn’t preoccupied with politics, spent his time surrounded by his four fiancées and his honorary little sister, not caring one whit about keeping up a dignified appearance.
When Hakuya saw him acting so un-regal, many times he had complained, “Your vassals are looking. I know this is your private time, but please, get it together a little more;” but perhaps it was important for Souma to have that time. To keep himself from falling into solitude.
When that thought occurred to him, Hakuya smiled a little.
“Hm? What is it, Sir Hakuya?”
When Jeanne asked him that suspiciously, Hakuya gave a big shake of his head and responded. “No… I was just thinking that, surprisingly, it may take just one feeling to fill in that solitude.”
After that, their pleasant time together continued for a little while longer.
Chapter 2: The Kingdom’s Secret Weapon
The middle of the 2nd month, 1,547th year, Continental Calendar
“Ohh! Why Your Majesty, welcome and thank you for gracing us with your presence.”
When I passed through the door into the Jewel Voice Broadcast studio that we had set up in the castle, a well-built middle-aged nobleman welcomed me with an exaggerated flourish.
This was Moltov Juniro, the father of Ivan Juniro, who played Silvan, the Kingdom of Friedonia’s first tokusatsu hero.
“Hey, Moltov,” I said. “How are things going on the program?”
“Sire, we’ve been doing our best to follow the example you set.”
The truth was, the other day, partly because his son’s Silvan had become so popular, I had decided to go all the way and appoint Moltov as the director of broadcast program production. I’d done that because I wanted to be able to keep the programs in production even when I was busy.
Moltov, like his son Ivan, had an ability that made it so there was no need for special effects, so I’d decided that would make him a good pick for the position.
Moltov stroked his beard and said, “Well, this program-making business is deeper than you might think. There are things the people want to see, things that they don’t want to see, things that we want them to see, things that we don’t want them to see… It’s quite difficult to strike a proper balance.”
Moltov groaned in consternation.
I was relieved to see him taking his job so seriously. “Do you want to quit?”
“No! I appreciate the challenge!” Moltov responded with a lively smile.
Somehow, I felt that that was a better look for him than when he was trying to foist his daughter Siena off on me.
On that subject, Siena, who was now appearing alongside her brother Ivan as a supporting heroine (something similar to **ckle in St**nger), had said with a gentle smile, “I believe my father has found his purpose in life. There are a limited number of ways to rise in stature as a noble. You can distinguish yourself in the military or administration, or you can become a maternal relative of the Royal House. Those have always been the only ways, so he had been wholeheartedly pursuing them. However, Your Majesty, you taught my father something: the joy of creating a broadcast program to entertain the people. Thank you so much.”
Sigh… She was such a good daughter, I almost had to doubt she was actually a blood relative of that boisterous father and son.
Anyway, let’s get back on topic.
Like Siena had said, Moltov was enthusiastically working on creating broadcast programs.
I extended my hand to him. “I have great expectations, Moltov. If you keep developing your craft, I’m sure eventually I’ll be leaving a jewel in your care.”
“My word! You’d give me a jewel?!”
“Yeah. I’d want you to use it not for public broadcasts, but to open your own broadcasting station.”
In other words, making him a private broadcaster. If all we had was a public broadcaster, there were limits to the number of programs that could be produced, after all. In order to make such a thing happen, there would need to be further advances in technology, and the appropriate laws would need to be put in place, so it couldn’t happen right away. Still, it was best to start preparing for five, ten years from now.
Moltov gave a jolly laugh. “You’ll be giving me my own independent station, huh! The dreams are endless!”
“Yeah. So, work hard for it.”
“Leave it to me!” Moltov thumped his chest proudly. “By the way, sire, what were you doing here today?”
“Oh, yeah, that’s right. I think Juna was supposed to be around here somewhere…”
“If you mean Ms. Juna Doma, she is currently shooting the educational program.” Moltov pointed towards the studio.
It just so happened, Juna was currently in the middle of a live broadcast for the educational program. The song she was currently singing and dancing to was a children’s song from the other world with a slightly Asian style. The way Juna looked as she danced with the strings wrapped around her sleeves fluttering was just like a celestial maiden. It made me want to pray, “Close the pathway through the clouds.”
Eventually the broadcast came to an end. Juna noticed me and rushed over, still in her stage outfit. “What’s going on, Your Majesty? I didn’t think you were planning to come here today, were you?”
“Well, no, I wasn’t, but… I had a favor I wanted to ask of you.”