Soudouki Vol 3 Chapter 2 (Patreon)

Chapter 2 – A Contract With the Devil

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Part 1

There was someone who immediately became infuriated the moment they heard the report about the assassination attempt on Franco.

It was the second queen Elena.

For Elena who was seeing a dream of her son sitting on the throne  after Abrego’s untimely death, Franco was an irreplaceable existence.

As an example, what she was feeling right now was like when her  favorite jewel was almost getting smashed. The hatred she was feeling  was similar but different from a hatred that was born from a mother’s  love toward her son who almost got killed.

However Elena didn’t even notice that and fell into a deranged anger.  Driven by her fury, she headed toward the private room of the first  queen Maria with loud footsteps.

「How dare that woman try to kill Franco……!」

This was Elena’s last chance to clear up the humiliation she received from Maria.

If Franco lost in the strife for the throne and Pedro got crowned as  king, to Elena it would feel like her life belonged to the group of  loser.

Elena also called out to the noble ladies of her faction who she  passed along the way. Perhaps it was an act that was driven by her  defensive instinct to form a pressure group like this before she charged  into Maria’s living room.

「So this is where the scoundrel who harmed my son is hiding-!」

Elena intended to use this chance to give Maria a very selfish  ultimatum that told her to go back to her home country, but it wasn’t  Maria who was waiting inside the room she intruded into.

「Hm……? Is it the manner in Sanjuan Kingdom to trespass into the queen’s living room without even any previous announcement?」

There was a tall and bold woman inside.

She had a beautiful and dignified bearing, yet she also had the  appearance of a brave woman with an aura of a soldier that gave off the  scorched smell of the battlefield around her.

Although this woman’s appearance pressured Elena, she still gave an overbearing speech.

「I have no business with a lowly woman like you. Bring Maria out here right away!」

Elena’s arrogant attitude looked as though she completely believed  that her demand would be obeyed without question. The woman naturally  laughed at her with a disdainful gaze.

「I don’t think I can grant your demand there. Isn’t it you instead  who don’t know your place? With what kind of authority you dare to give  an order to her majesty the first queen?」

「Did you know that woman ordered to killed my son? She has no more  authority as a queen or anything after carrying out such outrageous  act!」

「──How shallow. His majesty the king has already proclaimed the  innocence of Maria-sama. You won’t be able to blame anybody else but  yourself if you’re charged with treason for going against his majesty’s  words by saying that.」

「What did you say?」

Elena’s eyes opened wide like saucer. Hearing that the king had  proclaimed Maria’s innocence was like the bolt from the blue for her.

「Maria-sama is currently in the middle of resting with his majesty in  the white phoenix palace. If you get it then get out already.」

It seemed that it was impossible now to question Maria openly about  this case. Elena was forced to accept that. However, that didn’t mean  she had the slightest intention to just withdraw quietly like this.

「Who in the world are you? To act so rudely toward a noble lady……do  you think that you will be able to get away lightly after such offense?」

The woman treated even that indignation of Elena like a mere passing breeze. The smile on her lips didn’t vanish.

Rather the woman threw out her chest arrogantly and she stood in  front of Elena with a condescending gaze as though to provoke her.

The woman’s height might reach 180 cm. Elena instinctually felt fear  when looking up at the woman from nearby and she was unable to stop her  feet from backing away.

「……Your majesty the second queen, I recommend that you learn about the royal court politics for a bit more. I am La Countessfemale countUrraca de Parma(ウラカ・デ・パルマ), the navy minister of Majorca Kingdom. Pleased to make your acquaintance.」

One of Elena’s hangers-on, a countess muttered in shock at the name that she recognized.

「…………Negro TormentaBlack Storm……」

「Well, some people also call me that.」

(This woman is that──!?)

Even Elena who was ignorant of the international situation had heard that name before.

It was when the navy of Sanjuan Kingdom that was led by Carlos suffered complete defeat against Trystovy Dukedom’s armada.

Trystovy Kingdom got on the momentum and planned to occupy Majorca Kingdom and half-besieged Sanjuan Kingdom.

At that time Majorca Kingdom was thought as a mere small island  country. But then a terrifying commander led the kingdom’s armada and  destroyed the invading armada of Trystovy. It was Urraca.

An attack was launched at Trystovy armada in the middle of a violent  storm and they fell into chaos. In the end almost the whole armada was  helplessly turned into scraps under the sea.

This battle was called as the Naval Battle of Marmara later on. It  was unknown who was the first one to coin the nickname, but Urraca who  transformed that stormy night into a tragedy for Trystovy with her long  black hair whipping from the wind was then called as the Negro Tormenta.

「My lord isn’t his majesty Carlos, to say nothing of a mere second  queen like you. Do you have any cause to hand down punishment to me?」

Hearing that, Elena turned around with a rough huff without being able to clear away her resentment.

「──Good grief. His majesty Carlos must be troubled too to have that kind of wife.」

The successor problem of Sanjuan Kingdom wasn’t just other people’s problem for Majorca Kingdom.

It wasn’t like they wanted Prince Pedro to be the one on the throne  no matter what, but at the very least they wanted to avoid that Elena to  be in the position where she could throw her weight around. In that  case they couldn’t help but opposing Prince Franco’s enthronement.  Urraca naturally agreed with that.

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Part 2

The fact that Prince Franco was almost assassinated caused a serious disturbance in Sanjuan Kingdom.

The king and the nobles were forced to realize once more that the dispute for the throne had intensified to such degree.

However the problem wasn’t so simple that it could be calmed down so easily.

Each of the princes had their own powerful faction. Depending on how  this matter was taken care of, it was possible that Sanjuan Kingdom  would also fall into civil war like its neighboring country Trystovy.

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「The faction of that dirty bitch can’t be allowed to act as they pleased even more than this!」

Naturally it was Elena who was the most furious and decided  one-sidedly that Franco’s assassination attempt was the work of Pedro  faction.

The bureaucrats and nobles who intended to use Franco as the figurehead to oppose the military also agreed with her opinion.

And so Elena rashly attempted to remove Pedro with brute force. But  her father, Duke Stefan de Cordoba(ステファン・デ・コルドバ) just barely managed to  hold her back.

He who was also a powerful authority within the kingdom understood  that in the worst case the kingdom would immediately fall into civil war  at the day his daughter acted rashly and used brute force.

At present, there was a report that around a regiment of the navy’s land force was entering war preparation since yesterday.

Stefan thought that thing really wasn’t going as he wished.

There was also a moment when he had a dream that he would wield  authority as the kingdom’s regent when Abrego died from disease, but in  reality there was too many problems piling up like a mountain.

Stefan had no intention to do anything dangerous that might bring destruction if he took even just a single wrong step.

Cordoba House was the noblest family next after the royal family in Sanjuan Kingdom with strong influence.

He planned to peacefully put Franco on the throne using steady  maneuver of the majority faction without intentionally taking any risk  that might caused something like civil war.

However, her father’s cautious approach was making Elena’s dissatisfaction to worsen.

「How weak-minded! Is there no true knight who is lamenting the current situation of the kingdom!」

Elena was enraged, but her influence didn’t amount to much without the proactive help from her father.

In addition, a situation that blew away her anger instantly had just occurred.

In a shocking turn of event, Franco proclaimed his engagement with Teresa, a daughter of a viscount from Mauricia Kingdom.

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「We’re going to marry!」

「Eh?」

「Eh?」

Stupid sounding voice leaked out from the mouths of both the king  Carlos and Baldr in harmony toward the pair who was dropping that bomb  with a bright smile.

What the hell is this guy saying so suddenly? One of Carlos  or Baldr, or perhaps the two of them might be having such thought. But  setting them aside, the two who were making this proclamation under the  watch of the prime minister and the ministers were completely serious.

「──I can’t think of anybody else more fitting to be my wife than  Teresa. Your majesty, please grant us your blessing for this marriage.」

「Please wait a second your highness! It’s impossible to decide such important matter so suddenly like this!」

The prime minister interrupted in panic, but Franco only smiled calmly without any concern at all.

He had known from the start that he was acting illogically.

「I know from the start that I’m acting unreasonably. Even so prime  minister, I already can’t stop loving Teresa. It’s fine even if you  oppose this marriage. However please do so with the awareness that you  will turn me into your enemy with that.」

Franco’s words were spoken with decisiveness. It released an uncontrollable mayhem inside the palace.

After all was said and done, Franco’s power base was the bureaucrat nobles within the country.

Their objective was to reject the bloodline of other country like  Mauricia Kingdom and whittling the influence of the military that had  expanded considerably. And yet if they were forced to welcome a woman  from Mauricia Kingdom, and what’s more a woman who was just a daughter  of a viscount as a queen, it made them wondered just why were they  supporting Franco then?

Franco’s proclamation was the same as committing a political suicide.  Baldr was staring in a daze at empty air with his soul floating out  from his mouth……

「Hehehe……I’m burning out. Everything is pure white……」

「As expected, this is just pitiful.」

Baldr’s back looked smoldering as though the world had come to an end for him. Brooks hugged his shoulder to console him.

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Part 3

「──Is hoping for you to at least warn me beforehand too much to ask, Teresa?」

「Sorry. It was to fire up ourselves, to make the declaration of war……we thought it was a necessary ritual to make up our mind.」

As expected Teresa seemed to think that she was in the wrong and  honestly lowered her head toward Baldr who got veins bulging on his  forehead.

「Don’t blame Teresa for this. This is mostly because of my selfishness.」

When Franco immediately covered up for Teresa like that, a love  comedy aura began to flow between Teresa and Franco once more. This was  what people often said that love is blind.

「Personally I’m happy that Teresa find someone who will take her.  However if Franco is going to marry Teresa who came from Mauricia, I’ll  be troubled if you don’t become the next king……」

Certainly it was a happy matter for Baldr that his childhood friend was going to marry.

However if Pedro was the one who became the king while Franco was  marrying Teresa, in the worst case that Pedro treated Franco hostilely,  it would force a large burden to Mauricia politically and militarily.

For Baldr who was dispatched here as an ambassador of Mauricia Kingdom, this was a serious matter that concerned him very much.

「Of course I understand your position. However in order for me to  marry Teresa and make her my queen, it won’t be a good plan for me to  ascend to the throne by getting indebted to the nobles. In other  words──I don’t desire to ascend to the throne with the help of the  nobles to suppress the military. After all by doing that I’m only going  to grant them the power to oppose my decision to take Teresa as my  queen.」

「…………Hou.」

This prince was more thoughtful about the future than he thought.

Baldr realized that he had to revise the way he looked at Franco.

As expected the education of how to govern as a monarch that had been  taught to Franco since he was just a child had permeated deep into the  prince’s flesh and blood.

「I too am not simply acting recklessly without any chances of  success……in line with this, Baldr, I have a request to I want to ask  from you……」

Just when Franco was going to continue, the door was opened violently  and a woman appeared with a face that distorted in anger just like  demon.

It was Franco’s mother, Elena.

Even the cosmetic that he had put up with effort was peeling off from  her sweat. It appeared that Franco’s proclamation had shaken Elena  greatly.

「──Where is the thieving cat who led my adorable Franco astrayyyy?」

Elena glared with wide opened eyes and disheveled hair. That  terrifying expression made Baldr almost escaped from reality for a  moment. However due to his position, it was impossible to ignore this  woman or to drive her out forcefully.

When Elena received a report from her maid that her son declared he  would marry a Mauricia noble’s daughter, Elena didn’t believe it at all.

That was only natural.

At the very least based on what Elena knew, Franco was very obedient young man to his parents without much self-assertion.

In addition he was highly evaluated as a prince who understood the  social etiquette as a royalty, and a hard worker in both his study and  martial arts. He was renowned as a talented prince with accomplishment  in both the literary and military arts.

His faction was also sounding out about the possibility of him  getting engaged with the third princess of Mauricia. Him getting engaged  with a mere daughter of a viscount was an insane affair.

「Franco! What could you be thinking? Your mother won’t allow you to marry with a dirty bitch from a mere viscount house!」

「I ask mother to stop your insult to Teresa. I won’t forgive you even if you are the mother who shared your blood with me.」

Franco firmly denied his mother’s insistence with a stern tone that broke no argument.

「How can you……!」

Elena must be unable to break free from her impression of Franco as  an obedient and docile son. She turned speechless by Franco’s unexpected  reply.

「Open your eyes Franco. You are the person who will become the next  king of Sanjuan Kingdom. You mustn’t bring down yourself even lower than  this.」

「If marrying Teresa will make other show contempt for me, then I have  no need for something like the throne. Perhaps I should personally  yield the right to inherit the throne to Pedro instead.」

「D-don’t be rash Franco! Do you understand what are you saying right now?」

Elena could only look aghast at her son’s words.

Until now Elena believed from the bottom of her heart that Franco himself wished to become king.

The throne that was the symbol of a country’s authority and would  enable the one sitting on it to wield immense power. Such thing should  be more attractive than anything in this world. Even Franco should open  his eyes if he understood that he might lose the throne……Elena who was  blinded by the throne was naturally thinking like that.

For her son to be prepared to abandon his right to inherit the throne  for the sake of a woman, it was something that was completely outside  her imagination.

「C-calm down. It will be too late if you regret it later you know?  The king, you are only a step away from being able to become the king.」

It was the position that anyone desired wasn’t it──Elena was  flustered because something that was a natural common sense for her was  crumbling.

In order for her ambition to become reality, she absolutely needed Franco to ascend to the throne.

「The throne is nothing but a burden for me. I have never wished for  such thing even once since I was old enough to think for myself.」

──Although he intentionally didn’t say the continuation of his  sentence, 「Though I’ll take it by force if it’s necessary for me to  marry Teresa」.

Certainly the position of king was simply a burden for him since the time he became aware of his true nature.

Franco recalled his days of thinking foolish thought of why he had to be born as a royalty.

He also recalled the figure of his mother who continued to tediously whisper curses toward the first queen Maria.

He couldn’t see the throne as something attractive at all.

「Are you touched in the head? Aa, it must be the vixen over there who make you strange like this isn’t it?」

Elena distorted Franco’s words to a direction that was convenient for herself.

Because that was the only way available for herself in order for her to maintain her identity.

Elena moved to grab at Teresa in a fit of anger, but Franco spoke the words that became a finishing blow.

「Please leave. If not I shall seek audience with the king immediately and renounce my right to inherit the throne.」

A chilling shudder ran through Elena’s back.

It was as though she was seeing her son being replaced by a monster that only had the same appearance with him.

Elena couldn’t comprehend how a creature that didn’t wish to be king could exist.

「Kuh……don’t think that this is the end!」

Everything would be over if Franco relinquished his right to inherit here.

No matter how great her dissatisfaction was, Elena already had no other way except to withdraw here.

Elena glared at Teresa with all her resentment before she left Franco’s room indignantly with loud footsteps.

「Good grief, I have showed you something unsightly just now, Teresa.」

「I’m already prepared to go through at least this much. There is no  changing the fact that person will be my mother-in-law after all.」

(Tsk……it’s nice how carefree a muscle brain can be.)

Baldr just barely held himself from clicking his tongue.

This prince was a wolf in sheep’s clothing that surpassed his imagination.

It seemed there was a reason the viceroy of Malaga, Rodriguez praised the caliber of the second prince.

There was a clear power hierarchy between the prince and the queen in  the conversation just now. The cause of that hierarchy came from how  Franco wasn’t fixated to the throne at all while Elena was completely  fixated.

Most likely Franco was seriously thinking that it was fine even if he  didn’t become a king as long as he was able to marry Teresa.

Certainly Baldr couldn’t help but shudder when he tried imagining  Franco’s feeling if he ascended on the throne as king while still being  tormented with his gender identity disorder by himself.

But Franco who tried to become a king without any resolve using his  own unhappiness as a weapon was also an unstable existence even from  outsider’s perspective.

A lord who was in the position to order his subordinate to die had obligation and dignity that had to be carried out.

Even if right now the country was peaceful without any war, Sanai who  was within Baldr wouldn’t want to serve a lord who didn’t understand  how to rule from above countless corpses.

『…………Don’t ye act spoiled, lad.』

「──What is it?」

Franco who couldn’t understand the words that Baldr whispered asked back with a puzzled look.

Baldr really wanted to wish for the happiness of Teresa’s love life,  but he also didn’t have the responsibility to one-sidedly fret about  this matter. It would be impossible for Baldr to recognize Franco as a  comrade-in-arm if he didn’t ask him to risk his life too.

「Certainly it’s her majesty Elena’s wish for you to ascend to the  throne and we ourselves also wish the same from you. Perhaps it’s only a  natural matter for you that we’re supporting you for the sake of our  own interests──」

However, if Franco was thinking that he could just abandon his right  to inherit when push came to shove, then that thinking was too naïve.

Perhaps the throne didn’t have that much worth for Franco, but for  most people, they wouldn’t hesitate to sacrifice anything in their  desire to obtain it.

「However, I ask your highness to consider it once more right now. If  your highness really abandons your right of inheritance, will you really  be able to live in peace after that? After his highness Pedro ascend to  the throne, will the military that is supporting him really leave your  highness Franco alone? If a child is born between your highness and  Teresa, that child will have a right to inherit the throne. Is there any  guarantee that the military who want to prevent the noble from making a  comeback won’t plot your assassination?」

Baldr’s words made Franco’s face went pale. It seemed he hadn’t thought until that far.

「It’s not like I have any intention to get in Pedro’s way──」

「Certainly your highness and Prince Pedro has a good relationship.  However it’s exactly because you two has such good relationship that his  highness Pedro’s subordinates might look at your highness Franco  hostilely from jealousy. Though it will be a different matter if your  highness also has a good relationship with Prince Pedro’s subordinates.」

Franco who wasn’t a fool by any means finally realized just how  dangerous the position he was placed was. Or perhaps he had actually  realized and only pretended not to until now.

Perhaps his dream of starting a new life with Teresa made him wanted  to avert his eyes from the reality that he had to manage the political  strife where blood was washed with blood.

「Besides, will the nobles who support your highness just stand and  watch quietly? What if they try to assassinate Teresa in order to make  your highness open your eyes? Pardon my rudeness but, in such case the  greatest suspect will be her majesty Elena.」

「……Aah, I understand. I understand now. Regardless of whether I  ascend to the throne or not, without winning this political strife, I  won’t be able to even wish for a normal life where I can love my wife  and cherish my children. That’s what you want to say right?」

「──I’m in awe of your highness’s discernment.」

After everything was said and done, to live was to fight regardless of what shape it took.

And that was even truer for those who was born as royalty.

Perhaps there would be no need to fight if he simply become a puppet,  but that was synonymous of himself being killed by other people.

If Franco seriously wished to remain married for life with the woman  he loved, he needed to at least have the backbone to grab the throne no  matter what even if he had to kill his own father. The heaven sometimes  loved such outrageous sentiment.

Sanai vividly recalled the words that were spouted by his colleague,  an eccentric named Maeda Keijirou who was renowned as the nice guy of  the Warring States period.

『──Outrageousness can move the heaven.』

If someone wanted to persist with their obstinacy till the end, if  someone had a beloved one that they wanted to protect no matter what,  there would be times when they had to risk their whole being and crushed  the wall of common sense.

Although that might be just the unshakable pride of an eccentric warrior who lived at the Warring States era.

「If you want Teresa, if you want to prove yourself to your mother who  won’t even look at your true self, then your only choice is to fight  and win. Do you have the resolve for that, Franco?」

Baldr’s tone changed.

Franco who was finally called by his name gulped at the change of Baldr’s expression.

I’ll lend you my strength if you have the resolve. I’ll abandon you  if you don’t have it──Franco understood that Baldr was implicitly  telling him that.

It would be impossible for Baldr to make such choice if he was a normal ambassador.

However it was the nature of a warrior to be able to risk their life  for that impossible choice, it was also the essence of warrior.

Franco sensed that not with logic but with his instinct.

「I wish for both this kingdom’s future and also Teresa. I won’t care how much I have to dirty my hands for them.」

Baldr broke into a smile at Franco’s declaration.

It was a devilish looking smile like Mephistopheles who was watching doctor Faust signing the contract.

「Very good. Then first let’s have you investigate Queen Elena. She  will surely let her guard down against her own son after all. That  person is undoubtedly planning something no good──though it’ll be  another matter whether she will succeed or not. We will seize the proof  of her scheme.」

「I think that Haha-ue’s political influence isn’t as much as she believe though……」

「It’s conventional wisdom that a daughter’s misconduct is the  parent’s responsibility. Our true target is Duke Cordoba. Depending on  the situation even Duke Cordoba’s house might also get implicated with  Queen Elena and punished together──then you can tell him to lend you his  strength to manage the nobles if he doesn’t want that to happen.」

In case Elena planned to assassinate Pedro and used the duke’s  connection to arrange it, then naturally her father Duke Cordoba would  also not exempt from being sentenced.

It was truly an outrageousness among outrageousness. Baldr was  telling Franco to use that as a shield to threaten his grandfather.

「I’m surprised……though I have thought from the start that there is no way Teresa’s friend can be normal.」

「There is also idiot(Keijirou) who thought of losing battle as fun  but……for a warrior who is serving a lord, there is no meaning in a war  that you lost. If you are a warrior then enjoy battle where you fight to  win──well, I guess you won’t understand even if I say that.」

Baldr cackled. Franco thought from the bottom of his heart that he didn’t want to turn him into enemy.

Baldr was a different existence from him in a fundamental part  somewhere as a human. No matter how hard Franco thought, he couldn’t  imagine himself winning against Baldr as opponent in battle.

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Part 4

The military minister Santacruz couldn’t sleep at night since he  heard the report that the assassination of Prince Franco he ordered  Bartholomeo to carry out ended in failure.

In just several days his cheeks had turned hollow and his skin was losing its complexion. He looked like a sick person.

The assassination attempt at the royalty was weighing him mentally by that much.

His uneasiness was also clear from his action of dispatching a regiment of marine to the capital in emergency.

On the surface the soldier dispatch was for maintaining the public  order in the capital after the assassination attempt on the prince, but  he also intended to cause a military coup and put Pedro on the throne in  case he was prosecuted as the culprit.

However, Santacruz was also aware that it would be a really bad  gamble if he pulled a coup while King Carlos was still in good health.

It didn’t matter even if he was the highest ranked leader of the  military, the right to appoint and dismiss the military minister was in  the king’s possession. The majority of the military’s soldiers were also  swearing their loyalty to the king rather than him.

There wasn’t any evidence at all between Bartholomeo and Santacruz  that could prove he was the one giving the order for assassination.

Santacruz believed that he had been very careful to not leave any such proof.

However everything would be over if a large-scale investigation was carried and Bartholomeo was captured.

Santacruz couldn’t possibly openly order his men to cut corners in  their investigation. Santacruz had no one to share his worry with right  now.

「──I can’t also possibly cut ties with him huh……」

Wouldn’t it be better if he buried Bartholomeo and his men into the  darkness? Santacruz considered that, but such plan couldn’t be said as  realistic.

First, the force that Santacruz could mobilize other than Bartholomeo  was only the regular soldiers. It was impossible for them to do  anything covert.

And then most importantly, his attempt would only be foiled if he tried to do anything with insufficient number.

The assassins under Bartholomeo’s command were excellent combatants.

To be honest he wanted to kill that man quickly.

If he could kill that guy before he said anything unnecessary, there  shouldn’t be anything left that could connect him to Bartholomeo.

However he had no way to do that.

Then Santacruz had no other choice to help himself other than  continuing to use that man despite knowing the danger and splendidly led  Pedro to become king.

「However, can that guy really kill his highness Franco……?」

The security organization of Sanjuan Kingdom also wasn’t so foolish that they would fail in their task for the second time.

He would have to prepare a force that couldn’t possibly fail even in the worst case for the next attempt.

Although it would be Bartholomeo who executed the attempt and not Santacruz. That fact was unbearably vexing for Santacruz.

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Part 5

「Good grief, is our navy going to be okay like this……」

The navy minister Jose Liberiano(ホセ・リベリアーノ) drank a cold wine without hiding his melancholy in his grumbling.

He was in the middle of his forty, even so his face looked young like  he was still at his early thirty. His skin was relatively white for a  man of the sea. His appearance could be said as effeminate.

He gave an impression that was more of a scholar rather than a  military officer, but when he was leading an armada, there was nobody  who could beat him within the navy.

Jose was feared as the Demon of Lepanto among the pirates who used  Marmara Sea as their domain. Because he was a capable man despite his  lazy attitude, he couldn’t help but feel apprehensions toward the  present political crisis.

A discerning man like him naturally was aware of Santacruz’s motive to a certain degree.

He didn’t have a problem with Santacruz’s strategy itself to maintain  the military’s influence in the political administration by supporting  Pedro to become king, but by doing something drastic like assassinating  Pedro and then even launching a military coup d’etat, the effect to the  military when those failed would be fatal.

When Jose thought of those risks, it made him held doubt toward  Santacruz’s capability as the leader of the military with his extreme  method.

Jose didn’t express his true feeling openly wasn’t only because he  was more of a military officer rather than a politician, it was also  because he was originally a commoner, so he was excluded from the main  faction within the military.

But even then he was able to stand at the top of the navy was because  he was an excellent commander and military administrator. Furthermore  he was also acting as a temporary liaison that balanced the factional  infighting within the military.

Because of such coincidence, Jose now found himself within his current predicament. He couldn’t bear his current situation.

Then he heard a reserved knocking sound and a young man who served as  Jose’s subordinate then appeared. Perhaps it was just his imagination,  but his subordinate seemed like he was looking pale.

「Your excellency, there is a request for a meeting. How should I answer them?」

「A request for meeting with me instead of the military minister? Who in the world is this curious person asking for meeting?」

「This person carry an introduction letter of the second prince with him…………」

「What did you say?」

Jose immediately thought whether he should refuse with hesitation.

The culprit wasn’t clear, but most likely it was the irregular squad  working directly under the military minister that attacked Franco. There  was no reason Santacruz was looking that scared right now if that  wasn’t the case.

If he was unlucky, it was possible that this person was coming to question the military regarding that.

Even so it would be a problem too if he refused to meet here.

If he chased away the second prince’s messenger without even hearing  their reason for coming here, it would be like confirming their  suspicion to the military.

(But why are they coming to me of all people……)

Jose stopped himself from grumbling and replied to his subordinate.

「──It can’t be helped. I’ll accept their request. However allow only  one person into the meeting. I won’t allow any guard or aide to  accompany the messenger.」

「Understood.」

(What if I just bring them to the military minister directly……though  if I do something like that, I don’t know what the minister will do in  his current fearful state.)

Most likely this visitor was also having the same thought. Jose  scowled secretly at the short straw that he drew from completely out of  nowhere.

.

「My apologies for asking to meet your excellency so suddenly like  this, Navy Minister Jose. My name is Baron Baldr Severn Cornelius. It’s  my honor to be your acquaintance.」

A very unexpected troublesome character had come to him. Jose wanted to curse his bad luck and god.

Of all people, it was the person who defeated the assassin in the failed assassination attempt who came here.

「You are the lord baron who came from Mauricia Kingdom as an  ambassador. Why do you have the second prince’s introduction letter with  you, lord baron?」

「I think your excellency must have heard, the woman who his highness  wish to marry is a knight of Mauricia and also my childhood friend at  the same time. And so his highness turned for help to me who had been  slightly useful to him in the incident the other day.」

──I think it would be less problematic if only you didn’t do anything unnecessary and just let Prince Franco got killed though.

That was Jose’s true feeling, but he didn’t change his expression in  front of Baldr and only smiled pleasantly. As expected he wouldn’t be  able to serve as the navy minister without being able to wear a poker  face of this level.

「As for my reason for visiting here today, it’s no other than to  dispel the misunderstanding of the military toward his highness Franco.」

「Misunderstanding……is it?」

Jose couldn’t grasp what Baldr’s intention was and felt perplexed.

「Indeed. It seems that there is a rumor among the public, that his  highness Franco is representing the interest of the royal court nobles  including Duke Cordoba and he will reduce the budget for the military  when his highness ascend to the throne, but this is a great  misunderstanding.」

「This is the first time I have heard of that. If you lord baron speak  the truth then it’s really a shocking matter but……why are you telling  that to me?」

His words just now were half lying. Jose had also heard how Franco  became smitten with a noble daughter from Mauricia and he almost lost  the support from the nobles.

Therefore it was also possible that Franco was now trying to butter  up the military instead. But he didn’t understand the reason why that  kind of talk was brought to him.

Then Baldr asked as though he was reading Jose’s heart.

「──Is your excellency perhaps thinking that his highness is trying to  switch side because the nobles are withdrawing their support?」

「How can that be, such insolent thinking doesn’t exist at the  slightest in my mind. However, I think it’s a fact that currently his  highness Franco is losing support from the nobles.」

「It might look like that, but that’s not the case. The great nobles  starting from Duke Cordoba are still supporting his highness Franco like  before. As long as the great nobles hasn’t changed their stance, the  nobles below them will also follow.」

Here Jose spontaneously made a doubting expression although he didn’t  intend to. He felt an eeriness from how he couldn’t understand Baldr’s  intention.

If Franco had the support of the nobles, approaching the military like this would only bring the opposite effect.

Certainly Franco would definitely obtain the position as the crown  prince if he was able to get both the nobles and the military to support  him, but most likely even for the king it would be impossible to adjust  so the interests of both sides would match.

「Now I find this even more difficult to understand. There is no need  for you lord baron to visit the likes of me at all if that’s the case.」

Even Jose who was treating politic like it was other people’s problem  still had attachment to the military. He would represent the military’s  interest no matter what. If Franco thought that Jose would betray the  military minster and changed side to his faction, then he could only  call that as his absurd miscalculation.

「Then, does your excellency think that his excellency the prime minister will really listen to what I have to say?」

「…………Of course his excellency will rejoice to hear what you lord baron have just told me.」

He was lying. Jose thought that it would be impossible for Santacruz to believe this talk.

However that was only because there was a fact that Santacruz plotted  to assassinate Franco. At the surface Santacruz should have the  composure to at least listen to Franco’s proposal.

If Jose agreed with Baldr’s words here, it would be the same like  confessing that there was the military behind the attempt to Franco’s  life.

「──Unfortunately far from being able to have a meeting with the  military minister, I was unable to even have his excellency accepting a  letter from me.」

(Military minister, just what in the world are you doing!)

Jose cursed inside his heart.

At the very least that wasn’t an action of someone who was being placed under suspicion should take.

The military minister should act brazenly instead, behaving like  there was nothing that could be found even if he was investigated and  made an appeal that he was innocent.

「……We really appreciate the balanced sense of your excellency.  Although your excellency is a commoner, very few people oppose your  inauguration as the navy minister. The sense of security your excellency  bring is the proof of your ability to deal with any problem in  practical and realistic manner. Even someone who prioritized the  interests of their own faction above all else won’t hate someone who can  make the proper evaluation.」

Currently the internal of the military was split into two major factions.

The first faction was the armada faction that intended to improve the  fighting strength of the navy and had a decisive battle with Trystovy  Dukedom. The other faction was the conservative faction that wanted to  prioritize subjugating the pirates and secured the safety of the  merchant ships’ voyage, and also to set out to open up a new sea route.

When considering that the primary duty of the navy was to guard the  merchant ships, the tenet of the conservative faction seemed to be the  right one. However the armada faction that wanted to destroy Trystovy  Dukedom that was historically an enemy of Sanjuan Kingdom now that their  navy was weakened by the civil war was the mainstream faction in the  current navy.

However after the death of the hero Diego, the armada faction lost  their charismatic leader. Jose from the neutral faction was elevated to  the post of navy minister as the filler while the young commanders were  accumulating experience to be the minister navy in the future.

「Allow me to repeat, his highness Franco isn’t thinking to weaken the  military──especially the navy. Rather his highness is even thinking  that the navy should be expanded. And it’s not just his highness who is  thinking of that, our Mauricia Kingdom is also in agreement with that. I  want your excellency to be aware of that.」

「Can I ask the reason why not only his highness, but also Mauricia  Kingdom are wishing for the development of Sanjuan Kingdom’s navy?」

During this conversation, Jose’s expression that was like an onlooker  talking about other people’s problem was gradually disappearing.

Based on his own instinct and experience, he realized that he had to  seriously consider the effect that Baldr’s words would bring to the navy  of Sanjuan Kingdom. Furthermore Baldr had also mentioned about the  intention of Mauricia Kingdom here. Treating this carelessly might lead  to harming Sanjuan’s national interests.

Sanjuan Kingdom was a maritime country with outstanding naval force.  The navy minister Jose belonged to the neutral faction, he possessed the  capability to make a correct judgment for the sake of the military and  the country’s interests instead of only his own faction.

That was why Baldr chose him as the high official of the military who should be persuaded.

*Clack*, Baldr took out a wooden device from his pocket and placed it in front of Jose.

「In the future it will become possible for ships to sail even further  on the sea and going back and forth in even greater number. In proof of  that, we have prepared this compass and a method to prevent scurvy for  your country.」

.

The history of compass’s development was old. In Masaharu’s knowledge, it was first developed at the eleventh century in China.

However this compass was a simple thing where magnet was placed in  the middle of a hollow that was filled with water. It only became the  practical weather-proof compass that could be used even in the middle of  stormy weather when the suspended type compass was developed at the  fifteenth century.

With this it became possible to accurately know the direction even  under a bad weather. This invention opened the curtain of the Age of  Exploration.

Presently one of the reasons why Sanjuan Kingdom couldn’t remove the  pirates of Marmara Sea was because of the lack of capability to navigate  the open sea.

The small compass model that Baldr offered meant one of those problems was solved.

「D-do you understand, what does it mean by you providing us with this?」

Jose should have sensed that Baldr couldn’t be judged based on his age alone, even so he couldn’t help but asking that.

This small device was a groundbreaking invention that would lead the continent to a new era.

Jose who was a man of the sea by nature understood that to a painful degree.

Reaching another continent, until now it was nothing more than an  adventure that only those with suicidal wish would challenge, but now  everyone could challenge it. That meant, all maritime nations would have  to reform their way of living in national level after this.

A nation who obtained this chance but couldn’t accept the change to come would only have decline waiting for them.

「Mauricia Kingdom has no sea so……it’s desirable for us to have a  reliable allied country in the possession of this tool. And then if we  can export our country’s product through Sanjuan Kingdom, then the  relationship between our two countries will be better than ever.」

At present Mauricia Kingdom had no plan to invade a maritime country.

In that case it could be said that it was necessary to strengthen their allied country’s fighting strength.

In addition there was also the circumstance of how Baldr and Selina were developing spinning jenny secretly right now.

Spinning jenny was a spinning wheel with multiple spools, invented by James Hargreaves from England.

Because the machine allowed a single worker to handle more than eight  spools, it drastically reduced the manufacture time of string. It  flourished as the star spinning machine until it was replaced by the  spinning mule at the seventeenth century.

Originally James only got the idea when he accidentally discovered  that there was no problem even when the spindle was placed vertically  instead of horizontally, so technologically it wasn’t as complicated as  the spinning mule that was invented at the future years. It seemed  possible to somehow reinvent the spinning jenny even if Baldr only had  Masaharu’s shallow knowledge about it.

If they could mass produce string in low price, naturally they would also need a market where they could sell it.

In that sense, the opening of new overseas market by Sanjuan Kingdom  would also conform to the national interest of Mauricia Kingdom.

Although Jose was struck with admiration in his heart by the  strategic insight of Baldr despite his young age, he continued speaking.

「Then, about the method to prevent scurvy……」

This sickness still hadn’t been known widely, but Jose remembered  hearing about that sickness from an ocean adventure who attempted to do a  long-term voyage.

「About that, sailors won’t contract scurvy if they continuously eat a  certain food product that is sold by Savaran Company. I guarantee it.  Though I won’t go as far as explaining how that can be the case.」

「Good grief……to think that the preventative measure isn’t a medicine but food.」

Scurvy was caused by deficiency of vitamin C. The sickness was  accompanied by bleeding from every organ within the body and before long  the patient would die.

On the ship that was sailing open sea for a long period, the sailors  couldn’t eat fresh vegetable and fruit because it was impossible to  preserve them. They were forced to eat mainly animal protein from things  like smoked meat and so on. Therefore it became easy for all the  sailors to contract disease.

Of course in this continent people still hadn’t learned about the  nutrient composition of food. Scurvy was treated as a strange disease  that was the natural enemy of long term voyage.

「I never thought that this kind of invention will be brought from  Mauricia Kingdom that is located inland. To be honest I want to obtain  these things at all cost but……I too have to obey my organization’s order  as a member of the military. What do you plan to do about that?」

Jose raised both his hands as though show that he gave up already. He asked Baldr with an informal tone.

If it was this young man, then he must have thought of something to take care of something trivial like that.

「The fact that your excellency is supporting his highness  Franco──that will be enough. Of course I’m not asking for this support  from the whole navy, simply an opinion of Jose Liberiano personally will  be sufficient. I believe that it won’t take that much time until all  matters are settled.」

「I’m just a navy minister in name only without any considerable faction of my own though.」

「Your excellency underestimate yourself too much. Certainly your  excellency might not have any influence with the power struggle within  the military, but I believe that the decision of an intellectual like  your excellency who prioritize logic rather than emotion will greatly  influence the upper echelons who harbor anxiety toward the recklessness  of the military minister right now.」

Jose was evaluated as someone balanced and rational who wouldn’t make  a high risk judgment. That was exactly why he was chosen as the navy  minister despite not being affiliated with any faction.

If such person was supporting Franco, many people would definitely  think that he was supporting Franco not because he wished to get  promoted or because he was bribed, but because he was frankly judging  that it would be more advantageous to follow Franco.

Though it seemed Jose wasn’t aware that his own decision would be trusted in both tangible and intangible shape to such degree.

「Thank you for that valuable opinion. Don’t tell me that you lord baron is actually older than me?」

There were children who developed prematurely, but Baldr defied the accepted norms too much to be in such category.

From their conversation just now, Jose even thought that he was  facing an older grandfather who was making him dance on the top of his  palm.

Of course there was no way such thing could be true. Jose only intended to say that as a sarcastic joke in the end.

『This lad even has an old geezer who hath returned back from that world with him after all.』

『Age doesn’t matter with modern day cheat after all……』

「──Just now, what did you say?」

「No, I was just saying that you can’t judge people based on their appearance.」

Baldr said that while bursting out laughing. His face only looked like a boy his age should look as expected.

.

「……However, it won’t be enough with just that. Lord baron, you are  underestimating the influence of Majorca Kingdom to our navy too much.」

Baldr looked shaken for the first time by what Jose said. Baldr obviously hadn’t thought until that far.

From the information that he obtained by having a friendly talk with  Pedro, Baldr didn’t think that Majorca Kingdom’s influence to Sanjuan  Kingdom was that strong.

「Perhaps it’s only natural that you lord aren’t aware seeing that you  came from Mauricia Kingdom but……Majorca Kingdom’s support is  indispensable in order to secure the control of Marmara Sea. Because it  won’t be an exaggeration to say that our country is prevailing against  Trystovy navy right now is solely because of the existence of Majorca’s  Negro Tormenta.」

「Negro Tormenta?」

(What’s with that naming that is tickling my chuunibyou?)

「With the death of Count Santos de Parma(サンチョス・デ・パルマ), a heroic woman  ascended to the seat of the navy minister while she still hadn’t  reached 21 years old. If I fight her with the same number of ship, I  won’t have any chance of victory at all.」

「So the difference is that much……」

Contrary to Jose’s attitude that was like a lazy person, he was an extremely scathing and merciless intellectual general.

Such person was saying that he had zero chance of victory against someone. This chuunibyo woman must be an amazing prodigy.

「This is simply my personal suggestion but──」

There Jose paused with a mischievous grin.

「If you can defeat the pirate of Sanpaniradeon(サンパニラデオン), then I  think it will be possible to obtain the support of not just her, but the  whole Majorca Kingdom’s navy.」

.

Part 6

After the death of the eldest son Abrego who King Carlos V put his  hope on, it was heavily rumored that the king had completely lost his  energy.

He had raised achievements that were worthy to put him in the  category of wise ruler even in the history of the kingdom. He couldn’t  be called as incompetent by any means with the discernment in his  possession. But the death of his eldest son brought him great shock that  put him into a complete lethargy.

Of course it wasn’t that he didn’t love Franco and Pedro.

The problem was that he wouldn’t be able to avoid a serious discord  to form in the kingdom no matter who he chose between his two remaining  sons.

If only he was a few years younger, Carlos might took action to  correct the balance of power within the country for the sake of his sons  even if he had to purge meritorious retainers who had served him for  many years, but he already had no willpower or stamina that allowed him  to do that.

「My body……has withered.」

Carlos mocked himself seeing his hand that had grown thin and worn out with wrinkles all over within such short time.

Only the palace doctor and Carlos knew this but, Carlos’s body was already gnawed by sickness even before Abrego died.

Rapid decrease of weight and weakening of stamina……it only had one meaning. It was cancer.

If he was unlucky he wouldn’t even last for one year. Although Carlos  was aware of that, there was a reason why he was unable to decide who  would be the crown prince even now.

Speaking of ability, there was no doubt that Franco was superior then  Pedro. Even his apathy toward politic as though it was other people’s  problem would change to some degree if he became the crown prince.

Carlos had spoiled Pedro a bit too much because he was the youngest  son. Perhaps because of that Pedro was too good-natured and tended to  get immediately carried away by what people told him.

Perhaps there wouldn’t be any problem if he had capable and loyal  confidant beside him, but it wasn’t desirable at all for the nation to  be controlled by a mere confidant’s capability.

Even after taking all those into account, a part of himself wished for Pedro to succeed him if it was possible.

The reason was──.

*Cough* Carlos made a wet cough and his body bent forward. Then a  chamberlain came toward Carlos and told him of a visitor’s arrival with  worry in his face.

「His highness Franco is wishing to have an audience with your majesty. What should I tell him, your majesty?」

Carlos thought that it was unusual.

Since Franco grew up, he almost never talk with Franco personally except when the whole family was gathered.

Franco should be a son who gave face to the eldest son Abrego without  getting involved too much in politic in the past, but now he was asking  him for an audience. He wondered if he was finally awakened to  ambition.

「Very well, let him pass.」

「By your will.」

In the end how much Franco had changed and what would he demand?  Depending on that, perhaps Carlos might be liberated from his worry  today.

Even if it was for good or for bad, for happiness or for sorrow………….

.

「Chichi-ue, how is your health?」

Although Franco looked detached, he gave off an aura that Carlos never felt from him until now. Carlos heightened his wariness.

「…………There is nothing of concern.」

(Just what had happened to Franco?)

Carlos thought that even while replying naturally at the outside.

A king of a country couldn’t possibly say that he was afflicted with  an incurable disease even if it was toward his own blood relative.

「You almost never visited until now, so why do you come at this time?」

Other than at the official functions, Franco had never visited his  father alone even once during these several years. Rather Franco was  behaving quietly as though he wished for the people around him to forget  about his existence.

When Abrego was still in good health, he was the second son who  accepted being a spare just in case something happened to the eldest son  and performed everything flawlessly. Carlos noticed how Franco was  hiding a talent that rivaled Abrego from that.

But at the same time, he also thought that this son’s personality wasn’t suited to be a king.

Being ambitionless was a virtue for retainer, but it was a little bit problematic for a king to have such personality.

The position of king brought pressure and loneliness with it. Someone  without ambition or objective wouldn’t be able to bear it unless they  were mandated to be king since they were born and educated for the  position growing up.

Or perhaps such ambition had finally budded inside Franco.

「To be honest, being a royalty for me is a burden.」

「Hou…………」

Franco’s words sounded like a confession. Carlos narrowed his eyes coldly.

Perhaps the unmotivated Franco didn’t have ambition budding inside  him, on the contrary this might be the case of his heart breaking.

When Carlos thought that, a feeling that was similar to  disappointment stirred up Carlos’s chest. Even though he thought in his  heart that he didn’t want Franco to succeed him, he still couldn’t hide  his disappointment. What a selfish person he was.

「Even though it had been decided that Abrego-aniueelder brother  would be the next king, there was someone who would always annoyingly  made me heard their complains no matter how much time passed. I even  thought that perhaps I should become a monk in a temple to bid farewell  to this social status.」

Here Carlos sensed something suspicious.

First was how Franco was talking in past tense. In other words, the  state of his heart right now was most likely the exact opposite.

And then the second was Franco’s criticism toward his mother Elena  who came from Cordoba House that should be the base of his support.

If Franco was aiming to obtain the throne, Elena should be an existence that he must not turn into enemy no matter what.

「──This is really careless of me, I didn’t know that your relationship with Elena is that bad.」

「That’s because it was pointless even if I opposed her. I thought  that if I simply listened to her half-heartedly, time would solve the  rest sooner or later……even like that she is my mother, so the least I  could do was to simply be her listener.」

Carlos too knew very well about the personality of his wife that he had married for many years.

She wasn’t a woman who would be satisfied just by venting with words.  And yet even when she took action, the best she could do was only a  trifling scheme or harassment. In other words her caliber was just too  small.

「I don’t know what Haha-ue will do in order to put me on the throne, so I intend to ask her to have a rest in her family house.」

「What did you say!?」

Carlos’s eyes spontaneously widened in shock at Franco’s shocking  statement that sounded like he was going to cast away Cordoba House that  should be his biggest ally.

「I wish to ask your majesty to please permit Haha-ue to go home and  take a rest. Because that will be the best thing for Haha-ue herself and  also for the people around her.」

「Franco……you, do you understand what are you saying?」

A son was trying to drive away her own biological mother to a life that was no different from imprisonment.

Certainly Elena was a woman with a lot more flaws then merits in her,  but at the very least his biological son Franco should be devoting his  love to her.

Furthermore his mother should become an important backer for him.  Carlos didn’t understand the reason why Franco would go this far.

「Doing this is necessary in order to allow Maria-kaasama to keep  living safe and sound within the palace even after I ascend to the  throne isn’t it?」

「…………tsu!」

Franco’s words hit the nail on the head.

What Carlos worried was exactly about that one point.

There would be no problem while he was still alive. However if Franco  sat on the throne and Carlos died, Elena would surely grown impudent.  She wouldn’t stop with just persecuting Maria, in the worst case she  would even assassinate her.

For Carlos, Maria was the only one supporting his heart right now. He  couldn’t make the decision to appoint Franco as the crown prince was  solely to protect Maria.

「……How did you notice?」

Although Carlos favored Maria, he had never allowed even her to be involved with politic even once until now.

Until now not a single person had seen through that the source of his indecision was due to his love toward Maria.

「Because I too had found a woman who I love.」

「Now you said it……however those nobles won’t shut up because she is just a daughter of a viscount you know?」

「It’s already arranged that Mauricia’s king will adopt Teresa. It  seems they don’t have any problem with it as long as they can have a  queen from Mauricia here.」

Carlos spontaneously burst out laughing at the way Franco said that  so frankly. It had been a long time since he could laugh without any  pretension like this.

「It looks like King Welkin is a very candid personage isn’t he.」

「Yes, Baldr also said that he is actually a king with bad personality and love to play mischief.」

「He is……I don’t know if you can call him a good friend, but it seems that he is at least a good partner in crime.」

Carlos unconsciously thought of his past. He had no such friend.

He lost his father when he was young and since then he was busy running around giving his all for the country.

He also despaired when he realized that he had no talent for battle.  However he believed that he had the talent to govern the nation and  provided relief to people. He built the foundation for a new Sanjuan  Kingdom together with his beloved wife that he intended to hand over to  his son.

His eldest son had left him behind, but it seemed this second son was  someone with the capability that surpassed his imagination.

「However what are you going to do with the military? That Santacruz,  he might cause an insurrection without caring of the risk if you’re  careless you know?」

「About that, it seems my partner in crime has won over Sir Jose and  plan to perpetrate something. To be honest, even I don’t have any idea  of what kind of magic he used.」

「──That boy and Jose?」

Certainly the navy played a large role in a maritime nation like Sanjuan Kingdom.

Of course it didn’t change the importance of the army that was the  last line of defense for the country’s territory, but the navy was also a  huge organization that was responsible for maritime trade and  distribution that was the backbone of the national economy.

The leader of the navy, that Jose who was unperturbed even if he was  boiled or grilled was won over by Baldr who didn’t have any relationship  whatsoever with him before. Carlos couldn’t believe it.

「It seems Duke Cordoba is also getting tired of mother’s selfishness,  so I believe he will still continue to support me even in the future. I  will take responsibility for Pedro to raise him into my right hand, so  please don’t worry for anything.」

「What, so you already plan to make the military your ally? If you’re  seriously planning to move the military, you have to take down Majorca’s  witch first.」

The navy right now was under the strong influence of Majorca Kingdom.  After all it would be impossible to guarantee the safety of Marmara Sea  without the cooperation of this allied country.

For the navy to support Franco instead of Pedro who inherited the  blood of Majorca royalty, they needed for Majorca Kingdom to at least  give their tacit consent.

「Well, normally it would be impossible. But surprisingly, he is sailing together with that Negro Tormenta right about now.」

「What did you sayyy!?」

Carlos yelled with a volume that was almost a scream.

The extraordinary talent Urraca de Parma──it would be dozens of times more difficult to move her than making Jose an ally.

No matter what, it was hard to believe that Mauricia had formed a  diplomatic route with Majorca in this short time since Abrego’s death.

That meant, Baldr had presented something that could move that Urraca  even though he had no idea at all about what kind of magic he used to  achieve that.

(──He is really impossible to predict.)

Since he became the king, Carlos’s mind was constantly troubled by  this kind of unforeseen situation, but when he was still young and full  of hope, wasn’t he always looking forward to the future that he couldn’t  predict?

Carlos laughed loudly. It was a pleasant laugh as though something that had blocked his heart for long had been cleared up.

「Take a glass. I’ll open my treasured wine.」

「Is that alright?」

「I don’t know how long my life will last anyway. Drinking together with my son like this sometimes is also not bad.」

The two were drinking together that day until late at night and  talked to each other openly. Carlos showed his face not as a king but as  a father for the first time to Franco while looking like he had fun. He  discussed life with Franco to his heart’s content.

And then, Franco Cordoba de Sanjuan entrusted his fate of whether he would be appointed as the crown prince or not to Baldr.

.

Part 7

Going back slightly in time.

Accompanied by Jose, Baldr visited the salon of the first queen Maria for some reason.

(Oi oi, aren’t we going to negotiate with Majorca Kingdom’s navy minister directly?)

Jose grinned mischievously as though he had seen through the doubt in Baldr’s mind.

「No, you aren’t wrong you know? In the first place her majesty Maria  and Lady Urraca came from the same country. Their mothers are sisters so  they are also cousin.」

「Tell me something like that quicker!」

Just when he was wondering what kind of strong woman would appear, it was actually just a normal royalty!

「Please go in, her royal majesty is waiting.」

A lovely maid opened the door and gestured Baldr and Jose to go inside.

(Good grief, I was made to have cold sweat……)

The instant Baldr stepped in, he got hit by a dreadful chill and omen of disaster that perhaps only he could feel.

In most cases when he got this kind of premonition──.

「Is it this boy who dared to claim to my face that he is going to beat up those Sanpaniradeon cowards?」

(Aah, as I thought……why is it there are only atrocious and nasty women around me?)

.

「Achoo!」

Baldr’s father, Ignis Cordelius turned toward his wife.

「Maggot, what’s wrong? Do you get a cold?」

「I wonder why……right now I really want to sock Baldr’s head for some reason.」

.

Several days ago, Urraca hurriedly departed from Majorca and rushed  into Sanjuan’s palace because she was worried that after the  assassination attempt on Franco, Pedro would become a target for  retaliation next.

「Urraca-oneesama! Why are you in so much hurry like that?」

「Oo, Pedro! You’re safe? Was there anything scary that happened?」

Urraca had been doting on Pedro who her cousin gave birth to since he was little.

In addition as the navy minister of Majorca Kingdom, the succession  struggle of Sanjuan Kingdom would influence the national policy of  Majorca Kingdom.

Originally she should push her country to exert pressure so that Pedro could rise to the throne but…….

「Nii-sama almost got killed several days ago. That was really scary!」

This child wasn’t suited for power struggle at all. No matter what  happened he wouldn’t be able to endure walking a cruel path as a king,  Urraca thought.

On the other hand, even if that ill-natured womanElena’s  son──he was famed as a fine man though──ascended to the throne, it  wasn’t certain whether he would be able to stop his mother’s rash  action.

She even got into an argument with Elena just after she arrived.

(This is really troubling……)

It was at that timing, Urraca received a notification from Jose who she respected.

She was told that Franco had resolved himself to exile his mother and safeguarded Maria and Pedro.

And to prove that he was serious, they would help with the  subjugation of Sanpaniradeon, a pirate group that Majorca Kingdom had  difficulty with for many years.

「Are you saying that a mere greenhorn from Mauricia will be able to  do something about those cowards when even this me can’t get my hand on  them?」

She looked extremely displeased. At the same time she also looked interested.

Sanpaniradeon pirate, they originally started as a clan of mercenary that supported Trystovy for a long time.

When the wage from Trystovy got overdue because of the civil war  there, they immediately returned to work as pirate and attacked merchant  ships without caring whether they belonged to Trystovy or Sanjuan.

Their strength was considerable enough to even rival a kingdom’s  navy. Even the navy of Urraca’s Majorca Kingdom couldn’t avoid a hard  fight against them.

She wondered just what kind of heroic figure would arrive to help her with this problem but──.

「I am an ambassador of Mauricia Kingdom, Baldr Severn Cornelius. Pleased to be your acquaintances.」

It was this boy who would help her out?

The person who came with Jose was a beautiful looking boy who seemed gentle.

Of course even Urraca knew that this boy wasn’t just a normal person.

However in this situation, how great Baldr’s personal skill in martial art wasn’t really the problem.

「I’m Urraca de Palma, the navy minister of Majorca Kingdom. Call me Urraca.」

Urraca spoke curtly. Maria glared at her in rebuke.

Although Maria only looked cute even if she glared with her gentle and childlike face.

「I’m sorry. She has lived on ship too long that she has this kind of sharp tongue, so please forgive her.」

「No, how should I say it……I’m used to this.」

Especially with his mother, though as expected even Baldr couldn’t say that out loud.

After all Urraca was still quite the maiden with her age at her twenty.

「Sorry to doubt you boy but, do you really know about Sanpaniradeon?」

Urraca was also someone who represented her kingdom, while Baldr was  also shouldering the position as an ambassador of Mauricia Kingdom. He  couldn’t just back out at this point by saying that he was only talking  big.

「Sanpaniradeon is inferior to your navy in regard of individual  battle strength, but they are faster and you don’t have any way to chase  after them if they manage to escape into their stronghold. That’s what I  heard. Is that true?」

「Yeah, it’s true. They’re certainly a tough bunch, but if we fight  head-on, I don’t think we’re going to lose even if it’ll be a hard  fight. But their stronghold Akaba, it’s frustrating but I can’t do  anything to them there.」

It seemed she had a lot of resentment piling up, Urraca’s face distorted with her emotion laid bare.

Since Urraca succeeded the position of navy minister from her father,  Majorca Kingdom’s navy had never been defeated except one time.

The one who granted that single defeat was the leader of  Sanpaniradeon, Kailas(カイラス). Urraca was burning with revenge and tracked  him down many times, but she was completely helpless if he escaped into  the inland sea of Akaba. It was a really vexing matter for her.

「If my idea worked, I think it will be possible to chase them even until Akaba……」

「What did you say!?」

Urraca was greatly shocked and grabbed at Baldr’s collar while pressing him with question.

Urraca’s face got so close that they would kiss if one of them moved  their face just slightly. Baldr’s face unconsciously reddened when he  peered into her eyes.

「Too close-! Your face is too close-!」

Her finely chiseled face and her large round black eyes were filled with animated brilliance like an obsidian.

In short, Urraca was a rare beauty that couldn’t be encountered so easily.

Urraca seemed to sense Baldr’s shyness and chuckled with a bewitching feminine presence.

「Oh ho, the lion of Mauricia who is a shining star of the future is unexpectedly innocent.」

「Unfortunately I’m not so old that I’ve matured already.」

Baldr cursed the misfortune of himself that caused him to be linked by fate with this kind of woman who seemed to be a bad news.

「Too bad but, you boy are outside my strike zone. Come again when you are fifty years older.」

「…………Are you going to still be alive at that time?」

When Baldr reached his sixty, Urraca would be at her seventy──as expected he didn’t have that kind of peculiar fetish.

「You really don’t get it……a man should be at least that old before their charm can show up.」

It seemed this Urraca had quite a serious grandpa complex.

「……Urraca, that taste of yours is still not cured huh……」

Maria’s shoulders slumped in dejection. Her back looked gloom.

Certainly that taste of her was a waste even though she was a great beauty like this.

「Otou-sama at Majorca is grieving you know?  He was saying that the continuation of Parma House is in danger.」

「──I can just adopt my niece if necessary anyway. Stop finding fault with my taste of man.」

Jose used the chance while Urraca was arguing with Maria to secretly taught Baldr about the situation.

Urraca’s father died when she was still little. Her grandfather  Camsen(カムセン) who raised her was completely pampering her at home even  though he was strict when at sea.

It seemed that Urraca who was raised with the full affection of her  grandfather had grown to become someone who only reacted at male who was  the same age with her grandfather before she knew it.

What a sinful woman she was. Not, perhaps in this case Baldr should count his blessing because this woman wasn’t a shotacon.

Urraca who got showered with complaints by Maria for around five  minutes turned back toward Baldr as though to vent her stress at him.

「And? How are you going to conquer Akaba?」

Baldr shook his head while smiling wryly because this person was acting like a child.

「I can’t say anything without first confirming the actual location.  Besides I wish to receive compensation in exchange of teaching this  information.」

Urraca’s eyes turned into a glare that was clearly filled with murderous intent.

Even though she had a childish personality, her status as the navy minister of Majorca Kingdom wasn’t just for show.

「Hou……don’t you think it’s boorish for a man to demand a reward from woman?」

「No no, a reward and a compensation seems similar but they are  actually different. Because one is based on desire while the other is  based on honor.」

「Hou……honor you say.」

It was easy to say that, but in their position where they both had  the responsibility to prioritize their own country , keeping their words  wasn’t something ordinary to do.

Furthermore Urraca who was a warrior and also a woman of the sea disliked a man who would lightly speak of honor like this.

For a sailor who constantly lived side by side with death from facing  mother nature, mutual trust was something precious that was difficult  to replace.

「Those are good words. However I don’t know if it’s other people, but  if you want to earn my trust, show me that you’re a man aboard the  ship!」

Baldr suddenly felt a déjà vu from Urraca’s words. Even though this  was undoubtedly his first experience being told this kind of line since  he was born.

「──Of course I’m prepared for that.」

.

「……Achoo!」

──Around the same time Maggot might have sneezed once more in the Cornelius mansion or perhaps not.