The rumors spread in an instant.
It was because I openly acted that way. Whether it was borrowing Roti from Jake to walk around with her—though I didn’t really “walk around” like that, you know what I mean—or carrying her around our “noble group,” it was impossible for news not to spread at least within the hotel packed with first-year academy students.
Besides, I wasn’t just acting that way on the surface.
“Are you talking about the knight title…?”
“Isn’t it someone who saved the Crown Princess’s life? It’s possible to grant such a reward. Even if it’s a temporary title that won’t carry down to the next generation.”
“But to grant such a title, permission from the Emperor is required, isn’t it?”
“Do you honestly think the Emperor would just let it slide without a word to the person who saved his beloved daughter?”
At my words, Roti went silent.
Alice, who was glancing at us from the next table, had an expression like she was trying to hold back a snort, but I ignored it and continued talking.
Well, the Emperor would likely find this suggestion entertaining and accept it.
It could serve as a reason to say I benefited the “future Duke Lindbergh.”
Normally, I would have chosen a seat by the window or against the wall when picking a restaurant table. I didn’t want to attract attention even more by sitting in the middle of the restaurant as it was.
However, it wasn’t like that now. In fact, the more eyes on me, the better.
So, I endured the discomfort and intentionally chose a spot in the center.
“But, Crown Princess, that incident back then—”
“Miss Baker.”
I interrupted Roti and called out to Lily, who happened to be passing by our table.
“Y-yes!?”
Immediately on being called by the Crown Princess, Lily turned pale.
Since she had been eyeing us for a while, it seemed like she had been doing it on purpose. With Roti and me at a table alone, it was understandable she would be concerned. She even jumped into the crowd of nobles to figure out whether I was bothering Roti.
However, the conversation we were having was a bit different, so this action was purely out of curiosity.
She’d probably been sneaking smaller portions of food onto her plate to eavesdrop as she walked by.
“Miss Baker was nearby at that time, right?”
“Eh? Ah, yes…”
Feeling her gaze shift from us to the floor as it slightly rose again, Lily began to twist around uncomfortably.
“Didn’t you see Roti come to rescue me then?”
“Y-yes, that’s right?”
“Indeed.”
I reiterated for confirmation and looked at Roti.
“With this witness present, I think there’s no way anyone can refute it.”
Alice looked flabbergasted, but she didn’t attempt to argue against my words.
Claire, who was seated across from Alice, and Leo, who was between Alice and Claire, gaped at me. It wasn’t until Claire slapped Leo’s arm that he snapped back to reality and quickly stuffed a piece of steak into his mouth. But he moved so hastily that sauce splattered onto his clothes.
Why? Are you envious?
Maybe I should create an opportunity to tease Leo as well? Watching Leo’s face turn pale at hearing this story could be quite entertaining.
Besides, Leo is a guy, so maybe there’d be some romantic rumors stirred up.
“Anyway, my mind is already made up.”
“But then, would you be okay with that, young lord…?”
“I’ve already told Jake.”
“…”
Roti’s expression clouded for the first time after I said that.
“Did the young lord agree as well?”
“That’s correct.”
Seeing Roti’s gloomy expression took me by surprise.
Why? Shouldn’t she be happy? Jake wouldn’t even glance at another girl besides Roti.
After briefly pondering, I thought maybe I was misunderstanding something fundamentally.
Uh, so…
Was it that Roti wasn’t assured of Jake’s feelings for her? So, she believed it was more comfortable to stay by his side as a maid?
Hmm.
However, if that’s the case, there’s nothing more I can do. Even if Jake might keep Roti around as something more than just a maid, if Roti herself doesn’t have confidence, then…
“You don’t need to worry too much.”
Still, I felt it would be wise to say a few more words for assurance.
“You won’t have to worry about losing your job. It’s quite common for the Duke’s family to employ the daughters of Barons as maids. Roti won’t be anything superior to that; she’ll simply receive a knight title, so unless she wants to quit on purpose, she can continue with that job for the time being.”
“…I understand.”
Only after my words did Roti’s expression ease a bit.
Looks like my thoughts were correct.
This couple was more bothersome than I expected.
Well, I’d done my part, so the rest would be up to Jake. In this day and age, that’s common sense, right?
I suppose I’ll just settle for having lowered the difficulty a bit.
*
As we finished our meal and came out, a maid was waiting for us.
Though she wasn’t wearing a maid outfit, she introduced herself as “a maid of the Lindbergh Duke,” so it wouldn’t be wrong to call her that.
Dressed in splendid attire, she handed me an equally splendid-looking letter and said,
“The Duke of Lindbergh wishes to have a cup of tea with you, Crown Princess. He expressed that he’s always ready to rush over as soon as you set the time and place during your stay.”
She looked like she wouldn’t leave until I opened the letter, so I opened it right away to check the contents.
Indeed, aside from a few decorative phrases, the message was generally the same.
“Understood.”
As I responded, the maid bowed slightly toward me—
“Then, would now be possible?”
—And then suddenly stiffened up.
“The location—”
“I’ll come to you. You can just join me on your way back, right?”
They say to seize the moment. It would be more convenient to talk while we’re going, anyway.
However, in response to my words, the maid instantly wore an apologetic expression.
“But the Duke of Lindbergh is not at the estate right now.”
“May I ask where he is?”
“…He is currently at the farm. There is a mansion there as well…”
“I’m fine with that. It would be mutually beneficial to solve matters while we’re at it, wouldn’t it?”
“Understood.”
It seemed the maid had decided after hearing my words.
Since I mentioned it was alright at any time or place.
“Are you really going to meet the Duke now?”
Alice, who was listening beside me, spoke up.
“Will you come with me?”
When I asked, Alice frowned slightly before answering.
“Yeah, I’ll go with you.”
“But then—”
“I’ll handle the conversation myself.”
“…Understood.”
The maid, caught off guard by Alice’s words, seemed unable to oppose what the Crown Princess said.
“Oh my. Then may I also join to take a look?”
Charlotte jumped right in.
“I’ve never seen a farm since coming here. It wouldn’t be a bad experience to see the Empire’s pride in large-scale farming.”
“…”
The maid made a slightly troubled expression for a moment before looking back at me.
“In that case, it would be best to confirm with the Duke.”
“…Understood.”
The maid once again bowed politely.
As I watched her walk back to where the phone was, I suddenly thought she looked like a white person.
*
People often think that the military-industrial complex, which trades weapons, is the root of all evil ruling the world.
After all, weapons are tools for killing people and require cutting-edge technology to produce. Even in a place where semiconductors haven’t been developed, the pinnacle of technology is still the military business.
There’s a saying that the most advanced technology gets deployed on battlefields first, so it’s not strange to think that way.
However, in reality, the people making guns and cannons always have buyers who determine who they sell to. And the moment these buyers switch their purchasing sources, they go bankrupt, making them always crawl on the ground trying to sell at least one first. It’s the suppliers in the military business who are always the ones catering to the customers.
It doesn’t make sense that those gentlemen dominate the world; if they were being dragged around by the collar, then it would be one thing.
The real businesses ruling the world sell fruits.
Fruits that anyone can easily buy and eat, and which people must have, no one would miss even if no one bought them. They process surplus and fallen fruits into juice for sale, and they discard their almost spoiled stock onto colonized natives as if it were a clearance sale. Of course, it’s not for free. They surely charge a price that covers the two boat rides across the sea.
Thanks to this, fruit trading is always a profitable venture. The same goes for other goods. The transactions between the motherland and the colonies are structured so that the motherland always profits.
Due to the unexpected increase in customers for the Duke’s services, our means of transportation turned into a bus.
And after entering the vast farming estate on that bus, the people aboard couldn’t keep their mouths shut.
The scale of the farm was anything but small.
“…This is impressive. It wouldn’t be strange to say that all the oranges roaming the Empire come from here.”
Though no one replied, it seemed they all agreed with Charlotte’s words.
Even though the sun was almost setting, many people were still working on the farm.
Of course, most of them were colonized natives.
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