Chapter 57 · Human Hunting (7)

“This is a miracle! A miracle!”

“Truly beautiful.”

The moment the king saw my divine beast, he marveled, and Belus agreed softly.

It was a royal dinner held after a long while. As always, Aquila and Stella were present, and this time High Priest Belus, Paeon, and even Alter had been specially invited. It was a truly dreadful combination, but fortunately, up through dessert, things had proceeded without any major incident. That was probably because everyone was quiet and the conversation was mainly between the king and Belus, full of piety.

After I neatly devoured even the last dessert, the mango pudding, I snuggled up to the king and summoned Nine. Nine really was a treasure. Anyone who saw Nine was instantly bewitched by its lethal cuteness.

The king, who was already ready to blink and die whenever I used divine power, made an even bigger fuss now that I had summoned a rare divine beast.

“During the Second Continental War some eighty years ago, Sir Liudiart’s exploits became legendary. You must know this well, do you not?”

“Yes. It is said that the endlessly beautiful nine-tailed fox raced across the battlefield and devoured all the enemy’s blood.”

What? Nine has a blood-drinking ability?! Something that cute? Is that really allowed for divine power?

“Since then, I have always wanted to see that divine beast.”

The king gazed at Nine with a dreamy, entranced face.

“And yet my granddaughter has summoned a nine-tailed fox!”

“Perhaps Lord Lux wished to grant Your Majesty’s wish.”

When I spoke with a honeyed smile, the king laughed heartily.

“Hahaha! I suppose so. There has been so little to laugh about lately, but seeing you makes flowers of laughter bloom!”

“Why has there been so little to laugh about? Is state affairs difficult?”

“Well… recently, in the southern continent,”

“Father.”

Aquila, who had been watching us from across the table while sipping her after-dinner tea, spoke in a stiff voice.

“Isn’t it still too early for our niece to hear about state affairs?”

“Ah… yes, I suppose so. I got ahead of myself.”

Ugh…! She’s getting in the way so irritatingly! At the far end of the southern continent lies Eldina. If I want to escape safely, I need to know about international affairs!

“Asha has also been learning about international studies as part of the liberal arts at the academy lately. I’m still very lacking, but I’m curious what it is that troubles Your Majesty.”

“She’s only just started attending the academy…”

Stella grumbled discontentedly.

“Why not discuss it together, Your Majesty? Who knows—a child’s perspective might unexpectedly prove helpful.”

Alter chimed in with an ominous smile. What is this man plotting? He must be thinking I’ll embarrass myself.

The king let out a deep sigh and began.

“For several years now, the southern continent—especially a kingdom called Brilia—has ceaselessly requested exchange.”

“Isn’t the southern continent a place that worships strange gods? A place that believes humans become gods.”

Stella said in a horrified voice.

“Indeed. Heretics, and among the worst sort. How dare mere humans!”

“Then will you refuse exchange again this time?”

“Haa… that is what I am agonizing over. They have offered military cooperation as a condition.”

“What need do we have for the military cooperation of a country like that? Our knight orders and military are already so solid.”

“Anastasia, do you think so as well?”

“Well, wouldn’t greater military strength always be better?”

When I answered calmly, Aquila’s eyes flashed sharply.

“Then does our niece take the position that we should engage in even more vigorous exchange with foreign nations?”

Hmm, her ability to put people on trial is as excellent as ever.

“It would depend on what kind of exchange it is.”

Santra is not proactive about communication with other nations. To begin with, relations with its immediate neighbor Kalisa are the worst, and the only countries permitted exchange are a few that have knelt to Santra and signed overwhelmingly unfavorable treaties.

However, no nation dared to covet the territory of this powerful country, which possessed more mages and priests than any other on the continent. There had been attempts, of course, but after being crushed several times, they had been cowed. But because of that, when disaster struck, the country was helpless. Having never helped anyone, it could expect no help in return.

“They especially want to sell wool, but the nobles are fiercely opposed.”

The southern continent has more plains than Santra, so wool production would be far more active and the price far cheaper. The Santran nobles who own vast sheep ranches cannot help but feel threatened.

“Then wouldn’t it be enough to raise tariffs and reduce taxes on the estates that produce wool?”

The king was startled by my answer.

“No, you haven’t even studied economics—how can you think of such things?”

“Ahaha… I suppose reading widely means I pick up this and that.”

“Truly, I don’t know when you find the time, training your mana and divine power day and night. A genius! You must be a genius!”

At the king’s endless admiration, Stella was trembling as if she might snap her fork in half.

“Haha, Princess Anastasia is certainly clever, but that’s a solution all of us could think of, isn’t it? It isn’t enough.”

Alter drawled.

“The nobles argue that if we engage in exchange with the southern continent, those heretics will infiltrate our people, so taxes and everything else be damned—we must shut the door tight.”

The king looked at Alter and asked.

“Count Alter holds the same position, I take it?”

“Of course. When the name of the revered Lord Lux could be defiled, what do taxes matter?”

He grinned and threw the ball to me.

“Now, what does our princess think? Do you still take a positive view of exchange?”

Aquila, Stella, and Alter all looked at me with pressuring eyes.

If I said yes, they would brand me a would-be heretic eager to consort with heretics. If I said no, they would mock me for speaking rashly and for lacking insight, as expected of a child.

‘I really want to pop all their eyes out.’

For my part, I didn’t care whether Santra with its insane isolationism collapsed someday or not, so I could just say ‘go ahead and keep the closed-door policy,’ but… somehow, seeing those three’s arrogant eyes made something bubble up inside me.

“I also believe the barbarians must not be allowed to trample this land.”

Just as Aquila was about to smile in victory at my words—

“But I also believe it is our mission to civilize those barbarians.”

“Hm? What do you mean by that?”

“We Santrans are a deeply devout people. Even if some among us were to be deluded by heretics and abandon Lord Lux, such people must have had worthless faith to begin with, so we need only punish them according to doctrine.”

The king nodded as if convinced.

“Indeed. It could even be an opportunity to weed such people out.”

“Yes. But sadly, the people of the southern continent have never been exposed to our doctrine. If we spread it naturally through exchange, wouldn’t we be able to make the name of Lord Lux known even more widely?”

Silence fell over the table. Stella was gaping as if dumbfounded, Aquila no longer smiled, and Alter merely twitched his caterpillar-like eyebrows.

The king and Belus exchanged meaningful glances.

“The princess truly seems remarkably astute.”

“Goodness, you surprise me with every word.”

The king murmured, stroking his beard.

“Not being taken from, but taking instead… It is an idealistic notion, but also a thought we conservative adults find difficult to entertain.”

“I think it would be good to have Princess Anastasia begin studying politics and military science at once.”

At Belus’s suggestion, Stella scowled.

“Wait a moment, that course is…”

That course is the succession course!

I hastily opened my mouth.

“For the time being, I don’t think I’ll have time, between the academy and divine power training. Instead, there is something I need Your Majesty’s permission for.”

“What is it?”

“I want to participate in the hunting competition being held at the academy this time.”

“That is not permitted.”

Paeon, who had sat silently like a statue until now without a single word, suddenly stepped in. I glared at him, dumbfounded.

“I was asking His Majesty.”

“Your Majesty, please do not permit it.”

Why, you—

“It won’t be very dangerous! It’s not even a place where dangerous monsters live.”

“Monsters can appear anytime, anywhere.”

“Even if they did, I’ve learned enough that—”

“The princess is only eight years old!”

He shouted in a highly agitated voice. The king looked at him in surprise.

“It has been a long time since I last saw Sir Parsiel lose his temper like this.”

Belus laughed as if trying to thaw the frozen atmosphere, but Paeon and I did not stop glaring at each other.

Of course, I hadn’t expected him to allow it. Whether because of the order he had received three years ago or not, he was extremely sensitive about my safety. That was also something I had wanted. Wasn’t making him protect me my foremost goal?

‘But this is too much!’

I had thought that once the king gave permission, he would have no choice, but I hadn’t expected him to obstruct me so fiercely!

“I cannot hide how heartened I am to see Sir Parsiel protecting the princess so devotedly.”

“…It is nothing. I am merely following Your Majesty’s command.”

See? It’s not because he’s worried about me—he’s just overly immersed in his duty.

“But I entered the advanced class without even an exam!”

I cried out, unwilling to back down.

“I don’t want the academy students to think I’m receiving special treatment because I’m royalty. I want to take the exam fairly.”

“Anastasia has always cared about such things. In that respect, she is quietly stubborn.”

“It is because she resembles Princess Beatrice. She too wished to attend the academy exactly like the other students.”

At Belus’s words, the king’s eyes grew moist as he thought of his dead daughter.

“Very well, Anastasia. You may participate. Since you’re doing it, show your skills to your heart’s content.”

“Your Majesty!”

Paeon protested, but the king seemed to have made up his mind.

“If you are so worried, Sir Parsiel, then simply accompany her as a guard.”

“…”

He could say no more and shut his mouth.

He wouldn’t even be able to enter the mountain, though. Would he really come?

◇ ◆ ◇

The day of the hunting competition.

“Everyone ready? Awk, Fwee, Melvian, Mila?”

At the entrance to Mount Bifio, where we had arrived by carriage, I spoke to them with a solemn look.

“Ready!”

Ark held up the small bottle in his hand. It was the pintac powder I had ordered him to obtain.

“But Princess, what are you going to do with this?”

I smiled wickedly and opened my mouth.