Chapter 105 - Chapter 105: The Destination of the Promise
Thank you always for your typo reports.
Two days after Leonard's defeat, Steve was meeting with Joseph and Ino in the Imperial Capital.
Louis declared he would enter the Imperial Capital and become Emperor. Although the coronation ceremony would be held later, there were no longer any enemies opposing him, and he began his walk as the de facto supreme ruler.
The Pentacle Knights, who had been hunting royalty under Leonard's orders, also stopped executing that order due to Leonard's death. Instead of Louis, who was busy with appointment work for ministers and heads of major offices, Steve was meeting with Joseph, who had resumed his activities as a political merchant.
In rebuilding the damage caused by this fire, Joseph's trading company was to be used, and the volume of goods handled became large, naturally resulting in huge profits proportional to that.
Additionally, Ino had been hired as Joseph's secretary.
Joseph greeted Steve with a smile.
"Long time no see, Lord. I'm happy to meet you again."
"Is that smile for business, or is it genuine because you were appointed as a designated merchant?"
"Of course, it comes from the joy of reuniting with Lord."
All the great merchants of the Imperial Capital had hesitated to greet Louis because they had all had dealings with Leonard. Taking advantage of that gap, Steve introduced Joseph to Louis.
Because it was a request from Steve, who owed him a great favor, Louis decided to use Joseph immediately.
Of course, this was because Aurora asked Steve to have them use Joseph's trading company, which was her investment destination. There was no benefit whatsoever for House Archibalt, but personally, Steve was concerned about Joseph and Ino's future, so he was happy to be able to introduce work.
"Well, let's go with that."
"It's genuine."
Ino also followed up on that.
"So, Margrave Sowell, Your Excellency, is also here, is he?"
"Right now I'm looking for new business opportunities, and greeting people at the castle."
Aurora had also come to the Imperial Capital with Steve, but she prioritized meetings with Imperial nobles over meeting Joseph and Ino. The reason was that if relations between the two countries improved, there would be huge business opportunities lying around. That was a matter that should be prioritized over meeting Joseph, where profit was already expected.
"You still intend to earn money?"
Ino was dumbfounded.
Steve followed up on Aurora with a bitter smile.
"They say being the leader of a faction costs money."
"Isn't this also Lord's achievement? What does that Lord have?"
"Nothing specific is decided yet, but it seems I'll get something from both the Empire and the Kingdom."
"Will you get that beautiful female knight?"
"That won't happen. Cecilia is decided to marry the Emperor. She will come as a wife from the Kingdom to be Empress, but she will become the Second Empress. Because she supported the Emperor devotedly. Also, even if that marriage hadn't happened, I'm told to return her if I get her from my wife."
"That's quite a harsh way of speaking."
"Because she's my real sister. It's a secret, though."
"Come to think of it, that's right."
Ino also knew Nancy was alive. So, Steve did not hide it either.
And, as Steve said, Nancy had told him strictly not to take Cecilia. Therefore, for Steve, it was convenient that Cecilia would marry the Emperor.
"By the way, Ino. I have something I want to ask."
"What is it?"
"How is the Empire from Ino's eyes?"
"It's very vague. Well, various things have happened recently, but if the new Emperor prioritizes regional peace, won't it get better than before? The funds we spent operating as agents will probably go to domestic politics."
Louis, who was given the position of Emperor by the Kingdom of Cascade, was to sign a non-aggression treaty with William. It would not only apply to the Kingdom of Cascade, but also to countries related to the Kingdom of Cascade such as the Kingdom of Pinebay, Kingdom of Merda, and Kingdom of Forest.
However, wars for self-defense were excluded from the treaty targets, and counterattacks were only permitted when neighboring countries attacked.
Ino had heard that information too, and that was the impression that came out of it.
Meanwhile, at that time, in the Imperial Castle, Aurora and Cecilia were having a conversation alone during break time.
"It's been a while since a conversation between maidens."
"Yes. I think it's good that I kept the promise with Lord."
"Ah, that one. It has become unnecessary now, though."
The promise was the marriage between Cecilia and Louis. The fact that it became unnecessary was because it was decided that a title would be given to Steve as a feeling of gratitude from the Empire, which Aurora had heard earlier.
Steve was to be paid a title and an annual salary as a noble from the Empire. This will come into effect on the exception items of the non-aggression treaty.
If the Kingdom of Cascade side attempts bad work against Steve, the Empire can judge that as an attack against the Empire. Because Steve is an Imperial Noble. This becomes a deterrent against the King.
This was a plan Louis thought of. Steve's existence, who destroyed the Imperial Army almost alone, was extremely dangerous from the perspective of rulers. And, if the Empire, the largest regional power, signed a non-aggression treaty with the Kingdom of Cascade, it was known that Steve's existence would become unnecessary.
He didn't know how to move at that time, but it was the conclusion Louis came out with, thinking if there was anything he could do for the benefactor.
Additionally, regarding the territory, since it would be an exclave, knowing it would be rejected, it was not included in the conditions given to Steve.
Cecilia chuckled.
"I was told by His Majesty that I can go to where the man I like is. Apparently, that is the reward for me. Well, provided I have Margrave Sowell, Your Excellency's permission. It is the first promise, after all."
"Oh, so if I permit it, will you go to the man you like?"
"I won't do that. Because I'll quarrel with my sister again who managed to reconcile. Also, I am watching by his side so that His Majesty doesn't change his mind."
"It would be troublesome if the Emperors of both countries had interests aligned in eliminating the boy."
"Yes. Also, it would be rude for me to marry while ignoring Margrave Sowell, Your Excellency, who called Lord Archibalt to help me."
"She might have been raging with jealousy."
"I don't think Lord would be swayed by such emotions."
"Oh my, love is prioritized in everything for me too. I am a maiden."
Aurora's corners of the mouth rose, not at all maiden-like.
Cecilia had the conditions to marry Steve met, but she withdrew considering Steve and Nancy.
"I really envy my sister. She lives with the man she likes even giving up the status of Suit Knights."
"Even though she is the Second Wife, I think being the Emperor's wife is enough to be envied."
"No, once you know that person, I wouldn't mind giving up even the Empress's status. I envy Lord who can stay together forever without even getting married."
Cecilia remembered the days she fought with Steve. It was the most dense time in her life until now.
She could understand why Nancy chose to be with Steve even giving up everything.
"It's not that much. I also want the boy's child, but that won't come true. I'm not much different from you."
"Even for Lord, who is said to have nothing he cannot get if he wishes, were there things he couldn't get?"
Cecilia giggled. Then, she became serious.
"But, I really envy Lord. Today too, aren't you here with me in our country like this? I can't go anywhere together even if I wish anymore. Living with only memories of running around the battlefield together is sad."
"Why not come to see me many times for my sister's childbirth celebration?"
"That's a bit..."
Imagining seeing Steve and Nancy looking happy, Cecilia's eyebrows wrinkled.
Seeing such Cecilia, Aurora laughed this time.
"I think there are various methods. You can make excuses to meet as many as you want. After all, the boy will become an Imperial Noble from now on, and will become your husband's subordinate."
Cecilia's face brightened with Aurora's words.
"That's right. When you say it, it was like that."
"However, at that time His Majesty the Emperor will also make a complicated face, though."
"He said that love is not needed for royal marriages, only the will as that duty."
"That's true. It's a marriage knowing the wife loves another man. Even if they say love isn't needed for marriage as royalty, what about as a man? I think it's an excuse to cover that up. This is a secret between maidens."
"Yes, of course."
Saying that, they finished the break and returned to the audience hall where Louis waited.
After finishing business in the Empire, Steve visited Nick.
"I'm back."
"Did you finish?"
Nick's voice was lively.
"Somehow. Cleanup isn't my job, so I left it and came back."
"Good thing you're safe."
Nick started crying sobbing. Seeing that, Steve was troubled.
"There's no need to cry so much."
"It's Wakasama's fault. Because you said it like a final parting."
"Well, that was bad. I didn't think it would end safely when fighting against the Empire."
"I'll accompany you in the next war too."
"Don't say things like Bella. Also, if something happens to me and Nick, the factory won't run, will it?"
"Someone else will do it then."
"That's so irresponsible."
"It means don't die before me."
"I got it."
Steve calmed Nick and left the factory.
And, returning to the mansion, he called Bella.
"Called me?"
Bella enters the room.
"I thought I'd say thanks."
"Thanks for what? I didn't do anything. Or, for being well-behaved and quiet here?"
"That's it."
"Then there's no need to say thanks. It's a mission, right?"
Steve had a lingering reluctance about leaving Bella behind at the mansion this time, as she wanted to be together when it was dangerous. Because of that, he wanted to apologize rather than say thanks.
Even when he first asked, and now, Bella's attitude of honestly listening saying it's a mission was grateful to Steve.
"Because I don't want to see Steve sad if something happens to the child."
"Thank you. By the way, Bella, who do you think the country belongs to?"
"Sudden."
"Well, that's true, but this time I was made to think about various things."
"For me, it doesn't matter who the country belongs to. King, Emperor, or Steve, whoever it belongs to is fine, but what's important is whether Steve is there or not."
Steve agreed hearing that. Not only Bella, for many people, whether there is a beloved family or lover there now is more important than who owns the country.
Even in the letters left by soldiers ordered to conduct special attacks in the Pacific War, seeing that there were more contents worrying about parents and family than 'Long live Japan' or 'Long live His Majesty the Emperor', it is clear that the country is not what should be protected with one's life. (T/N: Reference to historical Japanese kamikaze pilots' letters, inserted by author for thematic weight.)
Steve was made to realize that by Bella.
"That's right."
"That's right."
When Steve smiled, Bella returned a smile.
[Author's Note]Since unused settings are a waste, I'll write them again, but originally in the end, Nancy and Cecilia's graves were lined up, and Steve was looking at them with his two younger sisters' third daughter. (T/N: Ambiguous phrasing in source; likely refers to Steve's third daughter or a niece, context implies a future timeline child.) Since neither Nancy nor Cecilia died, the third daughter's appearance was removed. Since it would be troubling to be moved by Nancy who shouldn't be there, she is resting due to pregnancy and childbirth.