Chapter 4

As cherry blossoms petals danced in the wind, Misaki opened the old diary and read the words of the promise written there.

While savoring the joy of being able to do the work that could be called my calling, I deepened my interactions with people of the same generation from other countries. However, when I talked with them, I found it increasingly difficult to accept the words and actions of Lord Yuto, which I had previously taken for granted. He is all ideals, not seeing reality, and his words carry no responsibility.

"Rium, have you heard about the fire that burned down the lower town?"

"Yes, I heard that the king will provide financial assistance. I also heard that several houses have been opened as shelters."

"But that won't be enough, will it? The people have lost their jobs."

"You're right. We need to hurry with the town's reconstruction for their sake."

"No, that's too late. I've come up with a good way to ease the people's anxiety. I'm going to propose it to Father tonight."

"A good way?"

"Yes, we should immediately hire all the people who have been displaced by the fire! That way, they can stay in the castle!"

"……What?"

It took me a while to understand his words, which were delivered with a broad smile that seemed to come with a sound effect. Hire everyone? In a castle that has more than enough staff and even spare capacity?

"Lord Yuto, have you heard how many people have been displaced? It's not just a few dozen, you know?"

"Yes, I know. I heard from my subordinates that multiple families were living in one house. The castle is much better than such cramped quarters, isn't it?"

His casual nod made my face twitch. It's impossible. While it might be manageable for a few dozen people, it's completely unrealistic to house and employ everyone from the entire lower town in the castle. I understand his desire to help, but such extensive support is not feasible, and I've heard that financial assistance is already being provided. In a few days, job placement will also be necessary, but hiring everyone in the castle immediately is a fairy tale. Where would they even stay in the castle? While it's true that the castle has many rooms and each one is spacious, the number of guest rooms is certainly insufficient, and most of the rooms are already occupied. Is he suggesting they sleep in the hallways? Even if we used all the available hallways, there wouldn't be enough space for such a large number of people. The houses they are currently staying in are better. They are like large rooms, but they are proper homes. Moreover, the displaced people have not expressed any dissatisfaction so far, and the reconstruction is progressing faster than expected because the shelters are close to the burned town, making it easier for people to commute. If they come to the castle, it will be difficult for them to commute to the reconstruction site. When I explained this to him, he puffed out his cheeks in dissatisfaction. I was taken aback by his literal puffed cheeks. I suggested that, once things settle down, we could prioritize job placement for those who wish to work and improve the facilities of the houses they are currently staying in, but his sullen expression did not change. I realized that while the king had taken the children, including the prince and princess, and subordinates to inspect the burned lower town and provide encouragement and supplies to the people, this first prince had never visited the site, thinking it was too pitiful. Now, a responsible person is assigned to check the situation every few days, and if he were to go with them, he could understand the situation better. When I suggested this, he seemed to be more upset that his opinion was not praised. He declared that if he told his father, it would be done, and left without me, leaving me to sigh deeply. In the end, the king decided to provide financial assistance until things settle down and then prioritize job placement for those who wish to work, as I had suggested. I wondered if he was upset that my proposal was accepted or that his opinion was rejected. Seeing him report the king's decision to me with a sullen face, I felt a dark cloud over my future. Would I have to support him as a queen and sometimes advise him? ……But he is the next king of this country. I thought that his high ideals were not a bad thing and that as he grows and gains more knowledge, he would see what he needs to do to achieve those ideals. While I and the children of noble families of the same age understood that his words and actions were childish, I was trying to convince myself that this was the case. My engagement to Lord Yuto after realizing my feelings for Filo was painful, but I am a lady of this country and must live for the people of Aldina. Even after regaining my memories from my previous life, my duty to live for this country did not change, and I had no objections to living as a lady of the Griedy family. Since there is a previous life, there must be a next life. No, I am the next life of my previous self. After this life ends, if I meet Filo in the next life, I hope we can be together.

A few months later, a study session for the future kings of the allied countries, except for Fakul, was held. The people from the gathered countries were all from much larger nations than Aldina, but they were people with whom I had some interaction even before I started working as a diplomat. The meeting was to be attended with our fiancés, and it was supposed to be a productive study session with the crown princes of various countries. While the crown princes sat at the same table and exchanged various opinions, we, their fiancées, exchanged opinions at a slightly separate table. The crown princes discussed a specific theme each time, while our meetings were more casual, combining current affairs reports and study sessions. "Congratulations on the successful alliance with Fakul, Rium."

"Thank you."

"I'm so glad you're safe. I never thought your first diplomatic mission would be to Fakul."

"It's a difficult place even for adults. We were all very worried. I'm glad to see you again."

"Me too, thank you. I'm glad to be back alive."

I smiled in response to the greetings from people I hadn't seen in a long time since the Fakul diplomacy. Not everyone could gather every time, so it was often a year or more since we last met, and this time it was a gathering of about five countries. Thanks to these study sessions, I think the relationships among the princesses of the allied countries are quite good. While their true feelings may differ, it is reassuring to talk to someone who understands the pressure of becoming a queen, and it is an important occasion to build connections for the future. I have also made some close friends, which will be beneficial for the country. Unlike the calm conversation at our table, the crown princes seemed to be having a heated discussion. The theme of their discussion this time was the utilization of water sources in each country. The crown princes had inspected the water sources in their own countries, investigated the population, age, and gender of the people living around them, and the properties of the water, and were sharing various opinions. One crown prince from a neighboring country had discovered a potential new water source during the inspection. Another had improved efficiency by building scaffolding because the movement around the water source was inefficient. Among the crown princes, who were seriously discussing how to apply each other's methods to their own countries, only Lord Yuto was crossing his arms, nodding without taking notes. When a crown prince from a neighboring country asked him about his experience, Lord Yuto replied that he had his subordinates investigate. While he was acting important, the purpose of this study session was to encourage the participants to learn about their countries before becoming kings, and it was expected that they would conduct their own investigations, even with guards and attendants. In fact, all the other crown princes had visited the sites at least once. As Lord Yuto spoke based on what he had heard from others and his own predictions, the faces of the other crown princes began to twitch. While his confidence prevented anyone from pointing out his mistakes, they were only able to give a wry smile. In a different setting, I might have been able to interject, but in this meeting, the princesses were not allowed to intervene. The theme of the discussion was kept secret from us until we arrived, so I couldn't prepare him in advance.

"Lord Yuto is still the same, isn't he?"

"It's fine to talk about dreams, but isn't it time to face reality?"

"Poor Rium."

The princesses giggled quietly so as not to be heard by the other table. Perhaps because of the gender difference or because they would have to support their kings as queens, their evaluations of Lord Yuto were much stricter than those of the crown princes. I had no words to respond. Why is Lord Yuto still so childish and narrow-minded? The crown princes of other countries, who are around the same age, are seeing and thinking about so many things. When he talks about considering the people, he is only thinking about the wealthy citizens living near the capital, and the rest is based on what he has heard from soldiers who have conducted surveys. While it is good to listen to opinions, he seems to have difficulty organizing them, and often reaches strange conclusions. …Aldina is a weak country, both in power and position. In a setting where we interact with the royalty of much larger countries, Lord Yuto's behavior is far from praiseworthy. While the crown princes are now just giving a wry smile, there is a possibility that they might cut ties with us if they consider his behavior rude. I am friendly with the princesses because they want me to be, but our position is not equal to theirs. The main reason they want to be close to me is probably because I successfully conducted diplomacy with Fakul. While I am grateful for the personal friendships that have developed from this, it does not change Aldina's weak position. Even if I have close personal relationships with some of them, in formal settings, they are still in a higher position, and they will never relax their conditions in diplomatic negotiations. Given that Aldina is a weak country, this is inevitable, and their attitudes are understandable. However, no matter how many times I explain, Lord Yuto still thinks Aldina is the best country in the world when he returns home. He is indeed childish in his thinking and focuses on ideals without seeing reality. His words and actions are often inconsistent, and he sometimes doesn't listen to others, as he did the other day. However, if we can have a proper conversation, he can understand and accept things. For example, when he is corrected in language studies or martial arts training, he immediately accepts it and shows gratitude. After the fire, he finally understood the situation when the king forced him to visit the site and see it with his own eyes. When I think about what the princesses of other countries said, he is still a child and a prince, and he probably believes that the ideals he held in his childhood will definitely come true. His childish thinking might be the reason for his attitude. If that's the case, I believe that if he continues to study positively, he will eventually change and see the world around him. However, why does he suddenly become so stubborn when it comes to Aldina? Even when I think he has understood and accepted things, once he returns to Aldina, he reverts to his original thinking. The belief that their own country is the best, while weaker in degree, is also a common sentiment among the people of Aldina.

Really, what is going on here?