Chapter 9

After writing a rather violent horror story, I suddenly felt like writing about the little people.

It's nice to write something heartwarming, isn't it?

"About the situation in the Frontier after that?"

Romaire, who couldn't help but gape, was faced with a young girl.

After eating lunch, Chihaya learned cooking from Dragon, while Chiharu, who only ate, visited Romaire's office.

The young girl accompanied by Pochiko, Dragon's daughter.

The young girl, reminiscent of the little people, was free to come and go not only in the knight-related areas but also in the administrative areas, with Romaire's guardianship and permission.

The little people, who had unknowingly secured their network and position, were still the strongest unconsciously.

And so, she visited Romaire's office.

She sipped the tea served as a matter of course and Chiharu nodded slightly.

"I heard from Koki. It's in a pretty tough state. Sorry, I've been intentionally staying away."

Since her memory awakened, Chiharu had not asked about any political matters and had been spending her days freely and innocently as a child.

She wanted nothing to do with the royal palace and preferred a normal life, so she had been deliberately ignoring it.

Dragon and Romaire had also wished for this, and there should have been no problem.

There shouldn't have been.

The little people looked up at Romaire with a sharp gaze and opened her mouth.

"What happened after that? What is lacking now, and what are you struggling with? Tell me?"

There was no need to be discreet. The subordinates present knew the contents of the little people.

This was a personal space where only those who were extremely close and trusted by Romaire could enter. The people here were Romaire's confidants.

Nodding to Romaire, who had brought the young girl, Chiharu said, "I'm home," as usual.

Their faces, which were speechless and dropped their jaws, were unforgettable. No, no, the look on a pigeon's face when it gets a bean shot must be like that. In a not-so-long life, from the previous previous life, it was the first time I saw a big man's face like that.

So, in this room, the little people were just as they were five years ago.

"Since then? It's been a long time, hasn't it?"

"Yes, it has."

Romaire, as if deep in thought, opened his heavy mouth.

The loss of Chihiero, now Fatima's, memory itself was not a big problem.

The issue was the surrounding circumstances.

The treatment of Dolphen and Sakura, who were exclusively assigned to Chihiero. Naturally, the royal family intended to continue it.

However, the two, who knew that Chihiero was not inside Fatima, declined.

They had served the baron's daughter, and they were not capable enough to serve the princess. They were the son of a marquis and the former princess.

There was some friction, but it was accepted, and as a result, a considerable amount of discord was born between the royal family and them.

Furthermore, the sale of the little people's confections at the orphanage.

It was a profitable business. It was about to be restructured.

The subordinates planned to transfer the rights to the stores that were on good terms with the royal family, but it was prevented by the bees and Romaire.

"It is the right of Princess Fatima. The princess should be free to do as she pleases with the profits."

"If so, I will convey that to the Queen. Confectionery cannot be made without honey."

Looking around the gathered nobles, Romaire put his words into action. The subordinates who received a lecture from the Queen and the king, who was caught in the crossfire, were teary-eyed.

The enraged Queen stopped sending honey to the royal palace.

The money for the honey delivered to the royal palace had always been paid to Baron Jorje.

However, the opinion arose that it belonged to Chihiero and the princess.

Dragon himself was not particularly interested and was not stingy about the transfer, but the Queen could not allow it.

She had offered honey to the golden king, not to Fatima.

If Dragon, who had raised Chihiero, received it, there would be no complaint. However, it was unacceptable for Fatima, who was unrelated, to take it away.

When the honey delivered to the royal palace stopped, the people, who were accustomed to sweets, were in a panic.

When they tried to have the honey delivered to the orphanage, they were chased away by the guard bees and had to flee in a panic.

As a result, the king issued a strict order not to interfere with the little people's affairs, and the matter was settled.

There were also issues with the culinary rights, the little people's orchard, and the transfer of the monsters gathered at the baron's residence. The nobles related to Princess Fatima and Queen Haburushu made various complaints, using the royal family's authority as a pretext.

However, these were also resolved by the threats and lectures from Romaire, the Queen, and the lords who could now move thanks to the blessing of the golden ring.

Ha ha ha... Even Zetto and Joker came. That must have been a disaster.

The giant figures must have made the royal palace shudder.

The little people couldn't help but smile dryly.

Thus, from the king, who was furious, a royal decree, beyond a strict order, was issued to the little people, not to interfere with the baron's affairs.

Even a brief overview showed that things had become quite serious.

"So, anyway, when things calmed down, Dragon applied for marriage to Sakura."

Oh, a love story, huh? It's a bit embarrassing to hear about the parents' early days.

Smiling wryly at the little people, who leaned forward, Romaire lowered his voice slightly and spoke.

What a mess.

That was Chiharu's honest reaction after hearing the story.

Apparently, a debate arose over whether Sakura's status was royal or common.

Kilfan, which was already a fallen kingdom. Sakura, the princess of Kilfan. In terms of status, marriage to Dragon was impossible.

However, Kilfan was lost. Then, wouldn't the princess, who had descended to the common people, become a commoner?

Without a backer or property.

A complex issue, but then, a strange group appeared to complicate matters further.

It was suggested that it would be appropriate for Princess Sakura to marry into the royal family.

Fortunately, there was a prince of the right age. The nobles who saw this included Romaire in their sights.

Romaire, who was taken aback, then twisted his lips into a black smile, which goes without saying.

The fools who spouted such nonsense were removed from their positions, and to deal with the status issues, Dragon was granted the current baron's title.

Sakura, who heard the story, looked up to the sky.

"What are these old men dreaming about? A princess and a former prostitute?"

Women pass the age of dreaming early. Sakura, who had lived a tumultuous half-life, was a cutting realist.

"You don't have to be so self-deprecating. There were circumstances beyond your control."

Romaire, choosing his words carefully, was puzzled.

However, Sakura and Dragon looked at each other and burst out laughing.

"Well, there were circumstances, weren't there?"

"Yeah, it's fine to be concerned about chastity after making a commitment. There are plenty of unfaithful wives who spread their names even after marriage. At least Sakura isn't one of them. I know that. That's enough."

Romaire, who saw the two smiling at each other, was wide-eyed.

Ah, I see.

This warm atmosphere was the same as when the little people were around.

For Dragon, the past was not a big issue.

Whether she was a princess or a prostitute, what mattered was the present. That was everything.

From now on, they could build their future together.

Romaire, who had a clear mind, fully supported Dragon and helped with their marriage.

"So, that's the situation around you. The rest you know, right?"

The little people nodded.

Romaire narrowed his eyes and raised the corners of his mouth sharply.

Instantly, the temperature in the room dropped, and the cold air made even Romaire's confidants raise their heads from their desks.

"Next is the national politics. First, the Margrave of Ansbach."

Romaire, with a sharp gaze, spoke with a bitter tone.

Apparently, they were missing.

There was no room for excuses for Castellate, who had led a large army to the Frontier border.

However, they claimed to know nothing about the kidnapping of the little people. They also denied any connection to the Margrave of Ansbach.

They claimed that they only defended themselves when the Frontier soldiers advanced, and that was all.

Without solid evidence and wanting to avoid trouble, the Frontier decided to let it go, but then Castellate complained.

They claimed that the forest along the border belonged to Castellate and demanded its return.

The Frontier side, taken aback, burst into laughter.

They withdrew their troops immediately, saying that Castellate could do as they pleased. Of course, Merita did too.

The matter was supposed to be over, but later, Castellate filed a complaint.

The forest had withered, and they suspected the Frontier had done something.

With a wicked smile, Romaire wrote down the details of the forest's mechanism and sent it to Castellate.

Unlike other lords' forests, this one was made of golden magic and withered quickly.

It was unclear whether Castellate had helped the Margrave of Ansbach escape or if he had fled on his own.

However, with the target gone, the Frontier's anger shifted to Castellate.

"At that time, you drove them away. I watched them go, but I later regretted not capturing them."

The little people, who lightly sprayed tea, looked at Romaire cautiously.

Romaire, not hiding his frozen anger, smiled darkly.

At the time, he was preoccupied with recovering Chiharu. After securing her, he was so relieved that he didn't pay attention to minor details.

Later, he remembered everything and was seen by his subordinates, barking that he should have chopped them up.

No, really, I'm sorry for that.

Romaire, noticing Chiharu wiping the tea from her sleeve, took her arm and wiped her mouth with a handkerchief from his pocket.

"That's not good. You'll stain your blouse."

His usual attentive care.

The little people, being taken care of by Romaire, felt a little happy.

However, the story continued. The little people, who had a sense of the length of four years, realized it was a long time.

To be continued. The little people, who finally got up, knew that if a pilgrimage was to begin, they couldn't ignore national politics.

They needed as much information and preparation as possible, including taking care of their own body.