Mitsuha 234

234. Portrait of Battle 1

“It’s a war’ (?)

“Eh?” (Mitsuha)

When I went to the [Products Store], my base in the capital city of the Vanel Kingdom, the uncle at the neighboring guard station, told me so.

That sure came out of nowhere.

…and somehow, I got a sense of déjà vu from that line. I wonder if I had this kind of exchange somewhere before…

Or rather, was it such an international situation? I didn’t know at all…

I guess I should’ve done more serious research not only on this country but also on neighboring countries and international affairs.

Even if this is a critical situation for this country, I wonder whether it’ll be good or bad for me…

“…so you didn’t know yet. Well, It’s a topic that is hard to mention to a noble of another country and a child at that. I thought you already know it, but I’m glad I told you just in case…” (Guard-san)

Uwah, thank you!

I don’t know if it’s the effect of gifting them regularly, or he just told me that out of kindness for a lone foreign girl, or that was his boss’s instruction, but I’m grateful for that. That information alone is well worth dozens of gold coins.

…I won’t pay for that, though!!

Let’s just show my sincerity with some snacks.

“I appreciate that! It would be bad if I got stuck in another country, or if our cargo ship were to be captured by an enemy! I’ll be sure to thank you for this later!” (Mitsuha)

After saying that, I quickly dashed to the product store.

First, I need to gather some more information. Without information, I would have limited options.

A war means there’s at least an enemy country… I don’t think they’ve realized that they’re currently in conflict with our country.

By the time I went to the party the other day, the higher-ups and military personnel probably knew this already. Still, as expected, there’s no way they could tell me about the situation with other countries, I guess.

…well, that’s a given.

Certainly, I’ve met some of the higher-ups and military personnel of this country at parties, but from their perspective, I’m just a business partner, not someone who can talk about politics with them, let alone talk about the other countries. There’s no way they’ll talk about something like that in a place where I can hear them.

Besides, they thought that I was a child in my early teens. Before the fact that I am the one who is responsible for the full-scale trade with this country, I’m supposed to be the daughter of the secondary queen of some country who was entrusted with preliminary investigation. So it’s unavoidable if they think that I’m not in charge of political talk or war.

In the first place, they don’t know whether if my country is in this country’s side or the enemy’s side, so of course, they couldn’t say anything.

Anyway, collecting information is my first and foremost priority right now.

Speaking of someone I can ask without hesitation and having absolutely accurate updates, that would be…

“Mitchan, I’m here to play!” (Mitsuha)

“…again, you’re always so suddenly…” (Mitchan)

Mitchan rubbed her temple with her fingers as if she got a headache.

I have a good headache medicine if you want?

“In the Marquis available today?” (Mitsuha)

“And you’re treating someone’s father, and the head of a Marquis family at that, like a friend… First of all, why don’t you ask [Is Marquis Mitchell at home today?” or something like that!!” (Mitchan)

Is that really bad?

Well then, let me rephrase that…

“Miss Micheline de Mitchell… is the Marquis around?” (Mitsuha)

“It’s the other way around!!!” (Mitchan)

Mitchan’s seriously enraged.

OF course, it was on purpose.

To me, Count Bozes is [Count-sama], but Marquis Mitchell is just [the Marquis]. It’s not like he’s the kind of person that I should attach [-sama] to,

In the past, it was okay to call him [Marquis-sama] because he was a senior aristocrat from another country and Mitchan’s father, who happened to be the one who took care of me in this country. But now it’s no good.

I’ve softened my attitude a little bit, but I haven’t really forgiven him.

Besides, It’s not like I’m calling him by his name. It’s not rude to refer him by his title, after all. I’m also called [Viscount Yamano] or simply [Viscount] by Barons or other Viscounts.

“No, I’m in a hurry. I have to fulfill my main duty…” (Mitsuha)

When suddenly entered serious mode and said so with a serious face, Mitchan seemed to know that this was related to my work as an aristocrat. And after a few seconds of silence, she nodded…

“…all right. Wait inside the reception room” (Mitchan)

“…nice to see you. So what is your business?” (the Marquis)

The Marquis came after I waited in the reception room for a while.

Maybe he was consulting with Mitchan about the reason for my sudden visit, how to deal with it, whether to apologize for the last time, or just to shove it under the rug…

And Mitchan is nowhere to be seen.

Perhaps she decided that she shouldn’t be present. Mitchan is a bright child, after all.

Well, It’s also possible that the Marquis didn’t let her come with him…

But it doesn’t matter.

There’s one only thing I want to know.

“It seems that a war is about to begin. Please tell me about it in detail. The enemy country, the cause that triggered the war, the difference in war potential, the chances of winning, and so on, all of them!!” (Mitsuha)

“Eh….” (the Marquis)

Well, of course, he will be troubled.

There’s no way he can talk about political secrecy and military decisions to a little girl he doesn’t even know where she is from.

But he’ll want to repair his strained relationship with me, so he can’t flat out disregard that. Somehow, I have to talk him into it skillfully…

Hmm…

“Only the part that will be publicly announced to some extent is enough. The ones that already leaked to the enemy from the nobles who were colluding with them, or from soldiers who were caught in honey traps, etc. that nothing will change even if you tell me now. Anyway, please tell me everything that you can talk to nobles, soldiers, or merchants of this country without any problem…” (Mitsuha)

“……” (the Marquis)

The Marquis is looking at me with a bewildered look.

Well, I guess that’s too straightforward…

However, if you don’t care about being considerate or reserved towards the other party, of course, it’d be like that…

“In any case, I can’t make my move just by knowing that there’s going to be a war without knowing anything else!! Is it okay if someone from the enemy side gets in touch with me and tricks me into making all of my products flow to their country? Even though the cosmetics, alcohol, and spices could be used for spying and political movement?” (Mitsuha)

Un, it’s like something I would do!

“Ugh!!” (the Marquis)

Alright, it’s working!

Let’s give him another body blow!

“Also, our small high-speed ship might be captured by the enemy, and then they seized both the ship and all of our supplies with it” (Mitsuha)

“Uuuuh…” (the Marquis)

And…

“Or they might trick us, and we became friends with the enemy…” (Mitsuha)

Uppercut!!

“Guha!!” (the Marquis)

…alright, he’s down!