Intermission 1: The Lioness Seeks Her Prey
1st month, 1549th year, Continental Calendar Randel, Carmine Domain
Hey, Sir Bee, Mio called out.
In the governntal affairs office in Randel, Mio and the Kingdom of Friedonias Minister of Finance, Colbert, were staring down piles of paperwork. Though he was called Colbert by Souma and Roroa, who found his surna easier to say, his given na was actually Gatsby, and Bee was a nickna Mio had co up based on that.
...What is it, Madam Mio? Colbert replied with a small sigh.
Mio clapped her hands together in front of her face. Please. Marry !
I dont want to.
An instant reply?! You couldnt pretend to think about it a little longer?!
If you keep asking repeatedly, Im going to get fed up with it.
If it ca purely from affection, Colbert wouldnt have dismissed it so callously. She was doing it in large part to escape from the work laid out in front of them, though, so it was hard to bla him for not being more delicate about it.
It all started back when Souma returned from rcenary State Zem. He ordered a new investigation into Georg Carmine, who was seen as a traitor. The result of the investigation was that there erged a possibility that Georgs revolt had been a sche to have the corrupt nobles swept away along with him, and it was highly likely that was what happened.
No matter what his reasons, the fact of his betrayal remained, and he couldnt be declared not guilty. But, if his actions erged from a pure sense of self-sacrificing loyalty, there was so room for leniency. Georgs honor was restored, and his family, who he had cut ties with to protect them from joint responsibility, were allowed to return to the country. And so, though she couldnt be given all of the forr Carmine lands, the site of his forr castle Randel and the lands surrounding it were passed to Georgs daughter, Mio.
However, now that Mio had inherited the House of Carmine, she imdiately got tripped up by sothing.
I cant manage a domain!
As she sat sprawled across her desk in the governntal affairs office, the new lady was clutching her head. This was typical of those who were more martially inclined. Mio was a muscle head, and when she was pressed on not having learned the skills to manage Georgs domain...
I-Ill take a husband whos gifted in administrative tasks if I have to!
She tried to dodge the issue.
Mio was a fairly capable warrior, but she had no skill whatsoever as an administrator, so even Georg had silently accepted the inevitability of it. But now, she was paying the price for neglecting her studies. When she first returned to Randel, Georgs forr subordinate Glaive Magna, along with others from the House of Magna, had helped her carry out her administrative tasks. However, the House of Magna had their own domain, too, and couldnt keep helping Mio forever, so once the work that had piled up was sorted, they pulled out.
Also, though many mbers of the knightly class tasked managing their domain to a magistrate, because Souma had added the managent of their lands to the criteria considered in promotions and demotions, the knights had begun competing over administrators, leading to a lack of talented ones available. Feeling pressured by the situation, Mio had gone running to the castle for help.
Were short of hands, and theres no one to hire! Mio asked with such urgency it seed like she might get down on her knees and perform a kowtow. Cant you send soone?!
She would welco a husband who was a good administratorto stay true to what she had told her father that day. Once it ca to that, there was a face that flitted through Mios mind.
It belonged to Minister of Finance Colbert, whom she had t one day on a bridge on the border with the Principality of Amidonia, and then again in Zem. The Minister of Finances administrative prowess was impressive, and, despite being a bureaucrat, hed had the guts to speak his mind to people like her father Georg and Prince Gaius who even the warriors feared. Her father had even said he was a promising young man.
From what shed heard, Colbert was still single, too.
When she spoke to him in Zem, she had learned more about his mild disposition, and his sincerity, too. If soone like him would be willing to co marry her, Mio would be happy about it, and the House of Carmine would be secure, too. Thats why, when she made her request to the king, she had inserted a little of her own selfish desires, too.
If possible, I would like to marry soone who can do mathematics, and have him manage the House of Carmine!
Souma knew that she and Colbert were old acquaintances, so she figured he would probably know who she ant. And he did. Souma and his people didnt want the House of Carmine, which they had gone to such trouble to reestablish, to imdiately collapse. He and Hakuya talked it over and decided to send Colbert to assist her.
And so, Colbert ca to Mio in Randel.
Its been a long ti, Madam Mio. Since Zem, right?
Urgh... Sir Colbert, Im glad you ca. There were tears in her eyes as she took his hand. Her incredible emotion was a little off-putting for Colbert.
My... The pile of work never gets any smaller...
I-I get that. Lets start on it imdiately.
This was how Colbert, in addition to his role as Minister of Finance (which basically entailed keeping an eye on Roroas financial policies) and as a manager of sorts for the loreleis, ended up as an assistant to Mio, traveling back and forth between the capital and Randel. Because he had the misfortune of being a man who took all his work seriously, another job had fallen into his lap.
Though, looking at Souma, who did the work of several people by manipulating multiple consciousnesses; Hakuya, who assisted Souma, and also negotiated with the Empire; and Poncho, who was, for a ti, both the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry and the magistrate of Venetinova, everyone else in the Kingdoms upper echelons of power had it more or less the sa, so it was hard for him to complain.
Regardless, Colbert was helping Mio with her duties, but... One day, while they were working, Colbert carelessly ntioned he was single. Mio already knew this, of course, but now hed given her cause to talk about it.
In that mont, the lionesss eyes shone.
Hey, Sir Colbert.
...What is it? Colbert responded without looking away from the paperwork.
I want you to marry .
...Okay?
As Colbert looked up, doubting his own ears, there was a look of glee on her face. Oh! Youre accepting?!
No... No, no, no! That was not an affirmative okay, it was an, I dont understand what you just said, okay!
You dont? I just proposed to you, right?
No, thats not the issue! How can you ask that so lightly?!
Mio cocked her head to the side and looked at him, perplexed. Did you want it to sound more weighty? Like, marry , or Im going to die?
Thats too heavy! And no, thats not what I ant!
Are you the eldest son, by the way?
Huh? No, Im the third son...
Good! Then it shouldnt be a problem for you to take my family na!
Its a big problem! Colbert pressed his hand against his forehead. For starters, weve only t a few tis when I was in Amidonia, and then again while we were in Zem. I can count the number of tis weve t on my fingers. Why would that suddenly lead to us getting married...?
In noble and knightly houses, its not that uncommon for the bride and groom not to et until the day they get married, is it?
Thats when the families have already sorted things out!
You say that, but I cant stand that sort of roundabout thod. Besides, when you have your prey in your sights, you want to take them down then and there, right? You can think about whether to boil or bake them once youve already caught them.
What an aggressive way of thinking! Its a weird analogy, too!
Realizing she was not the kind of woman who could be persuaded with reason, Colberts head started to hurt. He sensed that, like Roroa, once Mio had made up her mind, she would go through with things no matter how she was rebuked. If he got involved with a woman like this, shed run him ragged for the rest of his life. How did it turn out like this?!
And so the difficulties (?) of Colbert began.
Ti passed, and we return to the story after Mios umpteenth proposal had just been shot down by Colbert. The callous dismissal made her purse her lips.
Whats wrong with ? Im a devoted woman, you know? ...Ill do everything other than administrative work.
Please, dont remove the one thing I want you to work at from the list. Colbert continued looking at the docunts without further reply, causing Mio to puff up her cheeks.
Here she was, confessing her feelings, and this guy didnt feel a thing. This was an affront to her as a woman. Mio put her hand to her face and struck a model-like pose that ca off as awkward, probably due to its unfamiliarity to her. T-They say Im a beauty, like my mother, and I think Ive got a pretty good figure. I stick out in all the right places, you know? My three sizes are...
You dont have to say! ...Hahh, Colbert sighed and began rubbing his own shoulders. I am aware that youre beautiful. If you would beco a lorelei, I think youd be an imdiate sensation.
Oh, Im a terrible singer. My voice is loud, but I cant carry a tune. I was the rare exception that those rule-obsessed totalitarians at the officers school allowed to lip-sync when we were singing the school song.
...Youd be popular if youd just keep your mouth shut.
That correction just makes sad. But youre complinting my looks, right? I dont co from a bad lineage either, so why wont you accept my proposal?
Because. We. Are. Still. Working! Colbert emphasized every word of that.
Mio gave him a blank look. Youre going to accept my proposal when the work is done?
No... Once the work is done, you wont need anymore, right?
As if. Even once this work is done, more work will co in. Im back in the army, but I havent even shown my face at the training grounds in so ti. Mio let out a deep sigh, resting her head on her palm, and her elbow on the desk. Im losing my edge... I really do need a reliable husbandsoone I can leave the domain to entirely.
Once this backlog is cleared, soone other than should be able to manage it.
Youre the one for , Sir Bee! Mio opined, standing up with vigor. Colbert jumped a little, intimidated by her passion. She continued, I can tell youre a talented bureaucrat, too, Sir Bee. But if you ask how talented, I couldnt say. Its frustrating, but in my current state, I have no aptitude for bureaucratic work, and I lack the fra of reference to judge it. But, as a warrior, I can sense that youve got guts in a way that the other bureaucrats dont.
Guts... you say? he asked.
Yeah. Mio nodded. If you think sothing is wrong, even if the person youre dealing with is overwhelmingly stronger than you, you have the courage to speak up. Youve got spine. Even though you dont look all that strong. Though, I can feel that from His Majesty, and the Pri Minister, too. Granted, your personality is likely to put you at loggerheads with stubborn militarists.
Mios words reminded Colbert of his experience of trying to warn Gaius off of invading the Kingdom without considering the needs of his people, and being kicked for his efforts, so he couldnt say anything in response.
Mio exhaled as she sat back down. Now that Mother is gone, too, I want soone reliable, like you, Sir Bee, to stay with . Thats my honest wish.
Your Mother? ...Huh? I heard that Sir Georgs wife returned to the Kingdom along with you, but... co to think of it, I havent t her yet, have I?
In the ti since he had co to Randel, Colbert hadnt seen the late Georgs wife once. Normally, she should have been the first person he greeted. Because hed instantly been brought in to help with the mountain of paperwork, it had slipped his mind.
Where is she now?
Hm? Parnam Castle, why?
Huh? The castle? Does that an...
Shes a hostage, thought Colbert. Though Georgs honor had been restored, the Carmine domain had been considerably reduced in size. He thought perhaps Souma was keeping Mios mother hostage so that she couldnt oppose him if she resented him for that. That might have been the right decision for a ruler to make. However, when he saw Mios unguarded personality, he couldnt help but feel like that was overthinking things.
...Youre misunderstanding, arent you? Having picked up on it from the look in his eyes, Mio said, Its nothing like what youre thinking. Actually, Mother was the one who asked to go to the castle. His Majesty only granted Mothers wish.
Is that right?
Yeah, if I rember, shes looking after the children of the castles workers at sothing she called daycare now. She said in her letters that its a lot of fun.
Well, thats good... But why?
Probably because its easier to et at the castle... Mio said awkwardly.
Colbert cock his head to the side. Easier to et? With who?
Oh, forget that. Im just talking to myself. Mio shook her head, then let out a sigh. Obviously, I asked Mother to help with the bureaucratic work, but, you know...
She sighed again as she thought back to it. When she asked, her mother had said... This is your ti now, do sothing about it on your own. The domain is smaller and easier to manage now, so handle it however you like. Struggle, fail, and each ti you do, grow as a person, and as a ruler.
...Its a mothers job to be both cruel and kind, huh?
Mio smiled wryly. It really is. I never realized it when Father was around, but Mother was no less stubborn than he was.
They were a couple that resembled each other? Since youve inherited their blood, I think you must have an aptitude for being a lady, too, Madam Mio, he said, encouraging her.
Mio leaned in. Are you ready to marry into my family now?!
Were back to that?!
Mio grinned as she watched Colbert panic. Id recomnd it. If you treat right, you can have as many concubines as you like, and I wont get upset.
I dont need that... Looking at Sir Poncho, it seems like a lot of trouble.
That was what Colbert sincerely thought after he saw how much weight Poncho lost for a while after marrying his two beautiful wives. Ponchos weight was on the rebound now that the two of them were pregnant, but that was an even greater demonstration of why hed ended up so thin to begin with.
Mio cocked her head to the side and gave him a blank look. You look after the loreleis, too, right? Arent you close with any of them?
No way would I lay a hand on any of the loreleis. I dont want to make enemies of the whole country.
...I wonder if His Majesty sneezed just now.
Ohh, no. Obviously, Im not criticizing His Majesty! Madam Juna was with him since before the concept of what a lorelei is even took form.
Ah ha ha, I know that. Mio laughed at him, as Colbert turned red with embarrassnt.
Hes fun to tease, thought Mio.
But maybe one of those loreleis is genuinely head over heels for you, Sir Bee? Youre a kind, older man, and reliable, too. They arent used to having n around, so Id expect you to catch their attention, you know?
Th-That cant be right... I-I an, these are loreleis, you know?
You could take one of them after they retire, couldnt you?
I cant imagine anyone would want that...
I dont mind. So just relax, and marry into my family.
Augh! Enough of this! Please, do your work! Colbert cried out in embarrassnt.
It seed their lively tis working together would continue for a while.
Reviews
All reviews (0)