The Association for Victims of Masters: Now Seeking New mbers
One day in the 12th month, 1,546th year, Continental Calendar
It was a winter night so cold that, without a fire in the hearth, your breath would turn white even indoors.
In the Jewel Voice Room in Parnam Castle, the Pri Minister of Elfrieden, Hakuya, and the Little Sister General of the Gran Chaos Empire, Jeanne, were holding one of their regular etings over the Jewel Voice Broadcast.
When it ca to the end of the week, they got in contact with one another using the ambassador stationed in the Empire, Piltory, as an interdiary. They would hash out the finer details of negotiations that didnt require King Souma or Empress Marias attention, and tell one another about events that had happened in their own countries in order to share information. Then, when that was done, they would gripe about their respective rulers over tea. This was their secret pleasure.
This was usually a ti for just the two of them, but today, unusually, they had an extra guest.
Um, Sir Hakuya? Who is that person you have with you? Jeanne asked.
When their routine eting had concluded, and she had thought, at last, that it was ti for their complaining session to begin, Hakuya had invited another individual into the room, which had left Jeanne perplexed.
Hakuya had the person he had invited into the room stand in front of the jewel.
Allow to introduce you, Hakuya said. This is Sir Colbert, who was the finance minister of the forr Principality of Amidonia, and now holds the sa position in our kingdom.
Greetings, Madam Jeanne. The man bowed his head. I am Gatsby Colbert.
Jeanne hurriedly bowed in return. Oh! Why, hello... Um, should I call you Sir Gatsby?
Oh, no. For so reason, both His Majesty and the princess both insist on calling by my family na instead of my given na, so, please, Madam Jeanne, go ahead and call Colbert, too.
Ahem... Well then, Sir Colbert. Its a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Jeanne greeted the man and then looked to Hakuya. And, Sir Hakuya? Why have you introduce Sir Colbert to ?
The truth is... His Majesty has taken to calling us the Association for Victims of Masters, Hakuya said.
Hm... Thats exactly what we are, but... If my sister were to call us that, I would have to say, Who are you to complain?
Instead of directly attacking Souma, Jeanne brought up her elder sister Maria and criticized her. No matter how deeply she and Hakuya sympathized with one another, she knew she couldnt insult the ruler of another country.
Hakuya replied, I couldnt agree more, with a nod. It would be ideal if we had no need for such an association, but... The reality is, we are being run ragged by our masters. By creating an association, we can share our struggles, and possibly co up with ways of coping. That is why I wanted to introduce Colbert, who has all the makings of a new mber.
I see... So, in short, Sir Colbert is also being run ragged by his master? Jeanne nodded, seemingly satisfied with that answer. Sir Colbert, is your master also Sir Souma?
No... Ah! I suppose you could say he is, but the one who has been running ragged is the forr Princess of Amidonia who is now a candidate to beco His Majesty Soumas third primary queen, Princess Roroa.
Princess Roroa, you say? Jeanne asked. You an the one who forced Sir Souma to take her as his betrothed after the war, and take her country with her? The one who made him cancel the war reparations, and then pushed off the responsibility of looking after the people of her country onto him on top of that?
Making full use of the rchants information network, the girl had outwitted Souma, the wise Hakuya, and even her own brother to take all the best parts for herself. Souma had described the experience as, I was using shrimp as bait to catch sea bream, but instead I caught a shark.
But Ive heard shes a clever princess, isnt she? Jeanne asked.
That is very much the case... There are so small issues with her personality, however, Colbert said.
Her personality? How so?
She has boundless curiosity and a love of showy displays. If I were to limit myself to economics, I could say she has a good personality for using money well, but when that personality extends to her personal life, people like get run ragged. The other day, when she was eting His Majesty for the first ti, I was only told the day before that she suddenly wanted to procure a large quantity of carpets...
The night before her audience with Souma. Roroa had suddenly said, Im gonna be goin off to get hitched with Souma, but first impressions are important, yknow? I think Im pretty cute, as far as girls go, but Soumas probably got lots of beauties around him. I wanna have a first etin that leaves an impact.
What shed co up with was to disguise herself as one of the carpets to be presented as a gift and then jump out and surprise Souma when he got close. Though, unfortunately for her, there had been a woman who had done sothing similar in Soumas world, so hed seen through her sche all too easily...
When he thought back to that mont, Colberts shoulders slumped. The night before, I ran all over looking for high-quality carpets in a hurry, but then the all-important surprise was seen through so easily. What was all my effort even for?
W-Well... You have my condolences... Jeanne couldnt help but feel sympathetic.
Hakuya, who was listening to them, asked, Did you have to pay for those carpets out of your own wallet, too?
Oh, no, shes got it together when it cos to things like that, Colbert said quickly. It ca out of the princesss pocket money... I feel like the amount she had was far too great for to refer to it that way, but I took the money from there.
Ah. So she does have that sort of common sense, Jeanne said.
Yes. However, you could also say that she only has it together when it cos to money. I told you how I gathered all of those carpets, but because I was in such a hurry, there were a fair number that werent fit to be given as gifts. We couldnt offer those carpets to His Majesty, so Im still holding on to them. The rolled up carpets look like logs that have sprouted up wildly all over my house.
Thats terrible... Jeanne said.
Colberts domain was in Amidonia. He was living in a small house in the royal capital while he was there for work. That small house was packed full of carpets. There was no doubt that they must have been putting serious pressure on his living space.
I was told Sir Sebastian would eventually co to take them off of my hands to sell, but until then, I have to live surrounded by carpets. Theres hardly room to stand... I had thought that carpets were ant to be rolled out so you could sit on them, but Ive now learned when theyre rolled up, you can sit on them that way, too.
Youre making weird discoveries! Jeanne exclaid. I can see youve been going through a lot.
Ahaha... Well, serving the princess isnt so bad in and of itself, Colbert admitted. Roroa could only make these selfish requests of soone she trusts, so I think of her like a needy little sister.
When Colbert spoke with a far-off look in his eyes like that, Jeanne sensed that this man, too, was one of their comrades. Still, like with my sister, or with Souma, do those who stand above others all have sothing defective about them? Like... in order to balance things out?
You could be on to sothing there... Hakuya agreed with a wry smile. Now then, Madam Jeanne. I was thinking of admitting Sir Colbert to our Association for Victims of Masters. What do you think of that?
I would have it no other way. Welco, Comrade Colbert.
A-Aha ha... Thank you for having , Colbert said.
Thus did the Association for the Victims of Masters gain a new mber.
The new recruit, Colbert, looked to Hakuya and said, Still, I didnt expect this. To think the sagacious Hakuya would be leading a playfully mischievous gathering like this... Oh, Im sorry, was that rude of to say?
Hee hee, youre right, Jeanne giggled. He may not look it, but Hakuya can be quite funny.
...Please, dont tease like that. Hakuya made a sour face. I serve His Majesty whos unpredictable and prone to taking a bad joke too far. It wouldnt do for to be letting myself loose all the ti, too.
Youre very right. I wish my sister would get her act a little more together, too, Jeanne said.
I can really sympathize, Colbert agreed. Why, just the other day...
On this day, it is said that the three of them stayed up late into the night complaining about their masters.
Reviews
All reviews (0)