(The question just now, I wonder, what is he thinking…)
Wayne was pondering Ziva"s question despite having answered without hesitation.
Looking at Ziva, after he answered, he had been hanging his head down, and Wayne could not see his complexion. Seeing that, Wayne and Ninim once again communicate using text on papers.
(“It is rare, wasn"t I? After all, it is implausible that a Fulham being brought into a diplomatic arena in the west…”)
(“I just feel that the timing he asked the question and the state he is in right now quite strange…”)
(“I guess so… Maybe he was impressed by Wayne, who worked with his people and soldiers and didn"t discriminate even the Fulham.”)
(“Hahaha, do you mean someone with a diplomatic position like him is a kind person? No way…”)
(“But if there"s a slight chance for that, he might be given up with the negotiation, right?”)
(“It is fine… When that happens, I will eat potatoes with my nose.”)
Ziva finally raised his head.
“— I understand your highness will and resolve.”
His expression was somewhat bright, and he seemed to have been released from some burden.
“Please pardon my disrespectful remarks toward those who had died in the war. I seemed to have made a big mistake.”
“… Nn?”
The situation was strange. That was what Wayne"s felt, but Ziva keeps talking as it is…
“Because your highness is determined to make this land as a land of Natra which your highness people had shed blood on it, and also to protect the people resolutely, it is clear to me that we have no other choice but to decide everything with swords and bow.”
“Eh?”
“Perhaps, this will be the last time we would meet since I will be freed from the duties of a diplomat. But before that, I will definitely inform King Fushtar that your Highness stance is firm and resolute.”
“W-Wai…”
“Well then, Your Highness, I shall hurry back to the royal palace. — To personally have a discussion with such a virtuous person as your Highness, I feel honored.”
Ziva deeply bowed and then left the room.
Wayne and Ninim saw his back disappeared through the door, and after a momentary silence, they both looked at each other.
“Ermm… Ninim?”
“… For the time being, I shall prepare for the potatoes…”
Seeing the situation, Ninim could only reply as such.
Since her brother Wayne had led the army and headed west, Franya had a new routine where she would look at the western sky from the terrace of her private room.
Franya herself knew that such an act had no effect. The letter from her brother tells her that he won"t back soon. No matter how hard she gazes at the sky, she won"t be able to see the figure of her brother.
However, if someone could control themselves when they understand the theory, she won"t be struggling like this. When she thinks about it, when her brother studied in the Empire, she did the same thing. Although at that time, the sky she was staring at was the eastern sky.
And if no one told her to stop, she would"ve continued to stare at the sky all the time. And with the King being sick, and the crown prince was away, there were only a few people who could remonstrate Franya who was a princess.
“Princess, please return inside the room. It is not good for the body to stay out for too long…”
One of such a person was, Holy, the chamberlain, who called her from inside the room. Then Franya turned back.
Holy was an excellent elderly woman. Her skin color was kind of darkish, and her hair was short. Even in the multi-ethnic nation Natra, such a type of person was very rare. She seemed to come from the south of the continent, but even Franya didn"t know the detail. Before Franya could even remember, she was already taken care of her by her side.
“Just a little bit more. I have to pray for Onii-sama"s safety…”
“When it comes to prayer, there"s no difference between doing it in a cold terrace and a warm room.”
“That is not true. I think G.o.d would listen prayers come from people who had a hard time…”
“But first, you must take care of yourself, yes? Besides, Princess, look at this, I"ve backed a fresh pancake…”
“Geez… Holy, there"s no way you can bait me using the food you know?”
“To not eat the fresh backed pancake, isn"t that a sinful thing to do? G.o.d would be angry at me…”
Seeing Holy smiled while preparing the table, and the fragrance of pancake that entered her nose, Franya finally decided to enter her private room from the terrace.
“Nanaki.”
As soon as she returned inside her room, Franya spoke to the wall.
Then one boy appeared from inside the shadow.
His name is Nanaki. He was her personal guard, he had bright white hair and red eyes, which indicate that he was the same as Ninim, a Fulham.
“Let us eat together.”
“…”
Nanaki nodded briefly and sat down with Franya. With a smile on her face, Holy then cut the pancake.
“Anyway, looking at the letter sent by Onii-sama, he seems to be alright, but I wonder if that is really the case?”
“He"s someone who would whine openly, isn"t he?”
Like Franya, Holy had known Wayne for a long time. Although his character had changed over time, the part where he rarely being seen whining about stayed the same.
“No problem.”
At such time, Nanaki, who was silently eating the pancake, opened her mouth and responded.
“The crown prince has Ninim by his side.”
Ninim Raleigh. She was Wayne closest confidant, and she was like an elder sister for Franya.
“… I guess so, Onii-sama has Ninim by his side after all….”
Franya trusted her as much as Wayne trusted her. To the extent that when they both together, there would be nothing they could not accomplice.
“I guess you"re right. If Onii-sama has Ninim with him, I should"ve joined with him in the expedition.”
“You cannot.”
“That is impossible.”
Due to the two immediate answers, Franya slumped her face on the desk.
“The expedition is very dangerous, and the Princess does not have time for it. Didn"t you say you want to study politics?”
“I do say that but…”
So far, Franya had been raised like a delicate flower, but recently she had been studying hard to help her brother. However, when studying, often times the speed at which someone gets bored exceed the speed they learn something, due to that Franya groaned…
“Haah… I bet Onii-sama could just deal with any problem lightly even if he had to deal with a problem that even I could not imagine.”
Franya breathed a small sight imagining a brother who currently doing his work in the far west.