In a Different World with a Smartphone Chapter 434: Knitting, and Nokia’s Envoy.
When I brought Tokie obaa-chan back to the castle in Brunhild, everyone was—as expected— surprised. Mainly the fiancées.
Since they know my circ.u.mstances, they must’ve guessed the true ident.i.ty of Tokie obaa-chan when they saw her.
On a side note, World G.o.d-sama didn’t come down with us. He seems to be pretty busy.
The other G.o.ds chosen through the lottery didn’t come down as well. Tokie obaa-chan was the only one who accompanied me this time. It’s in order to begin repairing the world barrier, which is in tatters.
Tokie obaa-chan, who sat herself down on a chair at the castle’s balcony, spread a certain object out on the table in front of her.
“What is that?”
“This is, you see, something I made to visualize the world barrier that surrounds this world. It’s pretty beaten and full of holes, right?”
Un, true, there’s holes all over it, and it looks terrible alright.
But, uh, why a sweater?
A grey sweater with various patterns drawn on it using different colors was placed on the table. Holes that look like they’ve been chewed out by bugs can be seen here and there on the sweater, and in the worst cases they’re about as big as a clenched fist.
“Why is it a sweater…?”
“It’s fine even if it’s not a sweater, but I just thought it’d be easy to understand. It’d be troublesome if I can’t understand where to fix, right? By fixing this, I’ll also be fixing the barrier at the same time. You can tell how much of it is fixed at one glance, can’t you? Well, there’s also the fact that I just like sewing, to be honest.”
I see. So this sweater is basically a progression chart. The moment the sweater is complete, the world barrier would also have finished.
Apparently if she uses her original powers as a G.o.d, it can be fixed in an instant, but this is about it for the current her in human form. Even so, it’s plenty amazing.
“I’ll be working at this slowly every day from now on. If I don’t do it carefully, holes might open again, after all.”
“Please and thank you.”
“Too formal. I’m your grandma, so be more casual with me, okay?”
Tokie obaa-chan wagged a finger at me when I lowered my head to her. I’m technically in the position of asking for something, and she’s above me both as a person and as a G.o.d so I was paying attention, but guess that was wrong.
“Got it. Then please take care of it.”
“Ee. Leave it to me.”
Tokie obaa-chan nodded slightly and smiled. From that day forward, that position on the balcony became Tokie obaa-chan’s designated spot.
“For there, you do this… Yes yes, that is good. If you get the trick there, you’ll remember the rest in no time.”
“Yes!”
Linze answered joyfully to Tokie obaa-chan’s words. I looked at the four women sitting at the balcony and knitting, and felt an indescribable emotion.
Seated at the balcony table, with Tokie obaa-chan in the center, there’s Linze, Mel and Nei, all of whom are moving their knitting needles. What kind of combination is this…? We have a human, a G.o.d, the former Phrase [Sovereign], and her close aide in one spot.
“Linze-san apparently had an interest in knitting since a while ago~. And it’s the one specialty of Mel-san, or something. I think Nei-san just came since she’s following Mel-san~.”
While pouring tea for us sitting at this table, our maid Cecil-san told me. Huh, I see.
“Mel taught herself knitting during the time when she’s still in Phrasia. For my sake. This m.u.f.fler is actually something she made for me.”
Ende, who’s sitting across from me, took his m.u.f.fler in his hands and raised it towards me. This b.a.s.t.a.r.d, showing off like that. I’m not jealous, not at all… I wonder if the one Linze is knitting is for me…
As Cecil-san went away with a dragged out “Enjoy your tea~”, Ende leaned forward and spoke to me in a small voice.
“So, if you’re calling her your grandmother, that means she’s not a normal person too, right?”
“The way you said it is slightly concerning… But yeah. She’s the s.p.a.cetime G.o.d.”
“Knew it. Being with you makes my common sense go bust every day, really.”
Ende leaned back on his chair and heaved a big sigh. It kinda p.i.s.sed me off for some reason.
“Look. If we go back to the root of all this, the cause was from your side to begin with, you know? She’s here to fix the world barrier which has had holes opened up in it everywhere by the Phrases. It’s not like it’s my fault.”
“No, uh, if you’re gonna talk about that, go talk to Nei or someone. And to be exact, the one with the most fault here is that idiot Yura anyway. Nothing would’ve happened if he didn’t aim for Mel in the first place.”
No, but if you’re gonna talk about that, then isn’t that because you eloped with Mel in the first place? Eh, whatever, it’s not like pus.h.i.+ng that responsibility between us here will do anything.
“And, what are you guys gonna do from now on anyway?”
There’s n.o.body chasing after them anymore. They can now live without anyone trying to get in their way again. While drinking my tea, I waited for Ende to answer.
“That, well… I wanted Mel to come to my own world. She cannot live freely back in that place, back in Phrasia. In order for us to be tied together, Mel needed to evolve into a higher state of existence than what she was. For that sake, she turned herself into a core and travelled through the worlds, acc.u.mulating power within herself to climb the staircase further, and eventually we would head to my world together… That was the plan.”
And there, Ende lowered his shoulders dejectedly. Eh, what happened?
“To be honest, my world is about as apathetic to the concept of ‘eating’ as Mel’s world. Speaking of food in my world, it’s nothing but liquid substances much like drinks. I havn’t explained to Mel so far since she hasn’t talked about it yet, but she’ll probably not want to go if I told her…”
“Eh, over something like that?”
“No, I can actually understand the feeling. I was also like her, and first began showing interest in food when I left my world. I’ve also been to plenty of world that’s not that advanced in their culinary aspects, but they were mostly boring worlds overall, so I left them behind quickly.”
That reminds me, the first time I met this guy, he was trying to eat a crepe too, wasn’t he.
“So basically, Mel doesn’t want to go with you because that would mean she can’t eat delicious things anymore, right?”
“Don’t say it straight out like that, doesn’t that make it sound like I lost to food…”
“That’s, exactly what it sounds like though.”
Not even the Phrase [Sovereign] can overcome the power of food. How lamentable.
“We’ll relax in this world for a while. And I’ll try to learn cooking in the meantime…”
Trying to bait her, I see. Well, there’s no harm for him to learn cooking, anyway. Especially since he’s got quite a few heavy eaters at his place.
I glanced sideways at Mel, still seated at the balcony table. Her figure, smiling happily while chatting with the others, looked just like a normal girl.
“… She smiles more now, at least.”
“… Un. A lot’s happened, but overall, I’m thankful to you, Touya. Thank you.”
“What’s with that, suddenly? Stop it, that’s disgusting.”
My back feels weirdly itchy when this guy says something like that to me all formal like that. It’s not exactly me being embarra.s.sed, but I picked up my cup and drained the remaining tea inside all at once; right at that timing, Cesca opened the room’s door and came in.
“I’ve brought you tea refills. BL Master.”
“Oi wait you r.e.t.a.r.d maid. Don’t misunderstand things like that.”
I retorted to the maid who said something terrible with a straight face, but then suddenly felt something behind, and spun around to see Linze staring this way with a red face from the balcony. Wai, it’s not, I’m telling you!
“A special envoy from Nokia Kingdom?”
“Yes. They wish for a meeting with Your Majesty the Sovereign.”
I was a bit surprised upon hearing an unexpected news from our prime minister, Kousaka-san.
Nokia Kingdom is a nation situated to the east of the Yulong region. It’s a kingdom that doesn’t hold official relations with any other country, and only has a small amount of interaction with Demon Kingdom Xenoas.
It’s similar to Horn Kingdom, which only interacted with its neighbor Magic Kingdom Ferzen, but it’s even more extreme in that the entire country is under an isolationist policy.
The reason for that, same as Horn Kingdom, lies in the now-destroyed Heavenly Empire Yulong.
Nokia Kingdom was originally another country which was started by people who have escaped from the oppressive rule of Yulong. They’ve lived through a past of barricading themselves in treacherous mountain ranges that few others would tread, and surviving against invasions from Yulong that way.
Due to that, people who visit Nokia are rarely heard of, and those who visit from Nokia equally so.
Even during the Phrase and variant disturbances that dragged the whole world into them, it maintained its isolationism and stayed out of all related affairs.
It’s natural for me to feel surprised when such a country suddenly sent an envoy here. Just what could their intentions be, I wonder.
“We don’t know what it is they want, but for now let’s meet them.”
“Then, we shall prepare for that.”
We decided to meet in an hour, and I went to change into my ceremonial clothes. I don’t really like wearing these kinds of clothes, but I was told that I really should wear them on occasions when I’m meeting with others as the representative of the country.
Having said that, I’ve been meeting with the other kings in the World Alliance dressed pretty casually thus far, havn’t I.
The style is that of a formal suit. I’m not a fan of those overly gaudy clothes with gold embroidering or fur decoration all over them. This is a custom-made suit I ordered from Zanack-san’s store.
It’s a suit made from threads originating from magic beast materials, and is flexible, with a good texture and breathability. And on top of that, I wore a black coat that I don’t usually wear.
If I add a top hat, it’d totally look like an English gentleman from somewhere. Oh, right, not somewhere, England.
Guided by the maid chief Lapis-san who came to call on me, we headed towards the audience chamber.
While obvious, the special envoy isn’t here yet; instead, starting with our knight commander Lain-san, we have the vice-commanders Nicola-san and Norue-san, Kousaka-san, Old Man Baba, Yamagata, and Uncle Naito, plus the intelligence corps’ Tsubaki-san and the royal magician Leen. Everyone’s a.s.sembled here.
These are technically all of our staff members. For the sake of appearances, we also have knights who are on patrol duty lined up at both sides.
“It’s quite flashy, isn’t it.”
“We don’t know what the other side wants, after all. This much preparation is necessary. It wouldn’t do for them to look down on us.”
As I sat down on the throne while thinking if this isn’t overdoing it a little, Leen replied to me from her position standing to my left. Is it like that, I wonder.
After a while, three people entered the audience chamber. The one in front looks to be in the middle of his twenties, and is wearing a set of colorful but simple-looking mantle and robe consisting of dull red and yellow tones. He’s a man with short trimmed brown hair. It’s a rude
remark, but he looks pretty plain. Also, he seems somewhat scared. Well, I guess it can’t be helped if he’s surrounded by this many fully-armored knights.
Behind him, two other people followed. They had a simple green robe wrapped around their whole body, and had their faces lowered on top of that, so I can’t even tell their gender easily. Their hair colors are chestnut and black respectively. Their hairs are not long, but I somehow felt like they look feminine.
They proceeded to a position directly in front of me, then got down on one knee.
“P, pleasure meeting you for the first time, Your Majesty the Sovereign. I am a diplomatic officer of Nokia Kingdom, Faro Yanche.”
“Please stand up, Amba.s.sador Yanche. Welcome to Brunhild. I am this dukedom’s sovereign, Mochizuki Touya.”
While seated on the throne, I called out to him. Normally, I want to go closer and exchange a handshake or something, but Kousaka-san stopped me from doing that. Something about how if we approached the other side in a friendly manner from the beginning, our standings would become complicated.
“And, Amba.s.sador Yanche. What is your purpose for the visit this time?”
“Ha… Actually, that is…”
Kousaka-san left the pleasantries behind and cut straight to the matter, and in response, Amba.s.sador Yanche only gave mumbled replies.
Things like “Eh…” and “That is, you see…” kept coming out, and he still hasn’t said anything of meaning yet. Is this person really qualified as a diplomatic officer…?
“Ah! I, I’ve heard that Your Majesty the Sovereign will be having your wedding in the near future! C, congratulations!”
“Hah… Thank you very much…?”
Eh, what? Did he come just to offer me congratulations for my wedding? Why would they send an amba.s.sador for something like that, they could’ve just sent a letter or anything else along that line.
Everyone else around me also had blank faces. Could it be that the people of Nokia Kingdom doesn’t even know that much since they’ve never had diplomatic relations with anyone else? No way that’s true.
“T, the news of your marriage to nine partners have even reached our ears in Nokia, a-and we admire your magnanimity and boldness! A, as expected of an extraordinary ladykiller like yourself!”
“Hahaha… Is that so…”
I laughed with a strained smile on my face as Leen tried hard to stifle her laughter next to me. Everyone else were also holding their mouths and trying not to laugh, and I can hear m.u.f.fled laughter from somewhere too.
Oi, what is this. Why do I have to take this kind of shaming play like this? This guy, did he come to pick a fight or something?
“… Please state your business, Amba.s.sador Yanche.”
“Ah, my apologies. T, then…”
Clearing his throat once, Kousaka-san urged Amba.s.sador Yanche to continue.
Right. No way the wedding blessing really was the main reason they came today.
“R, regarding Your Majesty the Sovereign, we’ve come to ask if you have any intention in taking a tenth bride, yes!”
“Eh?”
The air instantly froze. At least, that’s what I felt. It’s definitely not because I felt an actual chilly air being emanated from a position to my left.
When I glanced sideways at Leen, the smile she had on her face earlier was gone, and she had an unreadable expression on her face as if she’s thinking about something. Pola who’s at her feet gradually shuffled to a position behind the throne. Oi you, stop running.
“And what exactly do you mean by that, Amba.s.sador Yanche?”
“Please, if you would consider a marriage to Nokia Kingdom’s second princess, Pafia Rada Nokia-sama, is, what we wish…”
Uwaa. The problem of me getting brides (forced upon) that I thought would come eventually. Normally, if a country hears about the fact that I have nine fiancées, and that nearly half of them are royalties, they would give up on it… They might not know about that, come to think of it.
“Of, of course, we won’t ask you to take her as one of your main wives. Even if you add her as the last position of your concubines, that is fine… Princess Pafia has an excellent grasp of both the literary and military arts, and is very beautiful too, so I definitely think she will be of use to Your Majesty the Sovereign, yes.”
“I’m very sorry, but I already have more fiancées than I believe I deserve, so adding anymore is…”
As I was about to gently refuse, the person with chestnut-colored hair who was standing by behind Amba.s.sador Yanche stood up and raised their face. As expected, she’s a woman. Her age looks to be no that much different from mine. A girl who’s between sixteen and seventeen. Her shortcut hair swayed with her movement.
“Your Majesty can just think you’ve obtained an excellent retainer. Could you please consider adding myself to the last position among the madams?”
“Eh… Don’t tell me…”
She took off her plain robe with a swish, upon which a colorful tribal costume-like clothing with red and white decorations showed itself. It looks like clothing worn in the Tibet area. Although it’s not as colorful as those.
“Sorry for my late introduction. Nokia Kingdom Second Princess, Pafia Rada Nokia. It’s a pleasure meeting you, Your Majesty the Brunhild Sovereign.”
The girl, who had a challenging glint in her eyes, said as she bowed her head lightly.
– Pixel