The port of the Republic of Alzer is being rebuilt at breakneck speed.
Because the Respinus estate’s harbor area houses the embassies of neighboring nations, the port had to be prioritized for repairs.
Why?
Diplomacy is going to be more important than ever.
Only now the Republic will be the one bowing down—though our position has flipped.
Angelica grabs my face with both hands, squeezing.
“Leon, you didn’t pick up any other girls while we were away, did you?”
I don’t trust you either.
“No, I didn’t. It’s been a crazy busy month.”
Libya clings to me, looking up with a pleading gaze.
“Really? I’ll double‑check with Lux.”
“Stop it. He’ll always try to leave something ambiguous and make us misunderstand. He’s a low‑life who creates drama just because he needs a thrill.”
My dad, standing nearby, mutters, “You’re the one who turned your parents into a battlefield, you’ve got zero persuasive power.”
Sorry, I have no idea what that means.
When Angelica lets go of my cheek, she smiles at me.
“Since we’re at it, I’m not saying you can’t cheat. But if you do get a girl, you better report it. Otherwise the succession fight will get messy.”
Succession fight?
“No way there’s anyone wanting to inherit a title that’s just a name. I’ve got no lands, no wealth.”
Officially, though.
I dumped all the money I had into the Republic’s reconstruction. I also paid the Kingdom a bunch of apologies and tributes. The palace is swamped, and I heard Roland’s been struggling too, so I handed over the cash with a clean conscience.
Now my pockets are bone‑dry—at least on the surface!
Libya’s eyes widen as if she just realized something.
“Angelica, we still haven’t told them that thing.”
“Right. Where do we even start…?”
Huh? Something’s up.
When I make a sour face, my dad pipes up.
“Hey, doesn’t that kid have something to ask you?”
It’s Jan.
He’s holding a paper bag, looking at me like he’s in trouble.
“Uh, um, well…”
I step away from Angelica and Libya and talk to Jan.
◇
Inside the Ricorne ship.
Leila is escorted by Clemens into the reception room to meet the person.
It’s a smiling woman in civilian clothes.
“Nice to meet you, Leila‑chan. This is the first time we’re talking face‑to‑face.”
Calling her “‑chan” in a formal setting is pretty disrespectful.
But that’s how the Republic treats us now.
Leila bows.
“Nice to meet you, Your Majesty Princess Mireille.”
“Mireille’s fine. By the way, I’ve been walking around outside and the Republic’s situation looks rough. Whole‑country reconstruction? My sympathies are with you. I’ll throw in some personal aid, too.”
Clemens clenches his fists behind his back.
Leila thinks.
(—So she knows the Republic’s inner workings inside out.)
We’ve leaned on Leon and the others for reconstruction help.
In other words, the Kingdom now holds the Republic’s secrets.
Mireille narrows her eyes.
“—Sit down quickly. We don’t have time for chit‑chat. I’m not free either. Think of my decisions as the Kingdom’s decisions.”
When Leila takes her seat, Mireille delivers the Kingdom’s decree.
“Unofficially, I’ll tell you the Kingdom’s stance here. Your request for aid can’t be approved as it stands. The reason? Compensation. Isn’t it a bit too little?”
“But we can’t give any more. Right now—”
“The aid we’re talking about is massive—just food and supplies. How much do you think Count Bartfort has been giving? They haven’t even offered any reward for the Count, right?”
“Well, the Count himself declined.”
“So you’re not just doing nothing, are you? Even an honorary medal could be prepared. The Republic really is a cold country.”
They kept throwing accusations at us.
Leila had her own point, too.
Leon had flat‑out refused any reward or medal. He’d never take anything, and if we forced it on him he’d cut off the aid.
He told us to serve the people, but looking back, maybe that was Leon’s revenge.
Mireille smiles.
“Still, ignoring the current situation would be cruel. We’ll approve the aid with conditions.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really. But— we want a port we can use freely in the Republic. And while we’re at it, could you turn the surrounding area into Kingdom territory? Loading and unloading would be so much easier if it’s Kingdom land. Inspections, taxes—those headaches would disappear. Simplify the paperwork, and we won’t have to deal with the Republic’s aggressive inspections.”
She’s basically insulting the Republic’s inspection system, which has been a sore spot for a while.
Leila can’t argue, so Clemens jumps in, flustered.
“Your Majesty, if that’s the case, we’ll give the aid‑bound airship special treatment. We hope you’ll be satisfied—”
Mireille narrows her eyes.
“—Who told you to speak up? I said I want the port. A country that can’t keep its contracts isn’t trustworthy. If you don’t give us this, I can’t feel safe supporting you.”
Clemens falls silent.
The Republic’s credibility isn’t zero because of past events, but it’s definitely negative.
“If we lose the port—”
If Kingdom land appears inside the Republic, it’s basically a sword stuck in the Republic’s throat.
“Was it the Fevel family? There’s a lordless land, right? I want a Kingdom port there. How about it?”
Leila looks down, thinking.
(The aid supplies are desperately needed. But if I allow this, Yuge will call me weak again. The people will criticize me. What the hell do I do?)
I’d rather join some other faction, but that would just fuel public discontent. The nobles would also turn their anger toward Leila.
The memory of Alberk’s final moments flashes, and Leila’s blood runs cold.
Seeing that, Mireille sighs.
“Originally, the Kingdom could have just managed the Fevel lands. Weren’t there seven great nobles? I could even hand over a single seat to you, you know?”
Give your parliament a Kingdom seat.
In short, the Republic will become far weaker against the Kingdom.
Leon would gladly give up a seat, but if the Kingdom sits there, the meaning changes. It’s not the same as the Kingdom formally annexing the Republic.
We’ll get minimal aid—rebuild the lands we receive, but who knows what else happens. And then other countries will copy the Kingdom’s tactics, turning the Republic into a patchwork of foreign interests.
Worst case, it becomes a proxy‑war battlefield.
If we could at least become a vassal state, that’d be better. But Mireille says the Kingdom has no intention of making us vassals—no caretaking.
Still, if the port’s taken, the backlash will hit me. That’s fine, but beyond that—.
“We— we can’t hand over the port. If we do—”
“Neither this nor that works. Do you even understand your own position?”
Mireille closes her eyes, and a quiet moment stretches out.
It feels endless to Leila.
Mireille finally breaks the silence.
“—Then let’s renegotiate the customs and trade treaties. But since we have no trust in you, be ready for strict terms.”
“Th‑thank you.”
Leila can only nod.
Clemens looks frustrated.
Mireille’s prepared documents heavily favor the Kingdom.
Leila signs, feeling pathetic for having to sign.
If we’d handled this better, we wouldn’t have been exploited.
After confirming the terms, Mireille stands up.
“Alright, that’s done. I’m off. Oh, and there’s someone who wants to see you. Meet them.”
Leila expects more negotiations, but instead Noel wheels in, pushed by Yumelia.
“Sister!”
“Noel‑sama!”
The two are startled as Noel waves.
“How’s it going? I’ve recovered fully.”
Having brushed death off and come back, Noel smiles.
Leila starts to cry.
“Sister, I— I can’t do this anymore. I can’t be a priestess.”
The pressure from above and the Republic’s state make Leila break down, and Noel gently comforts her.
“Don’t cry. You said it was your responsibility, right? Seriously— just getting any aid is a win.”
Clemens sniffs.
“But we’ve signed an unequal treaty. Noel‑sama, could you intercede with Leon— I mean, the Count?”
Noel shakes his head.
“Figure it out yourselves. You’ve caused trouble for everyone, so you can’t rely on us now. I’ll do what I can, but you have to push forward on your own.”
Leila clenches her teeth, still sobbing.
◇
Another room on Ricorne.
Mireille throws both hands up in triumph.
“Yay, Angelica! We got a Kingdom‑favored treaty!”
Angelica watches Mireille, unimpressed.
“The Republic’s lands are something the Kingdom can’t even manage right now. Staffing is hard, so this is the best outcome.”
Even if we got the port, the Kingdom couldn’t handle it, especially with the Republic still rebuilding everywhere. It’d be a net loss.
“Negotiations went smoothly. Now I can just enjoy the ship ride home! Time for a long‑awaited vacation!”
Seeing Mireille’s high spirits, Angelica thinks, “She really knows how to pull this off.”
“When we get back we need to sort out where to buy magic stones. Was that jewel Leon got? If we had a few more of those… The reports always show fewer than we expected.”
Angelica averts her gaze from Mireille’s stare.
“Maybe I miscounted.”
“Angelica— I’m not angry. But don’t you think it’s cruel for Leon to throw away valuable assets just for one girl? You know how much a single jewel’s worth, right?”
Angelica sighs.
“We only gave back the minimum needed to keep the Republic’s power grid running. Pushing them too hard could cause a backlash.”
Mireille smiles.
“Fine. Next time, tell me properly. Still, Leon, you’re too soft. Giving up that much for a single girl?”
Because of Noel’s pleading, Leon returned part of the jewel to the Republic. Only Erik knows the full story, so the Republic alone knows how little Leon trusts anyone else.
“That softness actually saved the Kingdom, you know.”
“You’ve started saying that. It’s a shame. If you were my successor, I’d feel safe.”
“I’m happy right now.”
Mireille leans closer to Angelica, a different vibe from before.
“—I looked into Luxion myself. The more I dug, the scarier it got. I never really went all‑in before. I’ve been watching the Grand Duchy fight for a while. Figuring out the extent was… actually good.”
Luxion’s hidden power is now known to Mireille too. She was really after scouting his strength on the ground, more than the treaty.
Angelica’s expression changes.
“I’m on Leon’s side. But I’m not planning to actively destroy the Kingdom. I have no intention of that.”
“I want to believe that, but the world isn’t that kind.”
Mireille’s conditions make Angelica’s eyes widen.
◇
The deck of the Ainhorn.
The Kingdom’s fleet has set sail from the port.
The Republic looks tiny in the distance now. Leaving a country I’ve spent half a year in feels oddly heavy.
I look at the souvenir Jan gave me.
“A charm from his hometown, huh?”
Luxion peers over.
“Is this also a status‑boost item? I don’t feel any special power.”
It’s a string‑like thing tied around my wrist, with a blessing written in the Republic’s language.
“I asked Marie, but she didn’t remember. It looks familiar though.”
“Should’ve asked Leila?”
“No way. He’ll just drop to his knees and beg right away.”
He’s the type who sobs and begs—kind of pitiful.
Good memories? Maybe just making a friend abroad.
When Jan graduates from the academy, maybe I’ll write a recommendation for Erik?
“Probably. By the way, Noel asked you to return the jewel—so kind of you. What’s the catch?”
“Do I always look like I’m thinking about everything?”
There are parts of the hospital and other places where we can’t cut power.
I gave back the jewel to redirect energy there.
I told Erik to keep an eye on how it’s used.
If I handed it over myself, they’d just demand more.
I’ve decided I’ll never trust those guys again.
“This time I spent a lot of money. Outwardly I’m back to being a poor noble again.”
“Honestly, when we get back Roland will be grinning like a fool.”
“What will happen this time, I wonder?”
Luxion’s mind is on my fate.
I ran amok in the Republic, and the Kingdom lost a purchase point for magic stones.
We gave a jewel as payment, but that doesn’t guarantee endless power.
“I’d love to get demoted and chill in the countryside.”
“Two fiancés and you’re still pathetic. Oh, three now.”
“—Maybe we’ll spot a floating island on the way back. I want new lands too.”
“Is the queen on board?”
“Just a little detour, okay?”
“Where did the serious master from earlier go?”
“Seriousness never lasts. Look at them—any serious vibe just blows away.”
On the Ainhorn’s deck, everyone’s giving each other small cheers.
Marie is guzzling from a huge mug.
“Ugh— it burns!”
“Marie‑sama, you’re really drinking like that!”
Cara claps at Marie, but she smells like an old man! Is that okay?!
Kyle piles a plate full of sweets.
“Master, here are some fries!”
“Alcohol’s flowing! Come on, you all eat up. Tonight we’re gonna party!”
“Yes!”
“We couldn’t make a ruckus back in the Republic.”
Seeing Marie and the others looking so happy, I’m at a loss for words.
A short way off, Julius looks down.
“I want some skewers. Maybe just veggies?”
Jilc rolls his eyes.
“Well, meat’s probably off the table.”
Brad munches on sweets.
“Hey, this is good.”
Greg looks a bit gaunt, still in his loincloth.
“This past month really made me think.”
Chris, also in a loincloth, looks serious.
“Yeah, that’s right.”
During reconstruction, everyone pulled their weight. Greg and Chris set up outdoor baths, Brad kept the kids laughing.
Jilc handled the follow‑ups, Julius gave orders—surprised me that they could actually work.
Why don’t they try harder normally?
Luxion glances at me and says something like, “You’re about to complain back at me again, huh?”
Does he have a mind‑reading function? That’s an invasion of privacy.
“Leon‑san!”
Libya comes over with two drinks.
“Angelica, was it Ricorne?”
I take the drinks and chat.
“Yes. I’m in the middle of talking with the queen. It’s complicated, so I was told to board the Ainhorn.”
Libya looks a bit down but says, “I’m glad I’m with you, Leon‑san.”
“R‑right…”
The Republic without the Sacred Tree is fading from view.
Libya leans in, whispering.
“Leon‑san, I get it now—but someday tell me the truth, okay?”
I turn, startled, and see her sipping her drink.
Luxion whispers in my ear.
“Olivia might have noticed the masters’ secret. Leila could have leaked something.”
The whole “big brother” thing—maybe Libya was just pretending to understand?
I take a sip and think,
“—Maybe I should bring it up someday?”