Chapter 317: An Invitation from Prime Minister Cromwell

About ten days after the play, I was summoned by Prime Minister Cromwell.

After the seasonal greetings he cut in at once.

"There is a skirmish near the northern border with the Empire. Do you not want to go see it?"

"The northern border?"

Where is that? I had no idea. I had never even seen a map of this country as a whole. And being told something this sudden, I could not just say yes. What was this man thinking?

"Yes."

The Prime Minister nodded, generous.

"What is interesting about a place like that? Is there meaning in my going?"

Why would he want to send me somewhere like that?

"You ask what is interesting? Ambassador Marie, battle is a man’s flower path, is it not? And someday the Empire army and our Mainz Kingdom army will fight. Then Ambassador Marie will take the field as well, as Marie Kingdom allied forces. Then looking once at a place that may become a battlefield is good, is it not?" ℯℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

The Prime Minister said something with no persuasive force at all. Did he not think it strange himself?

"I can understand the latter part. I do not know what you are saying in the first part."

Answering like a wooden nose, I thought myself. At my reply the Prime Minister frowned.

"What a cold thing to say. Being born a man, is watching a place where people stake their lives against people not the finest entertainment? If your own life is not involved, there is nothing this fun, is there?"

I do not cut people because I like it, and I do not want to go to a battlefield at all, and I do not want to see one. But saying that would shave the Prime Minister’s mood, so I decided to say it soft.

"I agree with part of that view. If it does not involve your own life, you can say that. But from the experience I have lived until now, I know that if I go there I somehow get pulled into that fight and end up throwing myself into it. As the saying goes, a gentleman does not draw near to danger. I do not want to go to such a place."

If I go somewhere like that I will always end up in the fight! That is why I do not want to go!!

"How cold! Do you think we would do such a thing to a state guest?"

"A state guest was told it was absolutely fine not long ago, went along easy, and nearly died."

The Prime Minister’s face looked a little awkward. So you have that feeling too!?

"What. That only happened to go that way! This time there will be no such thing! I guarantee it!"

Still saying it? I had started to feel.

"Last time I believe Her Majesty guaranteed it."

Right? I was told it was observation.

"Was there such a thing?"

The Prime Minister’s eyes drifted in the air. Anyway, nothing good comes of taking an invitation like this.

"Eisleben says she will go as well."

Is that true? I thought, but that person would go, I felt. But if that person goes, I will not. If we move together, I feel something still worse will happen. A bad feeling always lands!

"No. Lady Eisleben going does not mean I will go with her."

"Quite stubborn. You hear Her Majesty’s wishes, and you cannot hear my request?"

Can you not tell I will not hear it because it is your request? I want to say that your words smell fishy and I cannot say yes, but I cannot say that. Still I want to say it. The line is at my throat.

"I am not a vassal of the Mainz Kingdom. Her Majesty’s request is a request from the person who is sheltering me."

"What!? I had intended to be sheltering Ambassador Marie. You say that understanding is wrong?"

From when did you shelter me? You were the bookmaker on the wager and made a killing, but that has hardly been returned to me.

"Um. This argument is barren, so could we stop it already?"

I had started to hate this topic. And still,

"Ambassador Marie, I think I said it before. You are the only one in this country who turns down my request."

Still dragging it. Persistent people are disliked by women, you know?

"If you dislike me, you can tell my country to have me go home."

Yes! I do not want to see your face, and I want to go home already!

"Hmph. If I did that I would take a huge scolding from Her Majesty! There is no way I can!"

"Is that so? Then I think the relation we have had, neither clinging nor leaving, is best."

"You say until now was neither clinging nor leaving?"

"If I use other words, a just-right sense of distance?"

"Ambassador Marie, are you truly a child of eleven? I can only think I am talking with someone past thirty! No. Past forty would not be strange. An adult wearing a child’s skin."

The Prime Minister said something that hit rather well. The fact that inside I call him Prime Minister without honorifics is already out, for me.

"Then do you not want to go home once? I hear Ambassador Marie’s mother, Consort Doreen, is near birth. Are you not worried? And various things have happened since you took the post. The debt that was a concern has been paid in full, and you will have to report the details on that, yes? How about it?"

The talk changed all at once. Strange. This man should not be a man who worries about such things. Something is off. With what intent is he saying this?

When I went quiet, thinking, the Prime Minister seemed unable to wait.

"Then how about a courtesy visit to the Eisleben tribe in the west? Her Majesty has taken a great liking to Agnes Eisleben and said she wants to see once the place that woman was born and raised. Her Majesty has not left the royal capital for some time. It is a good chance to go around the provinces and let the people know Her Majesty’s prestige. And if Ambassador Marie, Her Majesty’s favorite, goes along and serves as guard and conversation partner, that would help."

He started saying. The talk itself I understood, but it was still strange! Was this man saying these things because he wanted to put distance between me and the royal capital? Was something about to happen in the royal capital? Did he not want me to see it? If I refused here, he would make some next proposal again? I could only think he would keep proposing until I accepted leaving. Then compromising at about this might be good.

"If you dislike that..."

The Prime Minister had said that far when I raised a hand and cut him off.

"Understood. I will follow Her Majesty and go to the Eisleben tribe. There is only one condition."

"Oh. What? Say it. I will grant it as far as I can!"

"Yes. With Your Excellency’s power it is a simple thing. I want you to use your power to hold Lady Agnes Eisleben, who is appearing in the theater run now, so that she does not go with us. If that person goes with me I feel something worthless will happen. So I want you to keep her from coming along, no matter what."

"Understood. That much is no great thing. I promise! Then departure is ten days from now. Get ready. Details will come later. Ahahaha. I am counting on you!"

The moment the talk was decided, the Prime Minister’s mood became extremely good. Looking at the Prime Minister’s glad face I thought, does Her Majesty not know this Eisleben trip yet? Did the Prime Minister say whatever came to mind to get me away from the royal capital, and if I said yes he would persuade Her Majesty after?

Anyway, for now let me take the Prime Minister’s proposal! Something interesting seems likely to happen. Or will I have a hard time again? What is this nature of mine that ends up thinking that?