Volume 6 - CH 1.2

Her debut in Roma, which had been delayed the whole time because of one thing or another since she was inaugurated as a Dominas, finally ended without any mishap a few days ago.

Until that day arrived, Valeria had actually been thinking she wanted to do this quickly, but when she became the leading role of the debut, she had to continue waving her hand with a smiling face the whole time during the parade and also had to attend a boring ceremony, which took many hours; they were nothing but things that made her mentally fatigued. Honestly, she thought of foisting all of the rest on Karin and then sneaking away halfway many times.

Valeria, who was exhausted in her home for several days because of that, was summoned by Orvieto.

「Romarikku—is it?」

「Yes」

Inside the office where the thin curtains were closed, the sunlight of midsummer was reduced to some extent, and it was full of pale shadows. Urged by Orvieto, Valeria tasted the cold wine and then breathed a sigh of relief.

Orvieto then asked Valeria again while playing with a quill pen.

「You know—the relationship between our country and Romarikku, right?」

「Ah, yes, roughly」

The state of Romarikku, which abounded with mineral resources, was an important administrative district that sustained the current Ahmad’s policy of enriching the country and strengthening the army from the foundation. However, just until a hundred and fifty years or so ago, Romarikku wasn’t a region of Ahmad but a fully-fledged independent country. It had a past where after the royal family was overthrown due to a large-scale insurrection, Ahmad suppressed the rebellion and then annexed it. That was the general knowledge which everyone would learn in elementary education.

Orvieto pointed at Valeria with the tip of the pen.

「—You mightn’t be aware of it, but as a Dominas, you have a deep connection to Romarikku」

「I’m aware of it. That’s because… um, I was told by Richternach-kyou before」

Although she felt slightly embarrassed, Valeria replied honestly.

Originally, it should have been a fixed rule that one country had one Dominas, but the current Ahmad had three because it had taken over the possession quota of Dominas that other countries had. And among the increased quota of two, one belonged to Villanova which had become an associate member country, and the other one belonged to the former Kingdom of Romarikku.

「Exactly. At the present time, the quota that our country originally had was assigned to Shakira-san, and the quota that was taken over from Villanova was assigned to Karin-jou, and the quota that Romarikku had was assigned to you」

Due to such circumstances, the people from the Romarikku region regarded one person among the three Dominas as the Dominas of their own “country” even now, and on the occasion of taking over, they’d send enormous donation via the Magic AcademyPrasa Marefikos of their own free wills. Even the debut this time, the donation from Romarikku was used for a portion of the budget.

Hence, it became a custom that the so-called “Dominas with Romarikku’s quota” made a courtesy visit to Romarikku during her service and conveyed her gratitude to the citizens. If one were to speak of the current generation, then that was Valeria’s role, of course.

「But why at this time—?」

「Various difficult missions occurred again and again immediately after your inauguration, and you certainly had been very busy」

Joining her white hands together, Orvieto nodded.

「—However, now that they have settled down, the timing is just right. Your debut in Roma has ended, and if you delay your visit to Romarikku even though there’s no special event in particular, the people in Romarikku might think you’re looking down on them. …You understand that that’s not politically good as well, right?」

「Yes」

「Besides, this is also the wish of the Great Gods of Heaven and Earth OfficialPatriarca Mayor—or rather, His Majesty the King」

「His Majesty’s?」

「Yes. …The public order in the Romarikku region has been deteriorating recently」

Orvieto stood up, turned the curtain lightly and narrowed her eyes.

「From the start, the tendency to be self-reliant remained strongly in that vicinity even after the annexation, and the Ahmad’s government had been making every effort to soothe that. They even appointed a special hereditary prefectural governor, nicknamed “Margrave”, which other places don’t have. —But as expected, what will secure the hearts of the people is probably the smiling face of a Dominas rather than the power of politics」

When she was told so, she could no longer say that she was tired or what. Although Valeria thought of herself as naïve, it was ultimately the sense of duty as a Dominas that moved her.

「In other words, His Majesty is telling me to inspect the Romarikku region and to pacify its citizens, right?」

「He didn’t say it clearly, but since he intentionally wants you to go at this time, I believe that it’s like that」

「I understand」

Nodding deeply, Valeria put her glass down and stood up.

「—Though I don’t know how helpful I can be by going, I’ll fulfil my obligation as a Dominas!」

「I’m so happy that you said that」

When Orvieto, who had smiled sweetly, immediately returned to the front of her desk and signed some kind of document smoothly, she then rang a bell to summon her female secretary, gave her that document and sent her o somewhere. It probably must be a decree regarding this matter or something. From the beginning, Orvieto believed that Valeria wouldn’t refuse this matter; the rest was to prepare a document that she just had to sign and wait for Valeria. That shrewdness which didn’t match her gentle beauty was, in a few words, as one would expect.

「—I’ll settle all the preparations for the detailed fixed date and the personnel who will accompany you. Please study about the chronology of events up to the history and annexation of Romarikku well until you depart」

In order to understand the feeling of each citizen of Romarikku, it was probably necessary to know its history until the annexation. Otherwise, when she had dinner together with the higher-ups there, she might carelessly say something rude.

「…If that guy can also speak gently in this manner, then I also won’t feel irritated every time…」

「What?」

「Ah, no!」

Valeria, who had unconsciously let out an idle complaint about Dimitar while being thankful for Orvieto’s advice, hurriedly glossed over it on the spot.