Volume 6 - CH 1.3

She had counted those repeated words up to ten times, but because it was becoming rather troublesome, she stopped counting the rest after that.

Without stopping her hand that was turning the page of the book, Galarina raised her gaze fleetingly and looked at the governor of this town.

「That’s troubling… no, really troubling. That’s really troubling」

Gavrilo Alija Dzeko, who had been pacing around inside the room since some time ago, was the eighth “Margrave” of Romarikku. Controlling not only this large city Romarikku but also all of the civil affairs and military affairs of the Romarikku region, it could be said that he was the governor, in a manner of speaking.

However, the figure of him going this way and that while wiping his sweat with a handkerchief like that was quite different from that of such an influential person. He was a dandy who grew a splendid moustache; hence, that flustered appearance looked comical in some way.

A few wrinkles were carved on the brow of Fatih, who was sitting on the sofa opposite Galarina and polishing his nails, and he glared at Dzeko.

「…Haven’t you been too restless since some time ago, Your Excellency? What in the world is troubling you so much?」

「No no, it’s natural that I’d be troubled by that, Fatih-dono. …Ah, that’s really troubling」

Perhaps it was difficult for him to deal with a big man with heavy make-up, Dzeko glanced at Fatih and immediately averted his gaze, and then he covered his face with both hands.

「Um—the matter about the thieves whom you encountered is also like that though」

「Araran? If it’s those guys, I dealt with them properly though? Though they were reduced to thieves, my heart really aches that I have to kill companions from the same motherland with these hands of mine. My heart aches that I can’t sleep」

「…Fatih, stop twisting and turning」

Unable to endure, Galarina spoke a few words, but just as one thought, Fatih wasn’t listening at all.

「No no, I’m grateful that you were able to deal with the thieves」

Raising the fingers of his right hand and shaking them unsteadily, Dzeko walked up to the side of the window of the luxurious living room.

「Ah… Puyol-kyou, I want to ask you something a little, but how many cases of attacks on caravans occurred this year?」

「Y, yes」

A seemingly very earnest Hiera Glaphicos, who had been waiting in the corner of the room, leafed through the documents at hand and then answered immediately.

「Just the ones mentioned in the report here—t, there are sixty-five cases」

「Sixty-five cases! This is troubling, this is very troubling…!」

「Otou-sama is being theatrical over everything, you know」

Jelena, who was sitting down on the carpet and leaning against Galarina’s knee, looked at Dzeko with pupils that gave one the impression of a cat. Although they were blood-related biological parent and child, as far as Galarina could observe calmly, the relationship between the father and the only daughter wasn’t very good. The words that she hurled towards her father were tinged with an indescribable coldness.

Dzeko looked back at Jelena, took a deep breath greatly and told her.

「You keep quiet a little. I’m talking to Galarina-dono and Fatih-dono about a political matter」

「What’s political about that…」

Jelena turned away and ate candied quinces while leaning her body on Galarina’s knee. Honestly, her foot would become numb if she leaned against it the whole time, but because Jelena was very attached to Galarina who would visit this place occasionally, Galarina decided to endure that much dissatisfaction.

「This is a very political matter. Children probably don’t understand though. —Ah, nevertheless, this is troubling. The fact that the public order has deteriorated to this extent during my tenure of all days…」

Dzeko looked up at the sky exaggeratedly, and yet he’d look this way occasionally. Galarina closed the book with a sigh and smiled wryly.

「…If there’s something you want to say, then say it clearly, Your Excellency」

「No no, I wonder if telling Galarina-dono this sort of thing is barking up the wrong tree」

Making introductory remarks like that, Dzeko began to talk again.

「Recently… since spring in particular, the matter of mounted bandits and bandits of the barbarian believers making frequent appearances has been attracting attention. This is a very troubling situation… I even got Pancev-kyou to mobilise the army to crack down on them strictly, but if possible, if I can get Galarina-dono to do something about it in secret with your power, then…」

「No! How can you request Onee-sama to do such a thing, Otou-sama!? Onee-sama doesn’t have such an obligation!」

「Like I said, you be quiet, Jelena. —How about it, Galarina-dono? For the sake of our mutually pleasant business transactions, won’t you lend me a helping hand again?」

「For the sake of our business transactions—even that has come up, huh」

Tapping on the hard cover of the book, Galarina raised her lips.

「…Well, it’s fine, I guess. That much is within the acceptable limits. It concerns an important business for us too, after all」

Galarina nodded lightly and pushed her round spectacles up.

「Oh, I see! I’m grateful for that!」

「However, I’ll take an appropriate compensation, all right?」

「That’s a matter of course! …Ah, I’m so glad, you really helped me!」

As if he was honestly feeling relieved, Dzeko stroked his chest and wiped the sweat on his forehead.

「Well well, with this, I can feel temporarily relieved. …After all, it has been decided that an inspection from the capital will come shortly」

「Inspection?」

「Yes. —The newly appointed Dominas-sama, who was just inaugurated in the beginning of spring, is coming」

「Newly appointed Dominas? Do you mean Valeria Costacurta?」

「That’s right, that’s right, yes. There’s a deep connection between our Romarikku and Costacurta-geika—」

「The story about the quota or something, right? …There really is nothing more bothersome than this」

Fatih finished polishing and blew on his nails, which were polished to a bright shine, once; he then shrugged his shoulders exaggeratedly and smiled as if sneering at him.

「No no, for us, it’s something to be very grateful for. After all, Her Eminence will go out of her way to come to Romarikku on the occasion of taking over in this way, you see. …Therefore, it’ll be troubling if something happens during this period. If something happens to Her Eminence, I’ll easily be beheaded」

「Araran? Are you saying that… what’s important is your own head?」

「Ah, no, i, it’s Costacurta-geika, of course, Fatih-dono. —That’s why at least during Her Eminence’s royal visit, I must do something about the rampancy of thieves…」

「In reality, it’s already a hundred and fifty years ago that Romarikku was an independent country, isn’t it? Despite this, you’re still saying something like “Her Eminence, Her Eminence”? Should I say that you’re too devout or ridiculous…」

「T, that’s, well… but Fatih-dono, in your native country, you also worship, uh, Ma, Ma…?」

「Marido」

「Yes, that! You worship that god of war, right?」

「Who knows」

Galarina urged Jelena gently and stood up.

「There are certainly many people who believe in Marido, but that’s not the case for me. To me, a god simply exists there. The phenomenon that is called a god is a very interesting subject of research, but nevertheless, I won’t rely on it or pray to it」

「Look here, if you’re always saying that sort of slightly difficult thing, you’ll age quicker, you know, Nee-san. …Gufu」

「…I’ve said this all the time, but your way of laughing is unpleasant」

Throwing a few heartless words at her younger brother who had shaken his shoulders and let out a chuckle, by means of a blazing fastball, Galarina carried the book under her arm.

「Then, Your Excellency, we’ll rest for tonight now」

「No! Onee-sama, just a bit longer! Please? It’s fine, right? The time is still early to be sleeping!」

「Even if you say that, I’m at my limit already」

Taking off her spectacles and rubbing her eyes, Galarina smiled wryly. It was today’s afternoon when she finished the long journey of crossing over the mountain range and arriving at this town, and due to business matters and the discussion with Dzeko after that, she had no time to rest. She quite wanted to rest herself well on a proper bed.

Dzeko, who had an exhausted expression, chided his only daughter, who was grasping Galarina’s left hand and shaking it.

「Don’t be so unreasonable, Jelena. Galarina-dono is tired from the long journey. If you ask too unreasonable things, you’ll make Galarina-dono’s health worse」

「Onee-sama isn’t so weak! That’s why she’ll be all right!」

「That’s not for you to say though…」

「It can’t be helped」

Galarina patted Jelena on the head lightly.

「—Then, come to my room after you’ve finished changing your clothes. Don’t complain even if the bed is small」

「Yes♪」

「I’m sorry, Galarina-dono」

Dzeko pulled in his head and apologised for his daughter’s wilfulness.

「No, I don’t mind. …I also have a few younger sisters, but they’re not attached to me to this extent」

「Nee-san, you forgot about me!」

Putting her hand on the face of Fatih, who had tried to come and cling to her nonchalantly, and pushing him aside, Galarina declared coldly.

「—That’s out of the question. You’re not a younger sister」

「Aan」

「Then, Your Excellency, see you tomorrow」

「Yes. Please rest well」

Galarina, who had left the living room of the “Margrave” of Romarikku, started to walk along the wide corridor with long strides. The rooms that were prepared for Galarina’s party when they’d be staying at this mansion were always the same, so it was unnecessary to go out of her way to have a guide accompany her. Just like her house that she knew thoroughly, Galarina headed directly towards her own bedroom.

「—Fatih」

「Hahan?」

The big man, who was looking at a hand mirror and gazing at his own face, gave a vague answer without even glancing at his older sister.

「Do you know Valeria Costacurta?」

「Ah… I know about the tale of her heroism where she suppressed the rebellion that occurred in Seriba by herself immediately after she was inaugurated this spring at least」

「I heard that she also got herself involved with the internal discord of Heidelauta afterwards. Truly typical of Ahmad, she might be a classic example of a Dominas that isn’t a decoration. Very interesting. It seems that things will become intriguing」

「Is that so?」

「That kind of Dominas will make a royal visit to Romarikku at this timing… the ones who would think there’s nothing going on behind the scenes are stupid and easy-going people」

「…Nee-san, are you making fun of me by any chance?」

「It’s incomprehensible that you realised this about this time. …I believed that I’ve been saying so since long ago」

Galarina, who had shrugged her shoulders, threw a cold gaze at her biological younger brother through the pair of spectacles and then walked away, dragging out faint sounds of footsteps.