17 [16] Petra

He has spoken to Berta on the road with this and the carriage because he doesn't like silence.

"Did you sleep well last night?

"Yes, Your Majesty"

"Is Louis not grumpy? Would it be time to get used to the carriage journey?"

"Yes. So far."

"... it's time for the south to be close. We'll be at the Great River around tomorrow."

"I hope so."

Berta, on the other hand, wanted to be quiet one way or the other, and I was a little concerned if I thought about taking Louis to see my father, and I was appropriately flushed aside from topics that might have something to do with official business.

Harold has been positioned as a bit of a bad superior for Berta since she decided not to have the sweet idea of expecting anything from her husband or guessing. I have no intention of deepening my private interactions with Harold on this inspection trip.

However, as it seemed time to reach the Great River, Berta stated precautions for contacting the King with humans in the south.

"Your Majesty, before you cross the Great River, I have one favor to ask you."

It was unusual for Berta to talk to Harold from herself, so Harold put herself in more than she needed to hear.

"You can say anything"

"I'm afraid you can call me by name during your stay in the South. Berta, and"

Harold solidified for a moment instead of saying anything was good. I don't think it's such a difficult request.

"Is there any reason?

"Not for any special reason. However, Your Majesty has accompanied me as one of the Queens, so it would be more convenient to look like a common couple."

"I see."

Harold said that and was silent, so Berta was spending time looking out the window and so on wondering if he was convinced and finished talking.

After a while, Harold gained a light momentum and raised his gaze.

"Berta"

"Yes."

"... I just called"

Is it so, and I wondered if I would hammer him, and Berta ended up answering nothing.

The Great River is literally a large river that flows across the land.

South of the Great River, about 30% of the national territory is under the effective control of the Petra. On that side there were a few lords with titles that the state would entrust to them, mostly native lords who named Taisho and exercised the right to govern. Berta's father, for example, is a prime example of this.

This great river, the breadth of the river itself, as well as the poor topography of the shores on the Petra side, is a natural factor.

Just across the river. On that side is a cliff as far as I can see, and the road narrow and limited, even if it has occasionally been paved.

For a hundred years the present royal family had only a local interest that would be the reason why it had given up effective control of the south.

A river with a history of tragic battles against interracial peoples in the past, but a pleasant calm place in a blowing river breeze now with a continuing era of peace and trade.

"Wow."

Looking up at the rocks across the shore, Harold leaked his thoughts unexpectedly.

"Has Your Majesty ever seen the Great River?

"Yes, but when I went to the port town near the estuary. I bypassed the harbor then, but this is the first time I've seen the shortest distance directions like this one"

Harold is surprised that the inspection route officially set up by the bureaucrats with land surveys is such a roadless path.

"From here on upstream, the Wang Du side will also be swallowed by the mountains to become an evil path, and you have to make quite a detour to cross from downstream. It's the easiest way out of the streets on Petra's side."

I even went through here when Berta came out of there two years ago.

A local official, who was waiting on the shore where the ship was prepared, talks to Harold to take over Berta's story.

"The opposite shore is a barrier, but there is a slight gap between the cliffs. We will sail the narrow valley width as you cross the river."

By the side of the official explaining, a ship already aboard the preceding escort soldiers was about to enter between the cliffs. From across the shore, it's a terrain that you can't imagine has a route if you don't know it.

"There's only enough clearance for a ten-man ship to make it through, and it's not a pleasant sailing trip, but please be patient"

"No problem. We should get to Meseta in these days."

Harold gave it back like he was impressed.

Then the local official turns to Berta and bows his head again with a polite face.

"Thank you for your time, Your Highness."

"Yeah. Looks like a disaster. Most importantly, the Trent family's."

Officials were from the Taishou Trent family. It is the Taishou clan of the town that will be the first to arrive when you cross the Great River here.

"I'm relieved to hear more and more about your health and victory. Besides, Berta will be just as tired of being greeted by the first people she meets."

The official broke his face and gave him a grin.

"I'll be ready."

"Waha, you're not going! Please be careful on the road."

In an attempt to proceed as urged by officials, Berta glances behind the queue. I was concerned about how Johanna was feeling a lot more relaxed coming out of the carriage.

Louis must have knocked down the carriage trip today. He's a brilliant toddler just to keep me from getting carriage drunk yet.

"Your Majesty, I'm worried about travelling by boat, and I'm attached to Louis"

At the same time that Berta said so, Louis, who had been unloaded from the carriage, cried properly. In a line with only adults but him, the cries of toddlers come to my ears when I do.

Harold didn't look particularly uncomfortable when he heard Louis grunt, and nodded just like Heijun.

"Go to him."

"Yes."

Louis, though Berta held him up and stopped crying once, ended up frightened by his first ship and crying all the time on the water.