9-9 Part 2
Aiding a Jailbreak with a Single
Shovel
- The Ambassador -
Translator : PolterGlast
I'll state the main points. Together with Princess Atomina,
we decided to use the rough tactic of barging directly into the embassy. After
boarding the magnificent four-horse carriage and departing grandiosely
from the palace, we received a similarly grandiose welcome at the embassy.
Watching the embassy fall into a light confusion and uproar
due to the lightning visit of Her Imperial Highness first thing in the morning,
we were eventually shown into the reception room.
「Hafuu... Being an attendant ish
tough...」
「Must be tough.」
「Umm, Dulin thinks that ish because Ashley-sama stirred things up...」
「I suppose so. But I couldn't even
spare the time to make an appointment. Please, forgive me.」
Atomina-aneue wasn't as meticulous as Georg-aniue. When I said it was to save
beastmen, my sister who does nothing but spoil her brother arranged
everything for me.
「Fufufu... Even so, that outfit, no
matter how many times I see it, I'm charmed. Right, Dulin?」
「Atomina-oneesama is carefree... But when you say that, Dulin also smirks thinking she did a good
job♪ Gufufu~♪」
Also, it's trivial, but I ended up wearing formal attire.
Bathed in the attention of the creators, Atomina-aneue and Dulin, I quietly waited for the ambassador.
Surrounded by the two on the left and right of the sofa...
Shortly after, a knock echoed in the room, and a beastman with a very
conspicuous appearance appeared on the scene.
It was a male lion beastman. A very large man with a mane
sat in the seat opposite us. Certainly scary as Dulin said. However, I
also agreed with Aneue's expression of "cool."
「I am honored to meet you for the
first time, Ashley-sama.
I am the ambassador of Kaha. However, to see Her Imperial Highness
Princess Atomina in the morning, today seems like it will be a good day.」
「I'm sorry, Begal-sama. My brother insisted he
absolutely wanted to meet you... See, Ashley, you have something to talk
about, right?」
「A-Ah...」
Aneue gently
pushed my back. For me, being introduced in such a homely manner to an
ambassador with such a magnificent appearance is a bit troubling...
「Somehow, Atomina-oneesama looks like a mother.」
「Oh my, if I could become one, I'd
want to. Ashley thinks so too, right~?」
「Even if you say that, I'm troubled
for an answer.」
First, I must test here whether this ambassador can be
trusted. So to speak, the position of ambassador is like a small king. Even in
this Empire, they possess special rights not bound by law.
「We are a little pressed for time;
may I ask your business...?」
「Yeah, I came here for none other than
this.」
Therefore, even if I am royalty, the ambassador didn't need
to humble himself at all. Though normally, one would use honorifics and flatter
the royalty of the world's largest country. Perhaps he has a policy against
doing that.
「I want to buy beastman slaves.」
「Heh...?」
「Oh my... Ash, ley...?」
I checked what face the ambassador would make upon hearing
that. He seems to be maintaining a poker face, but for just an instant, a
severe wrinkle formed between his brows.
「I missed buying at the slave auction
the other day. But thinking about it, there was no need to go through yakuza
types. It's much faster to deal directly with you.」
「Ashley-sama, surely you jest. I think the joke is a bit too harsh.」
「I wonder. I'm serious; beastmen are
truly cute. Optimal as pets. So I want to keep one as a slave; sell me an
obedient slave.」
「Let's stop this kind of talk... I
will pretend I didn't hear it...」
The ambassador suddenly switching to polite language is
proof of his agitation. No, the scary lion was fiercely angry along with his
agitation.
Dulin was
frightened by that figure, and Atomina-aneue was flustered and speechless. I truly am a bad brother.
「Besides, beastmen are gentle. Once
they obey, they don't rebel; ideal as slaves and—」
「Kh... Silence, SILENCE you scum!!
Beastmen are not your slaves! Have you ever understood even a little the
feelings of my brethren, used as if it's fine to be kidnapped!! We were not
born into this world to be your slaves, absolutely not!!」
The lion man's sharp claws were at my throat. Certainly,
this is scary. Certainly, this is cool. Certainly, this was a kind man.
Overcome with fear, Dulin fell over backward, and Atomina-aneue clung to me to protect me.
「Ashley! You're doing this on purpose, aren't you!」
「...Wh-What did you say?」
As expected of Aneue. She hasn't been spoiling me
since I was nine for nothing. However, although she understood, Aneue
seemed very angry at my rude behavior.
「Did you test me? I heard rumors from
Highness Atomina, but I see...」
「Ashley, apologize. It's Big Sister's order; if you refuse, Big
Sister will cry, okay...?」
Begal is worthy
of trust. High-minded, and at least I found out from this that he has no
connection to the slave trade. Though since Aneue directed genuine teary
eyes at me, I ended up harboring deep guilt...
「Sorry, it was all an act. Ambassador
Begal, I tested whether you could be trusted.」
「Good grief... What an outrageous
brother. Though I'm not the type to be very polite either. ...Prince Ashley,
then I ask, for what purpose did you do this?」
「Ah, actually, I came here for the
exact opposite of the request just now. Now, where to start—yesterday, I was
eating a Katsu Sandwich outside the palace.」
「A Katsu Sandwich?!」
「Yeah, it was delicious.」
「Umu, I like them too.」
「You too? The Katsu Sandwiches there
are thick with meat.」
「Hoh! That is interesting...」
「Eh...? U-Umm umm, I don't think
that's it, Ashley-sama, Begal-sama!」
It was delicious, that Katsu Sandwich... Enough to make me
want to switch from Kebab Sandwiches.
「Yeah, and so—various things happened
and I protected a white wolf beastman named Yashu. She said she was
caught by kidnappers and brought to the Imperial Capital. I gave the
Katsu Sandwich to her.」
「You gave a Katsu Sandwich to
someone?!」
「I don't think that's the important
part, Begal-sama!」
No, thinking back now, it was a waste. If told I should just
go buy another one, that's that, but that's not the issue.
Sharing something you have on hand that you can eat anytime
with others. This requires the courage and decision to share joy.
「Well, that's how it is. I decided to
steal the kidnapped beastmen back from the human trafficking organization.」
「Umm... isn't the story jumping
suddenly?!」
「Oh my, is that so. Come to think of
it, I hadn't heard the detailed circumstances, fufufu...」
Never mind the reaction of the others,
Ambassador Begal, released from the spell of the Katsu Sandwich, opened
his eyes wide in surprise at my actions. Royalty saying something like this is
probably unprecedented.
「If I retrieve them, can you protect
them? If they wish, I want to return them to their country. For that, your
power is—ah, seems I don't even need to ask.」
My right arm was grasped by the lion's both hands. His
appearance is somewhat scary, but kind eyes stared at me, directing what you
could call passionate emotion.
「It is natural for General Georg
to trust you. To go that far for us. A huge difference from that Crown
Prince...」
「I don't need praise. Can you protect
them?」
「Of course! We cannot make a move
from our side, but if Ashley-sama
liberates our brethren, that's a different story. I will definitely escort them
to our home country!」
「Then it's decided. I can trust you,
right?」
「Yeah, leave it to me! I swear in the
name of Ambassador Begal. If you take back our brethren from those
shitheads, I will take responsibility and send them home! Just like Lord Georg,
the royalty of this country aren't to be discarded yet!」
Shaking hands firmly with the huge lion, although a bit
stifling, it turned out that way. No matter how rotten this country is, they
can't touch an ambassador of another country.
「By the way, if it's Katsu
Sandwiches, I have a recommendation. If it's okay with you, I'll draw a map of
the shop I mentioned earlier.」
「A man who understands... Please do.
Actually, I was dying of curiosity.」
「So we return to Katsu Sandwiches huh...」
Now, all that's left is to dig a hole and execute the
operation. I drew a map on a piece of paper in the room and handed it to him
with a note marked with an asterisk recommending the Kebab Sandwich too.
「Somehow I'm starting to want to eat
one too... Ashley, won't you stop by for a bit on the way back...? I
want to greet that auntie once too...」
「Please stop that, Aneue...
Before the fear of identity exposure, it's embarrassing.」
Thus, a surprise occurred where Princess Atomina
visited that usual cafe, enough to turn that town upside down. Needless to say,
I struggled to persuade her in the carriage not to mention me at all costs.
Atomina-aneue took a great liking to the Kebab Sandwich. Since she started saying she'll come to buy it again, I can't help but feel a troublesome connection has been born...
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