Chapter 145

145 . Sway Back

"What? Viscount Yamano will not come?" (King)

"Yes, she said she was suddenly not feeling well..." (Marquis Mitchel)

Ten days later, Count Wonrade and Viscount Efred attended another party, but they were unable to find Viscount Yamano, who was supposed to be present .

"... it cannot be helped . Human cannot resist every illness . She left homeland, live alone in another country where the water and food are different, it is not strange for her to get sick . Well, we've come here anyway, let's use this chance to talk to everyone . As a nobleman of this Kingdom [Count Wonrade] . It may be good to do this occasionally . Marquis Mitchel, please convey to Viscount Yamano to be careful about her condition and not to suffer any serious illness . " (King)

"As you wish!" (Marquis Mitchel)

For His Majesty the King... No, for Count Wonrade, he is free to attend any party regardless of the factions, whether it is the army or the navy faction . So, he can just wait for the next opportunity . That was all .

"What? The viscount is absent again?" (King)

"Yes, she is having her monthly visitor, she said..." (Marquis Mitchel)

"A-Aah, I got it . Although she is still a child, she's a woman . It cannot be helped..." (King)

If it's not an illness, there is no problem . All he has to do is just to change the date . It is no problem if he can meet a few days late... is what the king was thinking .

...

"What? She is unavailable today too?" (King)

...

"She's absent this time too? What's the meaning of this!!" (King)

Viscount Yamano is not absent from all parties . If so, then there may be some reason other than getting ill . However, it seems that she was attending the parties where the King and the Prince were absent due to public affairs or political consideration .

Even if it was coincidence, the odds are too perfectly aligned . At this point, not only the nobles, but the king has realized it too .

"We're being avoided, huh..." (King)

Right, every time Mitsuha received the party invitation, she consulted with Marquis Mitchel whether she should attend or not, if she decided to attend, she would send a reply to the party organizer, saying [I may be absent suddenly on the day of the party because I'm not feeling well recently . Even so, if that's alright with you...] . And later that day, she would have the hired messenger boy to send a letter, not to the party organizers, but directly to the party practitioners, asking [Will Count Wonrade and Viscount Efred be present?] .

... as a result, there were parties that attended by Viscount Yamano as scheduled, and there were parties that received a notice stating that she will be absent due to sudden illness .

If this is repeated many times, information will flow even among the nobles, and then the conditions for [when Viscount Yamano is absent] will be confirmed . ...Right, it is [Whenever Count Wonrade and Viscount Efred are present] .

Normally, it is a tremendous honor for the party organizers, if the king and the prince come to the party even if they're in incognito . ...Right, IF it's [Normal] .

Everyone knows that the purpose of this [Incognito Rush] is to [make contact as an ordinary noble] with Viscount Yamano . With this, the organizer cannot boast the fact that His Majesty has visited their party . And officially, It's just attendance of [Count Wonrade] anyway .

...that means, the nobles would have replied [NO] to the question [Would you like the attendance of [Count Wonrade] in exchange of the attendance of Viscount Yamano?] .

"How did this happen..." (King)

Although he was a level-headed king, he still blamed himself for the stupid idea like [Pretending to be an ordinary nobleman] and the stupid misconception his son has made .

"How did this happeeeeeenn!!!!!" (King)

(Mitsuha's POV)

I came to the port city!!

Yes, the port city where the naval base is located .

My objective is that ship, ummm... . Oh there it is, the latest ship [Leviathan] . One two three... there are 32-guns on one side, so there is no doubt that that is the latest 64-guns ship!

Just like the last time, I sit on the same bench...

I waited for about an hour and a half but soldier-kun did not come . There's no way that it would be that convenient huh .

Well, we haven't made a promise, so it's natural . I thought that they will always go outside around the same time if it's their day off . Well, I don't know when their day off is, though it would be nice if the lower sailor could go outside once or twice a week .

Well, let's take it easy .

Oh, sailors other than soldier-kun started talking to me several times... persistently .

I told them that I was waiting for someone, but then they asked to let them accompany me while I wait, so I talked with them on the bench, but nobody was as knowledgeable, gentlemanly, polite and interesting as soldier-kun . As expected, meeting with soldier-kun was a beginner's luck huh...

No, of course, there are many older officers who are much more knowledgeable than soldier-kun .

After about 20 to 30 minutes, all the boys said something like [The person you're waiting for doesn't seem to be coming, so what about going with me instead...], but I said, [I can't do that!], while pretending to be upset .

And if soldier-kun doesn't show up after one and a half hour, withdraw . The soldiers will definitely pass through this place after they disembarked from the ships, so if soldiers-kun doesn't show up, that means today is not his day off .

The first day and the second day were vain attempt, and the third day come .

"Mitsuha-chan!" (Soldier-kun)

Running from the other side while shouting... Ooh, this is the soldier-kun that I haven't seen for so long .

"Long time no see!" (Mitsuha)

"Mi-Mitsuha-chan..." (Soldier-kun)

A soldier who is running out of breath because he was sprinting all the way here .

Huh? Speaking of which, soldier-kun was running straight from a distance where my face would still be indistinguishable, he ran straight as if he already knew it was me...

"Umm, how do you know I'm here..." (Mitsuha)

"A-Aah, I heard from my senior who landed yesterday [There is a beautiful girl with exotic features waiting for her lover to return from the sea], then I absolutely think it must be Mitsuha-chan..." (Soldier-kun)

Oh, beautiful girl he said! Alright, let's ask soldier-kun to deliver a souvenir for that senior .

Anyway, this is the only way to fill the gaps in the information I acquired from the big-wigs of naval faction... no, from soldier-kun perspective they're [The People above the Clouds] . Right, that is today's objective, and, well, something like maintaining connection with soldier-kun .

Well then, toward the store, Let's go!!

...tte, the glances from soldier-kun's coevals who are around 5 - 6 years older than him are...

Soldier-kun, weren't you afraid to be seen by your senior? Somehow, you looks very proud, but are you going to be okay? I mean, after you returned to the boat...

And since I came without breakfast today, I gathered information while having a light meal .

"So that was the extent of the first training voyage huh... Then, in real battle, how many opponents it can handle and how long until it run out of cannonball and gunpowder?" (Mitsuha)

"The guns are the same, so the performance is the same as the 40-guns ship two generation ago? But the difference between the number of guns and the strength of the hull is overwhelmingly advantageous? I see..." (Mitsuha)

It is somewhat different than what I get from the bigwigs .

And even though the former POWs have been naturalized as citizens of our country, they seemed to think it was like a betrayal if they talk about detrimental information of their home country where their family and friends live . Their mouths were heavier when we asked the information beyond the general knowledge .

It is not easy to force them to talk, and it would be inconvenient if they talked sloppily, but we've heard everything that they voluntarily talked . Well, we compared what everyone says, and there are still various inconsistencies...

Well, the lower sailors do not know anything anyway, and even if they are officers, they are the likes of people who bet on such a gamble-like voyage, so it kinda wrong to expect more from them . And it's been quite a while since they left their homeland too .

That's why, soldier-kun who is willing to share the latest information is the most reliable source .

Okay, just as planned, let's hand over the prepared present to him . It's a folding knife from earth, I'm sure sailors will have the opportunity to use it .