"Well then, without delay…….how do you plan on restraining those troublesome folks?"

"I will use all my power to protect [a certain general] from those troublesome folks from my country who have been taken for a ride by the troublesome folks of your country. Because the instant [a certain general] was to disappear, the troublesome folks of your country are sure to move actively…….conversely, as I have a personal relations.h.i.+p with [a certain general], I can seize his reins. That can be a source of relief for your country who sees him as a threat. In addition, if my country and your own had a connection like that between you and I, then do you not think that it would give rise to an advantage that could silence them?"

[A certain general]……[Tasmeria Kingdom's General Gazelle]. Gazelle's military prowess was well-known within the Rinmel Princ.i.p.ality. 

The Rinmel Princ.i.p.ality feared him, and as such, the diehard faction could not easily go to war.

Naturally, Gazelle's existence was none other than a nuisance to them.

And because they feared him as a menace, Gazelle's existence was a nuisance to the neutral faction as well.

On the other hand, unfortunately, the other n.o.bles in Tasmeria Kingdom cast envious eyes towards him, and thus there were those who schemed to sully his name.

……without knowing that there were those of Rinmel Princ.i.p.ality's diehard faction and neutral faction who were waiting for that.

That was precisely why, no matter what means I had to take, I would use my status as Prime Minister to put pressure on those people and protect Gazelle……that is what I declared here.

"……that is interesting."

"Conversely, how do you plan on silencing the troublesome folks of your country?"

"During this period of time, all of the Ducal houses have gathered in the Capital. During this time, I intend on opening a discussion, and was thinking of somehow stopping those troublesome folks but……"

"…..do you think that would stop the troublesome folks of your country?"

Maurice's words came to a halt at my question.

"First, there is something I would like to ask you……. Even if the opinions of the other Ducal Houses were to clash with your own, do you have an unwavering resolve to avoid conflict?"

"……that is quite an intrusive question."

"Yes. I wanted to ask how strong your feeling of wanting to avoid war is after all…….I believe that shows how important the thing I will be speaking of after this is."

"……I will turn that question back at you. Do you have such a resolve?"

"Yes, of course."

As I responded without a single moment's hesitation, Maurice was momentarily left speechless.

"You answered quite easily."

"……as you know, there was a war soon after I became Prime Minister. When the war broke out, I felt ashamed. The duty of the Prime Minister is to manage the government. All of that is for the sake of the country's peace……to protect the citizens of one's country. For that purpose, a stable administration is a given, and maintaining friendly relations with foreign countries is also demanded. To allow the sprouts of war to bud is outrageous…….and in front of the ravages of war, I cursed my own incompetence from the bottom of my heart."

In an instant, I unconsciously ridiculed myself.

It was a deep seed of regret within me.

……really, what 'reputed' Prime MInister?

I exposed the citizens right under my nose that I should've protected, and the country itself, to danger.

……however, that is precisely why I will no longer waver.

"Never again will I allow a war to occur. Including the military officers, I will protect the innocent people, and the country……even if I come to be called a demon for that."

Maurice faintly laughed at my words.

"……unfortunately, I feel the most pride in the blood that flows through my veins."

I silently listened to the words spun in his gentle voice.

"The blood of my house has ruled over the Grindal region for generations even before the founding of the Rinmel Princ.i.p.ality, and has continued to protect the people who lived in our lands……are you aware? In the Duke Grindal domain, there is a custom to train one's body from a young age remaining."

"I am aware…….if I recall correctly, you train your own mind and body through martial arts?"

"As expected of Romel-dono…….yes, that is right. That is evidence that the people have protected that land themselves. The citizens that live in the Duke Grindal domain also love that land, and as such, have continued to protect it with my house…….and that continues even now. I want to live up to that. To me, the number one thing to be prioritized are the people who live in the Duke Grindal domain. Even if doing that may be wrong as a Duke of the Rinmel Princ.i.p.ality."

Once Maurice closed his mouth, silence fell upon the surroundings.

As if to slice through that silence, I opened my mouth.

"……I see. I have certainly seen your resolve. That being the case, I will tell you…….Alf, that doc.u.ment, if you will."

"Understood."

Alf, who was standing in wait next to me, handed me the doc.u.ment.

"……this is proof that the Baskar Ducal House of your country has been conducting human trafficking."

"Wh……!"

"If I am not mistaken, human trafficking is prohibited even within your country……is my understanding of that correct?"

"Of course! Just why in the world would they do such a thing……."

His hands trembling from anger, Maurice glanced through the doc.u.ment.

There, the evidence of human trafficking occurring was recorded down.

Maurice's bloodshot eyes stared at it so intently, his gaze could burn a hole through the paper. Eventually, perhaps because he had finished reading it, his eyes departed from the doc.u.ment and he let out a deep sigh.

And then, he made a wry smile.

"……as expected. The circ.u.mstances of our country have already been laid completely bare by your capable subordinates."

He spat that out in a rather crude manner, but that just went to show how disturbed Maurice had become.

"……while it is embarra.s.sing to admit, with regards to this matter, some of the troublesome folks of our country are involved."

"……hah?"

"As you are aware, to the east of the Baskar Ducal House is the Sligar House, and to the west is the Crow House…….naturally, in order to go to other countries domestically requires one to go through either of those House's territories. However, they would easily be caught if they did that."

Perhaps the true meaning of my words came across, as Maurice steadily lifted his head to meet my eyes.

"Perhaps you have already understood…….to avoid that, the Baskar Ducal House utilized our country, which lies directly adjacent south of them. They bribed the lord of the territory of our country that was next to them, and have been using our country to bring their merchandise outside of the country. When I was investigating a separate case, I noticed an unusual exchange of money and flow of people……and that doc.u.ment is the result of the investigation once we followed its course."

……while my words held no falsehoods, there's no way I could inform him of the truth of the matter.

It was true that as stated, the doc.u.ment I handed him contained information obtained by following the route running through Tasmeria Kingdom.

However, the reason why I originally grasped that human trafficking was occurring, was, as Maurice pointed out, due to the capable shadows I had lying dormant in Rinmel Princ.i.p.ality.

The reason why I didn't tell him that was because I judged it to be unnecessary to expose that much of my hand, and because it would make Maurice's impression towards me and Tasmeria Kingdom worse. 

Otherwise, I would not have taken the time and effort to obtain information via another route.

Although, thanks to that I managed to grasp evidence of the fraud on the n.o.ble who was under suspicion as his territory had an unusually large flow of people in addition to rather large expenditures compared to his base tax revenue. Thus, it was two birds. .h.i.t with one stone on the matter.

"……as I thought, Romel-dono is the owner of a wonderfully discerning eye."

Saying that, Maurice's tone of voice became a little softer.

"I am honoured that you would say that."

I laughed while responding to his words.

Perhaps Maurice was also infected by my laughter as he momentarily gave a brief smile……but that soon changed into a gloomy expression.

"……it seems that I also must resolve myself."

When he murmured that, however, a determined light dwelled within his eyes.

"The resolve to give Duke Sligar and Duke Baskar their funeral rites……."

Maurice smiled as he held out his hand.

"Allow me to give you my thanks, Romel-dono. My heart has decided. I will put the information you gave me to good use…….in the future, I hope to continue building a friendly relations.h.i.+p with you."

I unhesitatingly took the hand of Maurice as he said that.

"……I feel the same, Maurice-dono. And, if possible, I hope to build a similar relations.h.i.+p that I have with you on the national level as well."

"Hou……that is interesting. If it's you, then you're already thinking of a course of action for the future, are you not? I would love to hear about that in more detail."

And then, after exchanging a firm handshake, we began to talk about the non-aggression treaty that I had considered