A while after the news programme ended, the broadcast receiver placed on the plaza in a corner of Vannes was showing a pair of man and woman. The man was a young man wearing a black tuxedo while the woman was a young dark elf girl in a red dress. In contrast to the man who was standing magnificently, the woman was looking tense. Right then, one of the audience said, oi, isnt the man Elfriedens King? and in response, those who had seen the Elfrieden Army enter Vannes said things like thats right! I saw him when he entered!, or thats Elfriedens King Soma! or theres no mistaking him!.

Not knowing that he was being talked about like that, Soma put on a gentle expression and put a 20 cm long thing with a rounded end 1 to his mouth and said [Good evening].

[Songs accompany the world and the world accompanies Song. There are songs that are handed down through the ages]

[W, wait, whats that line!? Thats not what we rehearsed, right!?]

Looks like that line was ad-libbed and confused the young girl.

[Im this shows presenter Souma Kazuya]

[Hang on, Aisha, dont be so tense. Smile, smile]

[Well, Im a presenter here. Cant put on airs just because Im the king, can I?]

[Whoops, my bad]

Soma made a light joke and Aisha became the butt of it. An Elfriedenian would have looked at those two warmly with a smile, but the people of Amidonia had perplexed faces on. They have heard that Soma was the one who ingeniously trifled with the brave Gaius VIII and valiantly killed him 2. They could not associate that courageous and wise King with the young man who was teasing the dark elf they were seeing on the broadcast.

His highness the Prince lost to this?

But why? Vannes already surrendered, didnt we?

Well, thats hm, I wonder why?

Away from the bewildered residents of Vannes, Soma continued his presenting.

[Now then, this broadcast is Elfriedens first ever Music Programme. We have gathered ladies with all different kinds of singing voices of for this broadcast. These three are all wonderful talents, exactly what Id call Lorelei]

This was the moment when the term that was this worlds equivalent of idol, the [Lorelei] was conceived.

[This programme was brought to relieve all you who are tired after a days work. Please have a listen to the Loreleis songs to the end and relax]

[Dont mind it. Anyway, its your line next, Aisha]

Prompted by Soma, Aisha flusteredly continued.

[Ummm We have three singers today but Elfrieden is currently recruiting those of you who are proud of your singing voices. M, myananyawyomya 3 ]

[Q, quiet down please. Umm men and women of all ages, self-recommended or otherwise are allowed]

[Thats a monsters name already. It doesnt need to be related to the sea, right? Ah, um anyone whos proud of their singing voice and anyone who loves to sing can apply for an audition at a Lorelei branch store in a city near you]

[Why are you surprised Your Highness!?

[By the way, the main store is the one in Lagoon city]

[The one in Parnam is a branch store!?]

Someone in the audience in Vannes giggled as Soma did his retort. That person hurriedly covered his mouth. He thought he might get beaten up by the others if they saw him laugh seeing a broadcast. That was why the plaza in Vannes had been wrapped in a tense air for a while. Not knowing the tension in Vannes plaza, Soma continued.

[Now then, lets call them in. The first Lorelei is a legal loli hobbit with the looks of a young girl but the heart of an adult, miss Pamille Caroll!]

[Now then, lets hear it for Pamille Caroll with Koi no Dig Dug 4 !]

As Soma said that, a somewhat carefree tune played. At the same time, the broadcast projected the image of a balcony in a wide hall. There stood a lovely young girl who looked about twelve years of age clad in a dress with lots of frills attached. This must be the Pamille Caroll he was talking about. Pamille brought both her hands over her chest and began singing in a bell-like voice that matches her appearance.

A lovely young girl singing in a lovely voice. Seeing the spectacle, the people of Amidonia thought, cute, but they didnt question whether the song was good or bad, they were just perplexed. The Royal Broadcast was showing a young girl singing. Was the scene happening before their eyes real or not?

Whats with that girl. Shes really cute

Dont ask me. Like Id know that

Is this kind of thing normal in Elfrieden?

Conversations of such nature were exchanged all over the place. Is this the difference in culture between Elfrieden and Amidonia? Was the King of Elfrieden the one who produced this broadcast? The people in the citiy of Vannes occupied by Elfrieden received a particularly big shock.

I see were in Elfrieden now

Someone from the audience muttered that. That nonchalant remark spread among the audience like water soaking into parched soil.

Vannes is now Elfrieden Kingdom territory, is it?

Which means were no longer in Amidonia anymore?

Huh, so theres no problem with showing this kind of broadcast anymore?

Meanwhile, in a different place from the confused people of Vannes, the broadcast continued. Pamille sang her song to the end while scattering her charm, then Soma and Aisha came back on stage.

[And that was miss Pamille Caroll with Koi no Dig Dug. I must say ~ music is really nice, isnt it]

[Now then, continuing on to the next song, lets have the next talent sing us a song full of spirit. Her best part is her volume forged singing sailors songs in men-infested fishing grounds. A simple cat-eared girl born in the Nine Headed Dragon Archipelago. Nanna Kamidzuki]

[Now lets give it for Nanna Kamidzuki with Love Song Sagashite 5]

[Ah, so youre completely letting it pass ]

The next singer to appear was the lively cat-eared young girl Nanna Kamidzuki in a light punk costume. Her healty limbs liberally exposed by her sleeveless top and short pants and her peeking navel drew out her charm that was lovely despite its androgynity. As Nanna began to sing she jumped down from the balcony.

Wha!?

H, hey

That scene made the audience hold their breaths, it was probably something not rehearsed. They noticed the fixed orb hurriedly being moved. Her singing voice continued so there was no problem but for a while Nanna wasnt showing on the broadcast. When she finally returned, Nanna looked to be enjoying herself dancing on the stairs underneath. As the audience sighed in relief, they were drawn into her song and dance.

Good on you missy! More!

The songs good too, huh. It feels lively and bright

Having gotten used to it by the second performance, those voices came out from among the packed audience at Vannes. A young girl was enjoying herself singing and dancing. Every man who saw it would enjoy himself too. Unexpectedly, however, the women of Amidonia were more shocked than the men. Their attentions were focused on Nannas fashion show.

Isnt she cold wearing that?

But looking like that isnt she afraid shed be yelled at for leading men astray?

The Principality of Amidonia was first and foremost a military focused country. The men are expected to be strong more than anything, and the women modest and supportive of them. For that reason, besides in formal occasions, women werent allowed to dress up. The reason was that by dressing up, they would entice men and become a source of weakness, which was troubling. To say nothing about wearing those clothes that expose lots of skin 6 and standing in public view, that might have had gotten her arrested for upsetting the public morals.

I suppose she wouldnt get arrested in Elfrieden

how nice

But women who wanted to be beautiful, women who wanted to dress up exist across national borders and ethnic boundaries. They wanted something like Pamilles frilly dress earlier and Nannas open costume now. If they could, they also wanted to try wearing that and dancing. Their clothing lit a spark of fire in the hearts of the Amidonian women. Especially those who lived in Vannes.

Were not in Amidonia anymore, right?

We could, couldnt we? The angry soldiers all left the city anyways

It ended up becoming that conversation. By the time Nannas lively song ended, applause erupted from the audience. Nobody worried about whether Soma was trying to win them over any longer. That was how much they enjoyed the show. When Nannas song ended, the broadcast temporarily cut off. They were probably putting the orb back in its place. After a while the broadcast came back on and showed the wryly smiling Soma and Aisha.

[ we underestimated Nannas liveliness]

[I never thought that in an age where doing manzai with a mic was commonplace there would be someone who would introduce a 55-skits-legend-like overaction where you jump out of the frame of a fixed camera My, Nanna Kamidzuki, such a frightening child]

[Now let us return to the show. And for the moment youve all been waiting for. Its now finally time for our countrys prided Prima Lorelei to make her appearance]

[Miss Juna, shes been popular since her first broadcast hasnt she]

Thinking back to it, Juna Doma had completely become Elfriedens top songstress ever since the second Royal Broadcast. She was unveiled at the time of the Personnel Gathering Awards Ceremony to buy time to listen to Tomoe, and she became the charming host during the foodstuff gathering too, so her fame and popularity was going through the roof. Juna faced the popularity with a wry smile saying Im also a commissioned officer in the navy too, though.

[ the National Assembly sent me a petition letter saying please broadcast Junas singing voice more, which of course weirded me out]

[. Well then lets hear it for Juna Doma with Lights ~ Haruka naru Tabidachi 7]

[What was that pause just now?]

The screen showed Soma looking the other way while Aisha was glaring at him and faded out, in their place appeared the blue haired beauty Juna Doma. She was wearing a piece of fabric wrapped around her upper body while her lower body was clad in a pair of puffy white pants that tightened around her ankles. There was a thin silken veil covering her face, making her look like a dancer straight out of the world of 1001 nights. Her beauty captivated the men and women of the audience, and when her voice finally came out, Elfriedenians and Amidonians alike swallowed their breaths.

The audience now knew what Soma meant when he said Prima Lorelei. Junas voice was not like Pamilles voice that carried a unique character. However, her intonation that was overflowing with expressive power was seared in their memories deeper than Pamilles did. Also, while the volume of her voice was far from Nannas volume that was forged in the fishing grounds, but her graceful intonations permeated deeper into their hearts. The audience were convinced, Juna Doma was without peer in history, the number one Lorelei of this age.

The Amidonian members of the audience were completely mesmerized by the three songstresses. So the Royal Broadcast could be this much fun, they thought. At this point, nobody cared whether this was a means by Soma to win them over any longer. It was an overused expression, but music is the act of enjoying sounds 8. That was why nobody noticed Somas intent.

There was only one exception.

That king. He plays dirty

In a plaza in the fortress town [Nerva] at the southwestern edge of Amidonia, one person who was blending in with the audience watching the broadcast muttered. That person was hiding themselves by wearing a hooded cloak and their expression was unreadable. What was clear was that the person was a slight bit smaller compared to the other members of the audience and that they were female judging from the tone of their voice. There was another person next to the hooded woman, who was dressed in the same way as her but had a larger build (though they were just at the average height of an adult male). They asked her.

Playing dirty, is it?

Aye, dirty. He suddenly gies the people what Faither took awa from them. Julius cannae hope tae get his rights back now 9

Well, tha might be guid for the folk tho, the hooded girl shrugged her shoulders. The hooded man standing next to her looked at her confused.

Um, Princess. What did His Highness Gaius take away?

Whut else? O course its [freedom], Colbert-han

The hooded little girl was Gaius VIIIs daughter Roroa Amidonia and the hooded man was the former Finance Minister Colbert who hid himself together with Roroa. Roroa pointed at the broadcast and said

Ye dinnae think tha Amidonia will ever be usin the Royal Broadcast like that, dressin the bonnie lasses up an lettin the lads go ooh an aah over them dye? Faither dinna like tae spread tha kinda weakness around ye see. But that King wants showin the folk tha Elfrieden allows tha sort o thing

In other words, he showed them freedom

Colbert answered, to which Roroa clapped her hands, aye, exactly.

Och aye. Thas why he plays dirty. Freedom is free. Soma willna hurt any gieing them that, but theyll fight back if we take that awa from them. Dye think that right awful brother will gie them [freedom] after borrowin the Empires power tae get Vannes back? Aye right! He willna fash over the folk rebellin, thars sure goin tae be chaos

Thas how is lookin in ma eyes

Colbert widened his eyes. This little girl in front of him, who if you took away her cloak would look just like a cute little tanuki, was able to accurately guess the aim of Soma who led Gaius VIII by the nose. If the Lord of Amidonia werent Gaius or Julius but Roroa, would the future of Amidonia have been different? Theres no mistaking it, is there. That realization vexed Colbert. However, the person herself, Roroa, wasnt even thinking like that at all.

Well hes not an enemy Faither can win against. Thats cause Faither dinna ken anythin outwith the battlefield . Sheesh no matter how many times A told him tha if we dinnae stimulate consumption an revitalize the economy well stay in depression, but he never listens

Hearing Roroa anguishedly talk, Colbert flusteredly said.

Um, Princess about your Father

Ach, dinna fash yerself. Am not all tha fasht anyway

The other day Amidonia had just been crushed by Elfrieden in battle and word reached Roroa that her father Gaius VIII had been killed by Elfriedens King Soma Kazuya. But in contrast to the worried Colbert, Roroa only waved her hands.

A wonder why, tho, whan A heard Faither died A dinna feel sad at all. So evn in the end A cannae get along wi Faither and Julius, eh

If pushed tae say Id say it wis more shockin tha A wisna shocked. Afore grudging Soma for killin Faither Am rather more curious abou him. The way he restored tha old-fashioned country an the way he used the Royal Broadcast A wonder whut sort o world he was aifter livin in. A wanna go and meet wi him. Colbert-han, am A cauld-hearted?

A pair of uneasy eyes peeked out from under the hood. Those teary eyes looked just like an abandoned puppy. Seeing Roroa like that, Colbert shook his head, no!

Princess is not like Gaius, you truly were thinking for this country! Thats why you feel closer to Soma who also thinks for the people rather than Gaius or Julius who puts policy and ideology first! That is the sign that youre the true Princess of this country!

Colbert rattled on and on, and Roroa who shouldve had a look like an abandoned puppy, said:

Really? Guid than

Then she giggled.

(W, wait, was that crocodile tears!?)

Of course, even the gentle Colbert was angered, but he held himself back. Thats because both ways are possible with Roroa. This girl is capable of both acting like she was sad or acting like she wasnt sad even though she really was. Only Roroa herself knew what was inside her heart. Colbert had known her long enough to understand that, being one of the few people who shared his economic sense. Which is why Colbert refrained from saying anything.

Looking at Colbert, Roroa smiled. She took his arm and began to walk.

Come now, we hafta hurry as well. Soma is movin a lot faster than A thought

O, okay!

As she walked, Roroa turned her head back. She saw Somas face in the projection and smiled.

(Am not lettin ye do a quickie 10 on this country an run away whan you please. Am goin tae git ye tae take proper responsibility. Git ready, Soma)