215 – Summit (1)
A warm, sunny morning.
I leaned back comfortably on the sofa, listening to the birds chirping outside the window.
“…Hmm.”
Danya is lying on my lap.
As I stroke her tail and head, she naturally calms down.
– Slurp. Slurp.
It is peaceful.
I feel infinitely languid and fluffy.
It is so calm that it feels like being in the eye of a typhoon.
To be exact, this feeling is…
“It seems like he’s close to a time limit.”
Rather than that, the future is a predetermined fate.
From the moment the ‘Heresy Inquisitor’ targeted me, the future was decided.
That’s why.
— Knock.
I wasn’t that surprised by the sudden knocking sound.
I carefully put Danya down and stood up from the sofa.
“Hmm.”
Luckily she didn’t break. You must have had a hard time last night, so I want to let you sleep a little more.
I muffled the sound of my footsteps and opened the door.
The person standing in front of the door was a completely unexpected person.
“Vice President?”
Iris Rippenstein.
The Liechten Academy Vice President was raising his eyes coldly.
“Mr. Ian Black Angus.”
She nodded her head lightly.
It was probably her own greeting.
I also briefly nodded and asked.
“What’s going on here? There’s no reason for the vice-student president to come all the way here.”
“I did not come today as the vice president of the student council.”
“Then?”
Glance.
She passes her gaze into her club room.
I slowly moved my body to block Iris’ gaze.
I don’t think anything good will happen if Danya is found sleeping inside.
Of course, there are no procedural problems as Danya received permission to stay out –
‘Still, he is an infinitely disciplined person.’
It is best to be careful in front of Iris.
“… Hmm.”
She is still looking up at me with her suspicious face. After making a groaning sound for a moment as if she was thinking about it, Iris opened her mouth.
“Well, it’s not important right now. I came today not as the vice president of the student council, but as a member of Liechten’s ruling family, the Rippensteins.”
Lichten selects a ruling family once every four years.
And she usually belongs to the Riepenstein family.
That’s why Iris Rippenstein.
This child’s influence is by no means low even within the city-state of Liechten.
Because he is one of the few people who can talk directly with the Riepenstein family, the ruler of Liechten, at any time.
“So what makes him such a great person?”
Did my words sound too rough?
Iris looked up at me.
“You seemed like a really good person, and then you seemed like you weren’t… And then you weren’t. Rather than that.”
What Iris held out was a single document.
An orderly document that looks like an official document at a glance.
[Attendance Notice]
— Persons receiving this notice are hereby notified to attend the 12th meeting of the Liechten Governing Council. See below for date, time and location.
The document written in a dry tone is as if ‘If you don’t come, you will be caught and brought in.’ It had the same vibe.
“It is as written in the document. Since it is a high-level meeting, only a few people, including the mayor, will participate, so there is nothing to worry about. The location is…”
Iris explains clearly and clearly.
It was as if the atmosphere of this official document itself was felt by Iris.
Perhaps the person named Iris can be expressed in an official document like this.
Anyway, I don’t know why I’m thinking this. It’s quite annoying. While I was enjoying the languor for the first time in a while, I suddenly came across this document…
“Mr. Ian.”
Anyway, at the Liechten high-level meeting, big names will gather. Is this a meeting in which the Empire is also participating? It’s getting more and more annoying. Of course, if you think about the story…
“Mr. Ian.”
“Ah, yes.”
“Where is your mind? Please concentrate.”
“… I’m sorry.”
Iris continued her explanation with an extremely cold look in her eyes that said, ‘Try to say it one more time.’
“I know you want to get some rest, but you have to attend a high-level meeting.”
“That’s a very polite request.”
“Mr. Ian’s presence at this high-level meeting is very important. In fact, the mayor nominated him to bring you.”
“… The market?”
“Yes. This high-level meeting is a behind-the-scenes summit meeting involving both the Empire and Holy Constantine. We ask Mr. Ian to cooperate in the most cautious manner possible.”
Empire – A working-level meeting behind the scenes of Holy Constantine.
In other words, under the nomination of the mayor of Liechten, I am participating in a meeting that will change the situation of the continent.
According to Iris, that’s a pretty important qualification.
How can someone who is barely a cadet participate in such an important meeting? It truly is an honor.
‘Glory is sh*t.’
For the first time in a while, and in some ways for the last time, I tried to take a break and guess what? Summit working-level meeting?
“I’ll be waiting for you, so get ready and come out.”
My head hurts as I think about the fight between the Empire and Holy Constantine, which is already drawing to a close.
‘… Well, it’s a great opportunity.’
Muttering, muttering.
As I was getting ready, Danya suddenly opened her eyes and looked at me.
“… Where are you going, Ian?”
“To the Liechten headquarters for a moment.”
“Eh…?”
“It won’t be anything special, so don’t worry.”
After I finished getting dressed, I tried to say hello to Danya and gave her a tight hug.
“Eh?”
Danya, who was confused for a moment, wrapped her tail around him.
“I’ll be back.”
“… Have a nice trip.”
Hugging Danya was a pretty wise decision.
◆
The street was somehow cool.
Iris and I walked to southern Liechten, to the center of the administrative district.
“Can’t we take a carriage or something to the meeting hall?”
“No. It’s all taxes.”
“……”
Most of this coolness is probably due to the iris.
Or maybe my body was just weird.
As I walked along grumbling like that, I soon arrived at the entrance of the Liechten headquarters.
“Please state your name and purpose of visit.”
Securities blocking our path.
Then he looked at Iris’s face and immediately stood at attention.
“Lady Iris’s identity has been confirmed. You may enter.”
“Thank you.”
Iris looks back at me as she enters the door.
‘Let me in too.’
As I make that mouth gesture, Iris points to me with her finger.
“This person is a visitor participating in the conference. Please verify his/her identity thoroughly.”
“…?”
I looked at Iris with a puzzled expression for a moment.
“Yes!”
The guards come straight to me with an answer.
They asked.
“Could you please tell us your ID card and the purpose of your visit? Also, the identity verification process…”
Hmm.
I turned her head to the side and looked behind her, avoiding the guard’s face.
Iris, who was glancing at me and slightly raising the corners of her mouth, quickly looks at her distant mountain.
With a sigh, I took out the pass given by the emperor from her inner pocket.
“Ah, ah! I’m sorry.”
Next step!
The guards stand at attention so that even their feet can be heard.
As I walked inside the door, I faced Iris with a surprised expression.
“What just happened?”
“… I’m sorry.”
Iris bowed her head.
“I would like to see Ian in trouble at least once. I thought you would enjoy it.”
“What was that situation like earlier?”
“Isn’t a joke supposed to be funny only if it’s difficult?”
“Was that a joke just now?”
“Yes. It’s an unexpected situation. If you get into trouble, I can help you. It’s a perfect joke.”
“You really look German.”
“… German?”
“No.”
I scratched my cheek.
If it’s her own joke, there’s nothing to say.
I’m really sorry, so I can’t be angry.
I felt a little bit of his will to become closer to me.
‘Anyway.’
I raised my head.
Somewhat far from the ‘head office’ of Liechten.
The building where the high-level meeting would be held was in front of us.
Unlike other frugal and practical buildings, this is a place that feels luxurious. Pure white and majestic marble pillars and gold leaf decorating the exterior of the building. The exterior of the building, carved out with elegant curves, was luxurious enough to be a place where high-level meetings would take place.
“Let’s go in.”
I’m sure it’s not my mistake that Iris’s eyebrows seem frowned at first glance.
From Noble mtl dot com
You’re probably thinking about what to do with the people’s tax money.
I also reflexively had that thought.
Security at the building was more stringent.
No. Should I call it an expense? Soldiers were lined up in a row, guarding the surroundings.
“Relations between the two countries are not good these days.”
“Because of the succession to the imperial throne?”
“… You know very well. It’s surprising. The first princess has been actively using the Holy See recently. The remaining forces are rallying against her. The people of the empire are also on her side.”
That’s right.
But that is only an element of conflict that appears ‘on the surface’.
“… Well, it’s different on the inside.”
“Tricked?”
Iris tilts her head while looking at me.
There was no need to answer.
If you look into the truth, there is an organization that is causing strife between the two countries.
Those who benefit the most when war breaks out between two countries.
That is Shaleam Bridge.
Because an opportunity is created to devour the empire in one fell swoop.
Walk like that for a while.
“Hmm. Are you Ian Black Angus?”
A middle-aged man with white hair and a deep voice welcomed me.
Marketplace of Liechten.
It was Count Rippenstein.