Side Story Episode 2 2024.06.
2
1. “His Majesty has insomnia?” When she asked back in surprise, the physician readily nodded. “That is correct.” He was someone with deep ties to Claudel, from when she had suffered the accident of being bitten by a crocodile, to Herzol’s treatment, and even to the examinations when she was pregnant with Julien. Ordinarily, they were comfortable enough to share tea without much formality and carry on conversations close to idle chatter, but today, as he said he was worried about Kaian’s health, his face was very grave. ‘I called him because my leg hurt.’ Julien had grown quite a bit, and he was beginning to insist on toddling around wherever he pleased. Following after the baby, there were many times when she could not walk slowly at her own pace. Perhaps because of that, the leg that had caused her little inconvenience after rehabilitation had lately been throbbing and aching from time to time, so she had summoned the physician. ‘Kaian can’t sleep?’ The moment she wondered if something was wrong with his health, she could no longer even feel the pain in her leg that had been bothering her. “Since when?” Kaian always came to her bedchamber and slept with her, but lately, there had been many days when she fell asleep while putting Julien to bed, so for some time she had not had a chance to talk with him at night. “It seems to have been about three or four weeks.” “And despite such a thing, you did not report it sooner?” Since he also watched over Julien’s health, she saw the physician often even when nothing particular had happened. Yet the fact that he had not told her anything about Kaian in the meantime made Claudel feel betrayed. “His Majesty commanded that it was nothing serious and that I need not say anything to Your Majesty.” “Haa.” A sigh escaped Claudel on its own. “If such a thing was happening, should you not have dissuaded His Majesty from traveling far from the palace?” At her reproach, the physician closed his mouth. And for good reason: almost every week, Kaian had been setting schedules of one, two, or three days to go far by ship, or to ride out on horseback within the Rowen domain. With spring’s busy farming season upon them, it was the time that would determine Rowen’s harvest for the year, so he was busier than ever these days. “I apologize, Your Majesty.” “To think he has been unwell for so long. Has there been no improvement from treatment?” “As he was born with an exceptionally healthy constitution, he said he did not wish to take medicine, so we have been using remedies such as tea and compresses.” “One must not take inborn health lightly.” Claudel sprang to her feet. “I must go see His Majesty at once.” In the end, the physician had effectively disobeyed Kaian’s order, so his face looked somewhat gloomy. But as he, too, could not make Kaian take medicine when he refused, he had sought Claudel’s help; therefore, he quietly kept his mouth shut. *** Seated opposite the desk in the office were three officials, each dressed differently. From the men who had ridden under the blazing sun all through the long journey came the rich scent of earth. Looking down at the map, densely marked here and there with numbers, Kaian murmured as if to himself. “Repairing the roads anew is costing more than I expected.” The main roads were each focused on leading from their respective territories to the capital of the Kingdom of Oberon. As such, exchange between Rowen Castle and the territories that had agreed to join in founding the new nation needed to be active, but because there had not yet been much traffic between them, there were quite a few places where the roads were poor. “Does Rowen not simply rest in winter without farming? If we set people to work during the agricultural off-season and pay them wages, I believe the cost could be reduced.” “Then we would be unable to even begin construction until summer and autumn have passed.” Just as Kaian was deep in thought—knock, knock. From outside the office door, an attendant announced, “Your Majesty. Her Majesty the Queen requests an audience.” “Now?” The door opened, and Claudel entered the office. Over the Rowen-style dress she had once worn comfortably, instead of an overskirt, she wore a thin outer garment in the form of a lace gown, with her waist elegantly emphasized by a sash. It was a design Madame Marcel had painstakingly created in order to express a dignity different from her days as the lord’s lady while still pursuing comfort in daily life. The fluttering lace had the effect of drawing the eye, and the puffed sleeves and skirt suited Claudel’s slender figure so well that, when she appeared, it created the illusion that the dark atmosphere of the office had grown bright. “Ah!” At the sight of Claudel, the three men sprang to their feet almost simultaneously and bowed their heads. “Be at ease.” Claudel nodded, accepting their greetings, and looked at Kaian. “You were busy. There is something urgent I wished to discuss with you.” Normally, one would first send a maid or an attendant to announce her. Yet when she suddenly came to him like this, Kaian felt as though the world before his eyes had brightened and his mind had cleared. “Let us pause this discussion for a while and continue later. It is about time for lunch, anyway.” Color returned to the faces of the men who had been staring at complicated numbers without even having relieved their fatigue. Kaian called the attendants and sent the officials out. “What is it?” He was glad to see Claudel, but he was worried that something might have happened for her to come so suddenly like this. “Kaian.” Flinch. In that instant, Kaian was startled. His name, spoken by Claudel, seemed to flutter as it traced the round curve of his ear, caressing it, then quietly seep into his eardrum. “Are you all right?” She came around behind the desk and, looking worried, cupped his face in her hands. Kaian’s head swam for a moment, as if he had suddenly gulped down strong liquor. His wife was terribly stimulating, in both her voice and the touch of her hand. “What do you mean? Asking if I am all right so suddenly, without any context.” Even so, Kaian gathered himself and answered with dignity. “I am all right, which is why I am sitting here like this, am I not?” As if displeased with his answer, Claudel frowned, and Kaian thought that face was so lovely he wanted to bite it. “I heard everything from the physician.” “What did the physician say?” “He said you have not been sleeping well lately.” “He said something unnecessary.” Kaian gave a small laugh. “Nothing terrible will happen just because I sleep a little less.” But Claudel tenderly wrapped her arms around his head and pulled him into her embrace. “That is not something you should speak of so lightly.” Her scent surrounded him completely. “Health problems happen suddenly, you know. You trust yourself far too much.” Kaian knew all too well the softly rounded, supple body touching his head and cheek. “Kaian. Are you listening?” When he said nothing, Claudel loosened her arms and looked at him anxiously. ‘What should I do for the physician?’ Her beautiful golden eyes were filled to the brim with worry for him. Since the physician had allowed him to see something so wonderful, rather than punishment, he deserved a reward for having given Claudel cause for concern. Kaian became intoxicated by her scent, which he had felt for the first time in a long while, as if he had quite lost his senses. “Kh. Ahem. Once a few urgent matters pass, it will become easier after that.” “What is the problem?” Claudel cast a dissatisfied glance at the mountain of papers piled on his desk. “We need to work on the roads, but it seems we may have to wait until winter.” Starting this year, they had decided to increase the grain yield. That was because they had agreed to receive more iron ore from Valmond and provide as much food as Valmond desired. The previous Vermonte and Temnes could not cooperate with each other. Temnes suspected that if they gave Vermonte more grain, it might be used to raise soldiers. Vermonte feared that the iron ore Temnes requested in order to make farming tools might return as swords and arrows. Now that they had escaped a cycle of suspicion that could not be simply severed by saying who had begun it, their relationship could not be better. Thus, raising the harvest was important, affairs of state were important, and not a single thing could be pushed aside. “Why must you wait until winter?” “Are we not busy all through spring, summer, and autumn?” “Winter is the agricultural off-season, and for Rowen it is a season spent resting without suffering the cold, but conditions in other territories must be different.” Claudel’s words were true. Since Rowen was located at the southernmost point, places farther north, all the way to Pagos, were much colder in winter. “What about bringing in people to work from the Sol Continent?” “The Sol Continent?” Claudel explained, her eyes shining. “I heard the summers on the Sol Continent are too hot and dry for farming.” There was a reason Evan had thought that if he fled to the Sol Continent with everyone, Kaian would never be able to find her. It was a land with many unexplored regions, and by nature it was so hot that much of it was barren. Vermonte had originally dug tunnels underground to create mines, so after Evan appointed himself admiral of the Sol Continent, they had never imagined he would have built a hidden city in a rocky canyon. The problem was that it was difficult to do productive work in an artificial city where people lived in hiding. The Sol Continent had long relied on Vermonte, selling their strength as mercenaries in order to feed many of their kin. “That is… worth considering.” Kaian rubbed his chin, turning her suggestion over in his mind. If they were going to pay money to bring laborers from the Sol Continent anyway, that money would ultimately flow to Evan, the admiral. Moreover, if they ferried the workers back and forth by ship, would operating those ships not also fall to the Hindenburg Company, which was newly increasing its vessels along the southern route? “No, that is a very good idea.” As he quickly calculated a plan that would legally fatten the funds of his father-in-law’s company—and, in practice, a company no different from his own—Kaian let out a long sigh. “Perhaps I should have sought your help sooner.” “Was I of help?” “Very much.” The moment the headache disappeared, there was no longer any need to hold himself back. When Kaian rose from his seat, Claudel, who had been standing close beside him, tried to step aside. But her body, turning slightly, was blocked by Kaian’s arm braced against the edge of the desk. As she found herself trapped between the desk and both of Kaian’s arms, Claudel narrowed her shoulders as if becoming aware of something. “Why…” As Claudel looked up at him in puzzlement and blinked, Kaian spoke in a low voice. “Why do you think?” Their lips, warm at different temperatures, met.