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Princess Oliana’s presence was at the personal invitation of Hiyuki, although officially, she was vacationing at her suburban villa. Unofficially, she had traveled here using a teleporter located at the Imperial Crimson embassy in the capital of her empire.

To ensure confidentiality, Princess Oliana limited her entourage to a chamberlain and a guard. Upon entering the Sky Garden, even these direct servants of a mighty sovereign were astounded by the grandeur of the Scarlet Jade Castle, attentively following in Princess Oliana’s wake.

At their initial gathering, Princess Oliana felt awkward amid the unexpected dynamics. However, any discomfort quickly dissipated in the presence of Hiyuki, who never let status influence her behavior. King Collard’s quick wit and tact, along with Revan’s indifference to nobility due to his beast tribe heritage, helped ease her into the group.

Given that the others were already well-acquainted, it was only a matter of time before Princess Oliana felt comfortable enough to open up. Accustomed to the stringent demands of royalty and the persona of an ‘Imperial Princess,’ she found their candidness refreshing, and soon, a genuine smile graced her features.

The conversation had meandered, but steering back to the topic of the ‘Pirate Ship’—

“They are quite active in these waters, causing considerable damage to transport ships and coastal villages,” King Collard noted, his expression etched with deep concern.

“Currently, the damage has been confined to small and mid-scale merchant vessels, as well as transport ships. They’ve steered clear of larger vessels for obvious reasons. However, we anticipate it’s only a matter of time before they escalate to attacking larger or even magical ships. When that occurs, the impact on both human and material resources will be significantly greater than what we’ve witnessed so far.”

“Hmm, this does sound serious. You have my sympathy.”

As Hiyuki sipped her black tea, King Collard hesitated as if to speak, then seemed to reconsider and continued discussing the matter at hand.

“I’m considering establishing bases at strategic maritime locations and seeking reinforcements from the troops stationed at Quito, a major trade hub. Since our nation lacks a formal navy, our next step involves pushing for its establishment.”

Hiyuki mused on the thoroughness of the plan, typical of King Collard’s strategic thinking. However, a doubt soon surfaced. “But that’s going to require a substantial budget, won’t it?”

“Aha, that is indeed the crux of the matter.” King Collard’s shoulders sagged, his face clouding over with a look of resignation.

“Additionally, it’s summertime, just before the wheat and rice harvests, so imposing new taxes isn’t feasible. The national treasury has nearly been depleted in efforts to rectify the mismanagement of the previous administration. With the current state of affairs, even planning a wedding ceremony has become a secondary concern.”

“It truly is unfortunate. I’m sure this has been discussed, but would you consider applying for a loan from us?”

“Requesting financial aid could complicate matters later on, so we’re still deliberating.”

“That’s a wise approach. Since you are a vassal nation, seeking gratuitous aid could undermine your autonomy and lead to dependency. Perhaps securing something of equivalent value in exchange or arranging a term for repayment might be more prudent,” Princess Oliana interjected thoughtfully.

King Collard was taken aback by her quick analysis and her ability to propose a compromise. Yet, experienced in maintaining his composure, he simply nodded in agreement with her suggestions.

“Indeed it is. We’re actively developing a strategy, but the pirates remain a step ahead.”

Revan raised his hand and interjected, “Excuse me, Your Highness. Could we devise a solution similar to the teleportation equipment used by the Cres to counter this problem in one fell swoop? Such an intervention by Your Highness could decimate the pirates as effortlessly as a gust of wind.”

“That might not be viable. The constant presence of monsters around the sea or ports would disrupt the local ecosystems and affect the residents as well, making it a counterproductive approach.”

Hiyuki murmured internally, a frown creasing her brow, ‘As if our forces would distinguish between pirates, citizens, or ships. They might just sink everything indiscriminately.’

“Indeed, that approach would only create more problems without solving any,” King Collard agreed, causing Revan to sigh in dejection.

“But on the topic of pirates, we’ve observed an increase in the number of victims following pirate activities.”

Everyone immediately turned their attention to Princess Oliana as she spoke.

“The trend has especially risen in recent years. While bad weather and the aftermath of war have certainly contributed, the scale of their expansion is concerning. Yet, as there is no evidence of coordinated action or solidarity, we believe this may simply be coincidental.”

“This is intriguing. It’s unexpected that pirates are active on both the west and east sides of the continent. Perhaps this is less coincidental than it appears,” mused King Collard, framing it as a mere hypothesis.

The face-to-face discussion was fortuitous; otherwise, they might have attempted to tackle the issue independently, viewing it as isolated to their own realms. This collective approach allowed for a broader perspective. King Collard briefly entertained the thought: ‘If the two princesses were to collaborate, they could potentially dominate global affairs.’

The realization that this was not beyond the realm of possibility caused him to break out in a cold sweat. ‘Holy smokes, the world could indeed be in peril if these two joined forces!’

“Regardless, one thing is certain: we must eradicate them the moment they are found.”
“That’s a given. We must set an example by dealing decisively with their entire clan.”

The two princesses conversed, smiles blossoming on their faces, painting a picturesque scene reminiscent of a flower garden caressed by a breeze. However, this illusion was shattered as soon as one heard their biting remarks.

“The situation is indeed worrying. If casualties continue to rise, we may need to strengthen our navy. It has been one challenge after another. The last expedition to the Yuz Grand Duchy alone depleted a quarter of our national treasury.”

“You say that, but isn’t the burden of recovery now on Cres’ shoulders?”

In contrast to the Imperial Princess’ sighing remark, Revan pursed his lips, clearly discontent.

Ultimately, he had no choice but to accept a compromise, taking on the desolate Duchy of Yuz during the territorial negotiations. Understandably, he was compelled to voice his dissatisfaction, particularly stung by the loss of the lucrative Cent’luna to the Empire.

“Oh dear, am I detecting a hint of bitterness, after we’ve gone to such lengths to sign the treaty? The agreement nearly equally divides the former Cent’luna’s territory, which I consider a significant concession on the Empire’s part.”

Oliana responded with a giggle and a mischievous smile.

It was clear that the Empire had recognized the limits of its expansion, thus only annexing the well-developed regions of Cent’luna, while offloading the more undeveloped areas—needing significant investment—to Cres Freedom United Nation. Revan, outmaneuvered during the negotiations, resignedly accepted this bitter reality.

Sensing the awkward tension in the reception room, Hiyuki redirected the conversation.

“But about the pirates—I honestly don’t even know what they look like, so I’m at a loss for how to proceed. Have any of you actually seen these pirates?”
“Similarly, I’ve only known about them through reports. I can provide detailed documents later if you’d like.”
“Hmmm.”

Hiyuki’s face creased in puzzlement.

At that moment, Maroudo, the masked knight leaning against the wall, suddenly interjected.

“Since no one has a better suggestion, perhaps you could visit the port and speak directly with the ship owners or victims. There’s a villa—belonging to the former royalty—near the port town of Quito.”

King Collard shot Maroudo a sharp look, then nodded and added, “Indeed. Although it’s currently closed, we do have a property under our jurisdiction. I hope to sell it as a private beach or resort-like property in the future.”

“Interesting. In that case, how about we purchase it, Princess?”

Tengai, who had remained by Hiyuki’s side, glanced at her, seeking her opinion. It appeared that their ‘villa all over the world’ plan was progressing smoothly.

Hiyuki, however, wore an inscrutable expression, tapping her cheek thoughtfully.

“Pirates… sea… beach villa…”

“We can always discuss the deal another time. For now, the villa will be ready to welcome guests by tomorrow at the latest. If Her Highness wishes, you can start making preparations today. I will also arrange for a local adventurer to act as a guide.”

King Collard laid out the arrangements. Yet, another ‘Hmm~’ escaped Hiyuki’s lips, causing those around her to look at her in confusion.