NOVEL WEB vol. 4 chapter 15 - Eating Cookies
“You doubtless regard us as an unknown power. First, allow me to offer a brief self-introduction.”
“…Ah. Very well, I ask it of you.”
The one to open was No.3, Drei. Well, in this situation it would be a high hurdle for the other side to take the initiative. This was the sensible course.
“We recognize ourselves as ＜Paraiso＞. As for our home, I will only say it lies far to the south of here.”
At that first statement, the three diplomats’ expressions tightened slightly.
Panas’ onboard Strategic AI analyzed this as a misapprehension — that they had conflated it with the southern continent reported only the other day.
“Be at ease.”
Accordingly, Drei cut in.
“It is not the southern continent toward which your attention presently turns. It is elsewhere.”
Breathing, pulse, the slightest muscular shifts — the Strategic AI read them all and estimated their feelings precisely.
“…I don’t know what you mean.”
Naturally, the Kingdom of Lepuitari had no intention of releasing a state secret so easily. They would not give a reply that amounted to confirmation.
“Understood. Then your nation lies somewhere south of this continent of ours?”
“I affirm it. This fleet was dispatched directly from our home. We regret the sudden entry into port, but we had no means of prior contact. Pray pardon it.”
Drei said it without a blush. To sail directly into the capital’s harbor — what mouth spoke of regret? If simple contact were the aim, there were many ports open to the outer sea. Ignoring those to thrust into an inland capital harbor — there could be no purpose but demonstration.
“…So it is. …Well, we do not intend to press that point. Since you have set this conference, we judge you bear no intention of hostility.”
“Of course we do not intend hostility. Peace is best. Even should we fight, the tabletop suffices. There is no need to spill blood.”
Taken one way, it bordered on a declaration of war.
But the Lepuitari side seemed to grasp the disparity of forces to some degree. Their faces twitched slightly, yet they were not so foolish as to remark upon it.
＜Ringo＞ would have put it this way:
The more rational a human, the easier their behavior is to predict.
“Now then. It would be dull if only I spoke. If there is something you wish to ask, I will answer as far as possible. Well?”
At Drei’s words, Colonel Deck Estainka nodded.
“First, let us confirm anew: for what reason did your officers put into Moar?”
“Hm.”
No.3, Drei, flicked a glance to No.4, Vier. Vier nodded and spoke.
“In practice, I, Vier, will handle the business. And our ultimate aim is to conclude a trade accord with your nation, the Kingdom of Lepuitari. To realize that, many matters must be decided.”
“I see. We too welcome the increase of new trading partners. On that point, we wish to consider it positively.”
With this exchange, a measure of tension seemed to slip from the Lepuitari side.
A fleet of overwhelming power had appeared before the palace itself. They had anticipated the possibility that, leveraging that power, ＜Paraiso＞ would make a unilateral proclamation in high-handed tones. After all, that was exactly what Lepuitari had done to other countries before now.
However, ＜Paraiso＞ was, at least on the surface, behaving calmly and rationally, and declared readiness to negotiate. That became a significant assurance.
“What else? Matters touching military secrets cannot be answered, of course. But if it is a general fact among us, we might answer simply.”
When Drei urged them with a slightly playful motion, Colonel Deck Estainka gave a wry smile.
“In that case, forgive me. …We have heard only as rumor, but are we right to say you are of the ‘beastfolk’ race? I regret to say we have never seen a people with your appearance within our sphere.”
“Indeed. We will answer that we are one of the races you call beastfolk. We do not, of course, grasp our own origins, but in our country everyone bears this appearance. It is only recently we even realized there were peoples who looked unlike us.”
“I see. Also — it has weighed on my mind for some time. You officers appear to be women; are there men aboard this fleet? If the question offends, you need not answer…”
“Ah. No problem. Every crew member in our fleet is female. Men and women cohabiting aboard is not desirable. Further — this touches military matters somewhat — but for us, sex differences pose no particular issue. That is all I shall say.”
By ＜Ringo＞’s information strategy, the Strategic AI leaked items that would sow confusion for Lepuitari. In the end it mattered little whether one was man or woman, but by feeding them points of lingering doubt, they disrupted the other side — and, simply put, sought also to turn Lepuitari’s unconscious male-chauvinist drift to their advantage, inducing them to underestimate ＜Paraiso＞.
“That is… a most unusual organization…”
At a loss ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) for comment, Colonel Deck Estainka returned it with a perplexed look.
“Also: as a rule, positions are held by our Ringo lineage. In this fleet as well, every captain bears the surname Ringo. We will no doubt introduce them in time, so I state it beforehand.”
“Understood. Then the resemblance between you two is…”
“Of the same lineage. The others likewise.”
This was the sort of information best disclosed early, simply to avoid the tedium of repeated astonishment. They had heard it to death in town after town.
After this, they were praised for their looks; asked why the escorts wore goggles and masks (answered only that they were tools with special functions); asked various things about the ship; and prodded obliquely about the location of their homeland — all of which the Strategic AI adroitly sidestepped while sustaining the conversation.
“We have not exactly stocked trade goods in volume—”
So saying by Drei’s cue, what they produced were tea acquired from the Forest Kingdom of Levresta and baked confections. ＜Ringo＞ had tried various methods to reproduce the pastry, but some ingredient unique to Levresta seemed to be involved, and it had not gone well. Thus, this time they served imported goods as-is.
“This is…”
“I do not know if you recognize it, but it is a specialty procured from Levresta. They say it can only be produced in that country. We have only enough to serve here — by all means, please partake.”
The tea was semi-fermented — what one would classify as oolong — paired with a cookie-like sweet. Some kind of nut seemed to be worked into the dough, giving it a distinctive flavor. Commander Eve was the one who had been made to taste several prototypes when those notes proved hard to reproduce.
Commander Eve, it was said, had offered the rebuke: Taste it yourself before you make others eat it.
Be that as it may, the diplomats’ reactions were bitter — a flash so brief most would miss it.
Most likely, the unwelcome fact was simply that they already traded with Levresta.
After all, between Levresta and the Kingdom of Lepuitari lay the United Kingdom of Aphrasia and Telek Port City.
“…Indeed, Levresta’s. Even for us, a rarity seldom seen.”
“We are grateful to receive it.”
“Lady Drei, did you go to Levresta yourself?”
“No. I am not the handler. Another caravan procures it. This was brought from our homeland.”
“Ho… It had drawn my interest: your fleet’s preservation techniques appear exceptionally advanced.”
“I affirm it. As this bears on future trade, I will disclose this much: our merchantmen are equipped with large refrigerators. They will prove useful in many ways.”
“Refrigerators…? What are those…?”
“I will show you in person, if the chance arises. In short, equipment for keeping foods like these preserved over long periods.”
Thus the Strategic AI continued the conference, releasing information a little at a time.