“But this is an opportunity to regain a homeland the likes of which we will never see again!” the prime minister argued. The possibility of regaining the home his ancestors had lost two hundred years ago was blinding him somewhat. All the more so because of how abruptly it had gone from being absolutely impossible to seeming almost in reach.
“I hear you. However, the claim we once had to this land and lost means nothing to those alive today.”
The Crystanians had lost their country because they were weak, and they had played no part in its reclamation. No one was going to respect their two-hundred-year-old claim. Insisting and making nuisances of themselves would only worsen their standing. Though the two here called themselves “queen” and “prime minister,” their people were just a small tribe living humble lives in a self-governing domain within Svendbania, a mid-sized kingdom. Rosalind had been extremely surprised when Sol’s camp had given her an island as though it were a matter of course. Not more surprised than Svendbania, certainly, which had decided in its role as suzerain not to ask for a seat for Crystania at the Continental Conference after the Oratorio Tangram, but still.
In any case, there was no doubt in Rosalind’s mind that, given that Crystania was so weak it could not stand on its own and had to rely on another nation’s generosity, demanding rights to land freed by someone else would be a terrible move.
“But that’s all the more reason! We should be dedicating ourselves to earning the favor of the person who can grant our dearest wish with a word!”
The prime minister understood Rosalind’s concern but was convinced that Sol could provide a quick way out. Naturally, he had been born and raised in the self-governing domain and had no memories of his supposed homeland. However, his liege did, and that was reason enough for him to wish for the restoration of Atriesta, the ruins that used to be Crystania’s capital.
If Sol and Emelia would simply grant them this wish, the prime minister didn’t mind handing over all profits and authority to them—basically, becoming a puppet state. As long as the Crystanians were allowed to live peaceful, reasonably well-to-do lives on the land of their forefathers, they could do without regaining the power to shape the rest of the world. They had no cards to negotiate with, but all it would take was for Sol to acknowledge their shaky historic claim. Surely this arrangement would be far more beneficial to him, as opposed to dividing up the territory among Panhuman League members.
“Hey, now, keep your shirt on. I, too, am willing to do whatever it takes, even if I have to offer myself. My conviction to retake our homeland is as strong as yours.”
Rosalind could tell the prime minister’s agitation was on her behalf. Because of it, however, he was getting tunnel vision and failing to realize that profit was no longer something that Sol’s group cared about. The outlandish comment she made was an attempt to snap him out of it while reassuring him that she shared his concern.
Catching on to his liege’s consideration, the man visibly relaxed his shoulders and, with a teasing grin, said in his usual casual tone, “Would offering yourself be of any actual help?”
The queen he served possessed boundless potential but was still young, and all her beauty would do her no good if she wasn’t a viable candidate. On the other hand, Sol already had plenty of beauties at his side, plus more that every country, large and small, were searching high and low for. He was obviously going to say Come back after she grows some more if presented with the mere promise of a beauty. He wouldn’t want to be seen as someone grooming a young girl either, even if no one would call him out on it to his face.
“How rude!” Rosalind blushed in a rare display, then calmed down just as abruptly and patted herself all over. “Though you’re right, I do need a few more years.”
When Rosalind mentioned offering herself, she had meant something completely different. The prime minister had known that and purposely interpreted it the way he had. Then again, it wasn’t entirely out of the question for the future. In fact, it would be a development welcomed by both of them. Such was the nature of the relationship between these two.
“At least ten,” the prime minister agreed. “I apologize for panicking. First, I will review our own laws and scour them for discrepancies with the continental law. Then I will identify every single falsely charged victim and offender we’ve been purposely turning a blind eye to.” After passing the rather harsh judgment that “a few more years” still wouldn’t be enough, the man had intentionally voiced out loud what he could actually do now.
Rosalind nodded. “That will do. You don’t have to hold back anymore. But keep it at just investigating. We will then bring the cases to the Panhuman League and let them decide how to handle them.”
“As you wish.”
Present-day Crystania was a self-governing domain, but with a population of over ten thousand, it was far from a monolithic entity. Like all other societies, it had some people up to no good, some dealt such a bad hand in life they were forced to stain their hands with crime, and so on. Rosalind knew of some in the upper echelons spurred by greed into becoming complicit in illegal schemes. Many such elements had been left alone if making public enemies of them would harm more than benefit the running of the domain, but it was now time to squeeze out all the pus.
However, cracking down too hard on them might also be a bad move, so it was safest to leave the decision with Sol. The most important thing right now was to avoid him finding Crystania’s government too corrupt to work with and thinking it would be easier to start with a blank slate. Writ large, it was the role of Sol’s close aides to convince him that humanity as a whole was not beyond saving. Rosalind was not all that jealous of Frederica and the Emelian royal family, despite the incredible power they now held. Rather, she was sympathetic to the other princess for the monumental task before her.
“I’m sure every other nation is thinking the same thing, but...whatever can we offer our absolute ruler to convince him to grant our dear wish? I hate to agree with what you said, but you’re right that my current form is rather out of the question.”
Rosalind racked her mind while staring at the receding back of her right-hand man returning to his duties. It didn’t matter how masterful she was at employing her wiles if she was never given an opportunity on account of her youth. The thought of what a difference it would have made if Sol had appeared on the world stage only a little later crossed her mind, but such empty musings were of no help.
“I suppose I should start by composing a letter sincerely thanking him for freeing our homeland from the clutches of our sworn enemy.”
That was something she could do, and it was as good a place to start as any. It wouldn’t be a lie. She didn’t deny that there were many angles she was shooting for, but there was a part of her that was purely thankful. Two centuries ago, Country Eater had killed off the majority of her people and completely wiped out the legacy they had built. Taking revenge on it had been a dear wish in and of itself. A wish that was now fulfilled.
Rosalind didn’t care that the Crystanians had had no hand in it. As someone who knew the past yet had held on till this day, she genuinely was thankful to him from the bottom of her heart for helping to settle the score.
Never did she imagine in that moment how this course of action would suddenly overturn her entire world.