That day, the Egorovan delegation gathered in the conference room with their guides. Prime Minister Camile and Yurius, who handled relations with Egorova, were also in attendance. Ist was in the research room, having been deemed unsuitable for the conference.
“After deliberating on the Egorovans’ request yesterday, we have found that our kingdom would also benefit greatly from collaborative research into movement spells,” announced Yurius, to the obvious delight of the Egorovan sorcerers and the slight ambivalence of the Romanians.
Seiichirou twirled his magic pen as the situation unfolded exactly as predicted. The fundamental purpose of this tour was for the Romany Kingdom to determine whether Egorova, as a nation of magical technology, was worth having diplomatic relations with. Although the outcome happened faster than expected, Egorova had basically passed the test.
But a problem still remained.
“In the future, we would like to conduct experiments with Egorova’s bountiful magic stones…”
“No, I believe that should only happen after your side has proven its hypothesis…”
It was still up in the air who would take the lead in the negotiations.
Romany could have bought itself some time had the Egorovans gone home and submitted their request after the fact, but because they were skipping right ahead to discussing a collaboration, Romany had almost nothing to bring to the table. Egorova had far more magic stones and research facilities at its disposal. If the research was situated there, then Romany would be handing over all its knowledge of the ancient magic to the other country, which would definitely mean Egorova held the reins. In the worst-case scenario, Romany would just be helping Egorova with its research. This was why Camile, Yurius, and Zoltan argued firmly for the Egorovans to return to their country first.
In the end, after a very long discussion, the Egorovans agreed to report the matter to their home country and resume talks after their side had permission for the collaboration. To that end, they decided to depart for Egorova at once instead of the following morning as originally planned. The sorcerers were that eager to get permission to start their research. Their guards and carriage drivers eyed their eager expressions with growing dread.
“Seiichirou,” Camile called out before he left the conference room. “Depending on how things shake out, we might need your plan. Can I ask you to put your focus on that?”
Seiichirou nodded in response to the man’s hushed whisper. Given that any research into the relationship between magicules and magic capacity needed magicule-dense areas to experiment in, Egorova’s cooperation would be a boon.
Once Camile was gone, Lars finished up his conversation with Yurius and came over to Seiichirou for some reason.
“Seichiro.”
Seiichirou’s heart could not help but harden in suspicion upon hearing his name spoken with such familiarity, but he gave the prince a smooth bow anyway.
“I wanted to chat with you before I left. Do you have some time?” Although his departure had been pushed forward, Lars himself would not be involved in the preparations. He had time while things were done around him.
“I do.” Seiichirou nodded.
Lars invited him to the terrace. “It really took me by surprise to find out that you were from another world,” he said, his silver hair swaying in the breeze.
The only thing Seiichirou could say to that was, “Is that so?”
“I was thinking of scouting you because of your talents as a civil official, but that’s not feasible anymore.” Lars was basically saying that no country would be willing to hand over a person who was summoned alongside the Holy Maiden.
“That is flattering of you to say. Thank you.”
Lars smiled at Seiichirou’s reaction. Seiichirou was similar to Prince Yurius and Camile in that it was difficult to figure out what he was thinking.
“From what I hear, you are involved in researching a method that combines movement spells and ancient magic to send people to another world. I take it, then, that you are trying to return to your original world?”
Seiichirou’s breath caught in his throat.
For a moment, he struggled to form words.
“That’s right,” he said finally.
It was the reason he had pushed Romany into further advancements as a magical nation.
“You have a partner in this country, yes? And yet you still plan to return?” Lars continued.
Seiichirou felt a chill in his heart.
“I cannot answer personal questions.”
His expression was probably full of tension. Lars quickly raised a hand in apology.
“Sorry, I did not mean to upset you.”
“Oh, no…”
Seiichirou’s normally dispassionate eyes were now brimming with heated emotion. A strained smile broke out on Lars’s face.
“I really am sorry. I meant it as a simple question.”
Seiichirou thought it intolerable that someone would ask a “simple question” to dig into his private life.
“Your initial plan was to return home. You must not have expected to find a partner here, yes? Personally, I find it difficult to wrap my head around a love that cannot be controlled by reason.”
Looking again at Lars’s face, there was a slightly forlorn look on his immaculate, doll-like features.
“In my position, I can only see people in terms of how useful they would be to my goals. It is the only way I can think of them. Eventually, I will marry within due course, and I am sure it will be another means to an end.” Lars’s jade green irises met Seiichirou’s black eyes. “I thought the two of us were alike. That’s why I wanted to get to know you. How you came to choose love even if it means throwing your plans aside.”
The Egorovan delegation left the Romany Kingdom that afternoon. Several knights from Romany accompanied them, ostensibly as protection on their travels.
Aresh was one of them.