Volume 7 Chapter 8 (1/2)
The day for the royal family's visit finally came.
Preparations for welcoming them were fully in place.
We intended to make them enjoy Avalon from the bottom of their hearts. After all, it would make negotiations far easier to do.
”It seems the Holy Grail Faith's spreading at a good rate.”
Believers who worshipped and were in awe of me were diligently spreading my religion.
Of those invited to join, many were interested in coming if it meant they could enjoy delicious wine and excellent songs in the next worship meeting. Just actually coming to the meeting was enough to ensure they would be zealous believers. They would then invite others and those others would invite others, ad infinitum.
All these were for the sake of protecting Avalon.
While in my room and thinking of such, I finished up on my paperwork.
What I was working on was the establishment of the city's orphanage.
We were going to use the Curtrude Company to hire individuals with the necessary skills to run the orphanage. It didn't matter if those people were to be from other cities or towns. Meanwhile, to assist those people would be diligent people from Avalon who were good with children.
In a field where experts were rare, recruiting even from other places and offering high pay to them was the fastest method.
The effort of building the orphanage as soon as possible was not only for the sake of the children themselves, but also for the sake of attracting even more people to Avalon.
Another benefit of having an orphanage was the opportunity to make children of very young age enter the Holy Grail Faith and swear loyalty to Avalon.
”Hey, hey, patron, now that I think about it, why did you tell me to make that rather mild song? If we put our mind into it, we could seriously brainwash the humans to the point that they will kill for you when ordered to, you know?”
Ruru, who was lying in the bed in my room, curiously asked me so.
It has been rather hot recently, so she has been coming to this carriage where there were air-conditioning systems in place.
”We mustn't do that… it might sound like hypocrisy at this point, but we must do our very best to never cross that final line.”
Thanks to the combination of Aura's [God's Smile] and Ruru & the Ocean Singers' hymn, the values of loving their fellow regardless of race and also revering me were instilled into the believers' hearts. However, it should be limited to those values alone. Nothing more, nothing less.
We weren't going to force them to do things, especially those that they would hate. This was very different to treating them as though they were mere puppets.
Besides, if we were to treat them like puppets, the humans would not be able to exhibit their ability to create new things. And if that was to happen, Avalon wouldn't be able to grow any further.
”Hmp, well, you sure are adamant in the strangest of things, patron.”
”That aside, don't you have to head out soon? You guys are the centerpiece in making the royal family entertained. Are all your preparations done?”
Rather than using Ruru and the Ocean Singers' songs to influence the mind of the royal family, I had asked them to sing purely for entertainment purposes this time.
”That's a foolish question. I am an R'lyeh Diva. I don't compromise anything in my craft. Look forward to it, patron. It'll be a once-in-a-lifetime song and dance performance.”
If anyone had the talent to impress royalty who had most likely grown tired of song and dance performances, it would be Ruru.
Now, I guess I should change and get ready myself.
◇
>
Aura's voice was carried by the wind all the way to my room.
I had made Aura observe Avalon's gate using her wind. The chances of the [Black] Demon Lord taking advantage of this event to invade Avalon were high, so we were on full alert.
Ok, time to greet them.
”Kuina, are you ready?”
”Yeah-♪ absolutely!”
Kuina, who wore a chic dress that suited her now older appearance, replied so.
As there was a chance of danger, I had asked her to stay by my side as my guard. That being said, there was one other reason she was with me: in order to showcase that we were a city aiming to coexist with demi-humans, it was necessary to have an individual that could easily be perceived as such to be by my side.
”We talked about this yesterday, Kuina. I want you to change the way you talk to that of an adult. Will you do that for me?”
I felt a little bad for asking her such, but the usual way Kuina talked could be taken as discourtesy by high-ranking people. Demon Lords were one thing since they could sympathize, but humans probably wouldn't.
”Understood, dear father. I'll try to conduct myself befitting of your standing.”
It felt weird to hear her talk like that, but it was necessary.
She was smart, so as long as she put effort into it, she could keep conducting herself like so.
”Yeah, that sounds good.”
”Then, I'll keep it up until the royal family goes back. If I do a good job though, I want to be showered with plenty of praise.”
Though her way of speaking and mannerism changed, I guess Kuina will always be Kuina.
At that thought, I unconsciously smiled.
◇
When we went to the city gate, a two-horse carriage with the crest of the royal family was there. A group of knights atop horses was also there to guard the aforementioned carriage and its occupants.
One of the knights was loudly shouting something.
”Announcing the arrival of Prince Leonard Mira Axera, the third prince of the Axera Kingdom, as well as his attendants to the city of Avalon! His highness requests the immediate presence of the city's representative!”
In perhaps an effort to show off the grandness of the prince, they purposefully announced his arrival in a gaudy manner.
Kuina in tow, I appeared before the group.
”Thank you for coming. I am this city's—Avalon's—leader. I am Procell. Allow us to welcome and entertain you to the best of our abilities.”
The knight then looked at me and Kuina.
Her beautiful face certainly captured his attention, but upon noticing her demi-human features, he frowned.
Since the Rigdolg Faith, the state religion of Axera, followed a human supremacy ideology, that kind of reaction was just natural.
At the top of the Rigdolg Faith were the [Black] Demon Lord who reigned supreme as their god, and the angel-type monsters who served as his retainers. They were followed by faithful human believers as blessed beings. At the very bottom were demi-humans who didn't receive any blessing at all from their god, thus being relegated to be inferior beings.
Building a religion and giving a certain group a sense of superiority was a tried and tested approach.
Nevertheless, I rather the knight didn't look at Kuina as such, so I decided to move the conversation along.
”I believe everyone is tired from the long journey, so I think it best to guide you to your lodgings first.”
When I snapped my fingers, Mythological Foxes appeared and then courteously bowed.
I then proceeded to instruct them to guide the guests to the finest inn in Avalon.
We prepared lodgings not just for the prince, but for all of the knights as well.
There were a lot of wealthy people in Avalon, so first-rate inns were in abundance anyway.
That being said, we had reserved the very best from those first-rate inns.
”Hmm, how very considerate.”
”I am honored by such praise. We have prepared entertainment and meals for you all to enjoy later. We will send someone to pick you up. Until then, please rest your bodies.”
After bowing in thanks, the party—seeming satisfied—followed the Mythological Foxes and left.
It was worth noting that the prince did not show himself.
Well, I'm sure he'll show up for the meal later. Save the best for last.
◇
After being guided to their lodgings, dropping off their luggage there, and resting for a while, we brought the prince's party to the hall that doubled as the church and treated them to a musical show supervised by R'lyeh Diva.
Next to that, we let them enjoy shopping as much as they wanted to, with me footing the bill.
We also let them rinse off their sweat and fatigue away in our hot spring.
I chose to not go with them, thinking they would be able to enjoy things better unaccompanied. Nevertheless, I knew of their actions through Aura's wind.
It seemed like they enjoyed their tour of the city.
The goal of letting them know of Avalon's many good points before the negotiation proper has been successfully completed.
As for Kuina and I, we went to a restaurant we had reserved beforehand and waited for a while there.
Today's menu was prepared with the help of the Curtrude Company.
Using their merchant network, they had found out Prince Leonard's favorite dishes. On top of those they also prepared dishes whose ingredients couldn't be acquired easily—if at all—in the Axera Kingdom due to issues of freshness or distribution, but were readily available here in Avalon thanks to the Hippogriffs' air transportation service.
…Conanna's so good, it's scary.
When the time for dinner drew near, Aura reported that the prince's seemingly pleased party was heading toward the restaurant.
After a while, the knights, the civil officials, and the prince himself showed up.
The prince had blond hair, blue eyes, and handsome features. He seemed to be in his mid-twenties.
One look at him was enough for me to tell that he was sharp.
”No words are enough to express my gratitude for warmly welcomingly not only me, but my subordinates as well.”
”Please don't mention it. So long as everyone is pleased, it was well worth the effort. Nevertheless, I fear there are certain things we can't talk about in front of your knights. Let us go dine in another room while your esteemed knights dine here.”
It was now time for negotiations and it required complete focus.
”Thank you for your kind consideration, Procell-dono. Would you mind terribly if a minister and the head of my knights accompany us as my advisers?”
”Not at all. After all, I am bringing this child as well.”
I replied so and placed a hand over Kuina's shoulder.
With both sides in agreement, we moved to a private room.
◇
Thanks to our warm welcome of them, the prince talked to me in a friendly manner.
Our conversation was also rather energetic.