Chapter 24: The Fateful Banquet —Like a Thorn Stuck in the Heart—

“Your Majesty, I must thank you again for arranging such a wonderful dinner banquet.” Mia was currently in tip-top form. The fullness of her stomach was reflected in her readiness to fight. It was time to step up to the ring, and she couldn’t be more primed to deliver a knockout performance. Moreover, she had her trusty aides Ludwig and Anne at her side. If push came to shove, Rania would probably take her side as well. Then, on top of all that, she had her trump card, Tatiana.

Even the queen consort and her young son were warming to her after witnessing the unreserved ferocity with which she attacked her food.

I’ve totally got this in the bag! There’s no way I can lose!

She felt like a great general who’d surrounded a force of ten thousand with a hundred thousand. Moments away from completely annihilating the enemy, she looked at Yuhal with the confidence of someone convinced that victory was hers.

“You are too kind,” said Yuhal. “This is the least we can do to show our appreciation for your generosity in visiting us personally during the Thanksharvest Festival.”

Mia smiled at the ever humble king. “And you are too humble. Tearmoon and Perujin share a bond, just as Princess Rania and I. I owe much to Princess Arshia as well. There was never any doubt I’d attend. I only hope that my visit will further strengthen the mutual trust we already enjoy...”

She slipped a bit of diplomacy into her small talk, emphasizing the friendly relations the two nations have shared so far. It also served to coax the king away from working with Shalloak. Rather, that was what she’d hoped her statement would do.

“Mutual trust, you say... Mutual trust indeed...” The king, however, grimaced. His expression bothered Mia, but she couldn’t afford to stop now.

“Yes, it is the basis of our friendly relations. However, I must confess that recently, I’ve heard some nasty rumors that have left me very concerned. Apparently, there is talk about raising the price of wheat sold to Tearmoon in response to a famine?”

“...Is there? How curious. I haven’t the slightest idea about that. I’ve heard talks of a famine, but is it not true that no one can know for certain whether a famine is coming?” asked Yuhal with an expression of patently artificial surprise.

“Let us cut to the chase, Your Majesty. Feigning ignorance benefits neither of us. Surely Perujin has already noticed the signs. Am I wrong? Wheat harvests have been on the decline since last year. It is certainly true that an opportunity exists right now to raise prices and make a handsome profit, but people will go hungry as a result. I cannot say for certain where this idea originated, but if it is from that Shalloak fellow, I must warn you that he is—”

She was about to say “untrustworthy, because he’s actually a total softie at heart!” but the king cut her off with a laugh.

“Hah, I see, I see. Your love for your people is a sight to behold, Princess Mia. How very noble of you.”

His statement caught her by surprise. She could only blink in response.

“Saint indeed,” he continued. “Benevolent and compassionate, and thinks of her people. You maintain the image well. What you did last winter—that was an impressive gambit as well. So much so that you seem to have even won the trust of my daughter with it. The performance with the wheat earlier too... You seem to have a way with hearts, Princess Mia, and manipulating them at will. An extraordinary talent, given your age. The young are not to be underestimated, are they? Hah.” Yuhal chuckled softly before adding, “Is that it then? To ensure that people do not go hungry? That is a just cause with which you intend to bind us. Did you think I would simply nod and smile so long as the pretense is noble?”

Hm...

Mia noticed that his words had thorns. In fact, they’d been thorny ever since the moment she mentioned mutual trust. It wasn’t the overt hostility of a pointed sword—rather, it was a barb. A spine. Too small and too thin to be easily noticed. If his words were wheat, this was the thorns. They were dangerous thorns that would lead to much pain and suffering later if she stepped across them carelessly. She needed to watch her step and approach them with the utmost care.

With her danger sensors wailing in her head, Mia quietly reached her hand across the table...toward a large stack of fruits! The plan, as usual, was to recharge her brain through sweets. She popped some Perujin berries into her mouth. Their sweet-and-sour tang immediately kicked the slumbering parts of her noggin awake. Freshly sugared, she studied the faces of Yuhal and Shalloak with renewed focus. A thought came to her.

What if the empire’s reputation was even worse than she’d thought? She’d figured people trusted the empire about as much as they would a sketchy merchant like Shalloak. That reasoning had led her to conclude that eroding just a bit of their trust in him would tip the scales in her favor and keep them from betraying Tearmoon. Had her assumption been too optimistic?

She bit her lip. If so, then it would be an egregious instance of overconfidence. War was not won through rosy assumptions. Her hundred thousand-strong army turned out to be mostly new recruits and hapless rookies. There were only a handful of proper soldiers—about as many as her foe. In terms of fighting strength, they were actually evenly matched!

Worse yet, she’d rode to this battle without committing any more thought to her battle plan than “I’ll just swoop in and snatch victory.”

What a terrible blunder! This doesn’t bode well!

Desperate for a way out of this predicament, she racked her brains, but Yuhal did not give her enough time to formulate a plan.

“Trust? For the people? There is no need for such lip service. If you wish to twist my arm, then by all means, go right ahead and try. Bring your military and force your will upon us. We both know Perujin does not have the strength to defy you.”

Aaah, but that would defeat the point. If I hold someone down by force, when the force is gone, they’ll immediately turn on me. They’ll become my enemy when I’m at my weakest, which is literally the worst possible outcome. Grrr... Stupid Tearmoon nobles. I know they’ve always been jerks, but I didn’t expect them to have done this much damage!

Suddenly finding herself on the back foot, she silently cursed her fellow aristocrats before continuing to agonize over the distressful situation their poor attitudes had put her in.

“That’s not true, father.”

Just then, reinforcements arrived, and from the least expected direction at that. A woman’s voice sounded from the entrance of the banquet hall.

“Arshia? You’re back?”

The second princess of Perujin, Arshia Tafrif Perujin, stood in the doorway.

“Greetings, father. I’ve missed you.”

Rania let out a breath of relief at the appearance of her sister, for she was the one who’d asked her to come.

Originally, Arshia had planned to forgo her homecoming this summer. Her work as a lecturer at Saint Mia Academy kept her plenty busy, and that was on top of the crucial mission Mia had entrusted her with—improving wheat strains through selective breeding research. The Thanksharvest Festival was an important event in Perujin, but the dance could be performed by Rania. Figuring she’d let her little sister handle things this year, she’d sent a letter explaining her intention not to return home, only to receive an unexpected response.

Father was acting weird, so I figured I’d ask her to come back just in case. Wow am I ever glad I did that.

“Ah, you’ve come home. I see that you’re in good health,” said a surprised Yuhal. “But didn’t you send word informing us that you wouldn’t be able to return?”

“Yes, but there’s something I need to speak to you about, so I came back.”

“You need to speak to me, you say...”

Rania pointedly ignored the reproving glance from her father and popped a piece of fruit into her mouth as if she had no idea what was going on. Besides, she didn’t think she did anything wrong.

I mean, no matter how you look at it, we’re far better off having Princess Mia on our side.

She was sure of it. Their earlier conversation in the room resurfaced in her mind, during which Mia had said their approach to persuasion boiled down to one word—trust. She’d explicitly stated that she had no intention of compelling Perujin to obey through pure force. Rania had been there, and she’d heard it with her own ears.

Rania then looked toward the young man standing behind Mia. Though partially obscured by his glasses, his gaze was nevertheless sharp and attentive. This was Ludwig, one of Mia’s most trusted subjects, and he’d been one of the first to speak. When she’d first heard what he had to say, she could barely contain her astonishment. What soon followed was a hot wave of indignation. She’d had to force herself to keep quiet, but inside, she was fuming, thinking a man like this who’d suggest using threats against us isn’t worthy of being Mia’s subject!

Now, however, it was painfully clear to her what his intention had been. He’d purposefully affronted her so she could hear Mia’s true thoughts. As a result, Mia had made her stance absolutely clear, leaving no room for any doubt in Rania’s mind.

A man of sufficient intelligence to serve so closely at her side... I wonder what he sees through those glasses of his. It must be the unshakable truths of the world. Truths I can’t even begin to fathom with my limited knowledge...

While Rania was having her private moment of awe, Arshia and Yuhal’s conversation continued.

“I’ve been teaching agriculture to children at Princess Mia’s academy, father.”

“So I’ve heard.”

“You have? Then, have you also heard that at her command, I’ve been researching how to grow wheat that’s resistant to cold?”

“Wheat...resistant to cold?”

Yuhal drew back, bewilderment as evident in his expression as it was on all the other Perujin faces in attendance. Even Shalloak stared in shock. Arshia took a deep bow, then turned to Mia.

“My apologies for asking after the fact, Princess Mia, but is it all right for me to inform my father of my research?”

The sight of her sister going out of her way to ask an odd question bore so much resemblance to the scene currently occupying Rania’s thoughts that she reflexively made a connection. Oh, I know what this is... Arshia’s trying to do the same thing as Ludwig.

Arshia already knew what Mia was after. She understood what drove her to push for the development of cold-resistant wheat. She was even aware of what she intended to do with the knowledge gained.

Wheat that can survive in the cold... If such a thing existed, it would be an extremely powerful weapon to have during famines caused by cold-damaged crops. While other nations struggled with poor harvests, the one in possession of this strain would enjoy normal yields. Therefore, knowledge of such a matter would normally be kept secret; it was definitely not something that should be disclosed in a place like this.

At least, that was what Perujin common sense dictated.

“Hm? Why wouldn’t it be all right?”

Mia arched an eyebrow, despite the calm reaction being completely incongruent with the fact that extremely sensitive information concerning Tearmoon’s national interest had just been revealed. She was so calm, in fact, that it almost seemed like she didn’t fully appreciate the gravity of what had just occurred. After making sure Yuhal got a good look at Mia’s clueless expression, Arshia continued.

“With the help of my students at the academy, I’ve been researching strains of wheat that can grow in the cold. Every bit of progress we make...is a step toward realizing my childhood dream of eradicating hunger from the world. I believe it’s very meaningful work.”

“Nonsense... Wheat that can grow in the cold? Such a thing can’t possibly exist.”

“How odd of you to say that,” said Mia, wading into the conversation. “Cold-resistant wheat definitely exists, and Arshia and Cyril will definitely find a way to grow it.”

She spoke with conviction—no, with certainty—as if she possessed knowledge of the future. It was a display of supreme confidence in Arshia’s abilities. Faced with the fact that a Tearmoon princess apparently trusted his daughter more than he did, Yuhal fell into a chagrined silence. After some time, he said, “But even so, it serves only Tearmoon’s interest. Yes, it is true that if cold-resistant wheat is developed, people will buy it to survive. There will be great demand, and Tearmoon, being the one who has the wheat, will easily monopolize the profits.”

“Princess Mia intends to share knowledge of the wheat with all neighboring nations.” Not missing a beat, Arshia immediately countered her father’s point. “What will it take to convince you that she is acting for the greater good? Why do you think she’s letting me do all the talking?”

“Arshia speaks true,” said Rania.

She stood up, realizing that if there was ever a time for her to talk about what Mia had done for her, it was now.

“Princess Mia was an enlightening presence for me too. She told me that after Arshia succeeds in developing the wheat, I should help spread the word about it throughout the continent. At a time when I was looking for direction in my life, she showed me a way forward—a meaningful way forward.”

Even now, Rania could see the radiant path in her mind. It was one she could be proud of herself for walking, for it led to a brighter future. Above it shone the light of the Great Sage of the Empire, forever a beacon in her life.

“Why would— That’s folly... Even if cold-resistant wheat could be developed, no ruler would just hand that expertise to other nations. It’s too important... Impossible...”

For Yuhal, whose goal had always been to bring wealth to Perujin through agriculture, the logic simply didn’t compute. Agricultural technology was priceless for Perujin; it was both their treasure and their weapon. He couldn’t bring himself to accept the thought that Tearmoon would be willing to give away something so important.

“If necessary, she can take the results of her research back to Perujin,” said Mia. “Arshia is a Perujin princess, after all. If she makes a useful discovery in Tearmoon, it’d only be natural for her to want to apply it to her own country’s agriculture.”

Her smile was relaxed. Compassionate, almost.

“This is just an idea for now, but with your permission, I’d also like to borrow some Perujin land and grow cold-resistant wheat here as well. In my opinion, working collaboratively on this research project will have a positive, meaningful impact for both our nations.”

At this point, even Yuhal had no choice but to accept that Mia was serious about making sure that people didn’t go hungry—not just her own people, but the people of all nearby nations.

He’ll understand. He must. This must have convinced him...

Rania’s fervent hope would unfortunately be betrayed.

“If you are truly a princess who cares about all people...then why? Why do you keep silent? Why do you condone Tearmoon’s treatment of Perujin? Is it because deep down, you wish for us to remain as we have...as slaves to your empire?” asked the King of Perujin, his voice shaking a little as he forced the words through clenched teeth.