Chapter Fifty-Five: Energetic Former Princess
Solerina arrived at the central city of Rocha, in the region of Nonette, to give birth in her homeland.
Instead of departing immediately after meeting me, it seemed she had decided to take some rest at the fortress I use.
And now, she's seated in my office chair.
"Do you need to rest because you're not feeling well?"
When I expressed my concern, she gestured to indicate otherwise.
"I'm not feeling unwell, just a little tired. Also, arrangements have been made for someone from Nonette to pick me up, so I chose to wait here."
"I haven't seen any notification about that."
While tilting my head, I double-checked the processed documents on my desk.
As I wondered about this, additional documents were brought into the room.
Seeing Hones, Solerina's eyes assessed her before turning to me.
"Milimos, who's this?"
"This is Hones, who trained alongside me as a soldier in Nonette's homeland. I brought her here, and now she's assisting me with tasks like a secretary."
"Referring to her as a secretary is quite the exaggeration! Being your junior and helping you is more than enough, Senpai!"
Nervously, Hones greeted Solerina.
From the mix of nervousness and admiration in her eyes, it seemed Hones was a fan of Solerina. Given the Love Romance boom in Nonette when Solerina got married – a grand love story between a princess and a commoner – it wasn't surprising that someone like Hones, as a woman herself, was caught up in the excitement.
Disregarding my thoughts, Solerina continued to gaze at Hones, then returned to her usual demeanor as if reassured.
"It appears you've been quite the support for Milimos. Dependable."
"Oh no, it's me who's been constantly taken care of by Senpai! Even my pay is way more than what new recruits get!"
"Oh my. Milimos, are you using money to keep young girls around?"
"She does more than just carry documents and serve tea; she's taken on tasks beyond the duties of a soldier. I'm just supplementing her pay as a secretary."
With a light-hearted retort, I accepted the additional documents from Hones. Upon reviewing them, I found a document mentioning that arrangements were being made for Solerina to be picked up from Nonette.
"...Leaving behind paperwork, Solerina-sama, you're still as quick with your work."
"Quick decision-making is one of my strengths. It's one of the qualities that led my husband to fall for me."
"Yes, yes. Self-praise, duly noted."
While responding, I reviewed the documents about Solerina's return home. There, I noticed an issue.
"It seems that the roads on Nonette's side aren't completed yet."
"Really? Father mentioned they would be done by summer, didn't he?"
"They've built regular pathways for people to travel, and they're also making progress in exterminating wild animals and magical beasts. However, it appears they haven't constructed a road wide enough for carriages."
"They've dealt with the beasts, but there's no road. That's odd."
"While it's not mentioned in the report, it's likely they assigned this task to Sarcasimo-sama or Vishika-sama as a trial to determine the next marshal."
"Those two as marshals... It seems Nonette has been changing since I got married."
"It's possible I'm overthinking it, though."
The Rocha region is a land with few trees as they use timber for ironmaking, and because they employed ten thousand soldiers as laborers, the roads were quickly built.
On the other hand, as for the lands of the Nonette homeland, the areas near the mountains are dense forests, and the terrain is hilly. The number of soldiers is less than a thousand. Opening up roads in about a hundred days would have been difficult.
"Anyway, even if we rush, it's been reported that it will take another twenty days to complete."
"Is that so? The schedule will be delayed then."
Normally, one might hesitate here, but Sorerina was a decisive woman. She had already made up her mind on the next steps.
"In that case, we will trouble Milimos for a while."
"Given the flow of the conversation, I thought it might come to that. Be careful with food and drink. Absolutely refrain from going down to the commoners to buy and eat."
When I earnestly expressed this, Sorerina tilted her head.
"Is the food in the Rocha region not safe to eat to that extent?"
"As long as you eat it normally, there won't be an immediate effect, especially for adults. However, there might be a possibility of harm to the child in your belly."
Since I learned about the mineral toxins in the river, I extensively investigated the villages during my journey and as the lord. The signs of health deterioration due to mineral toxins were not observed.
However, poison is something that accumulates, as I was taught in history and biology classes in my previous life. Just because there's no current impact doesn't mean it will be the same in the future, and I couldn't definitively say it wouldn't affect the child in Sorerina's belly.
Sorerina had conceived the child at the end of her joint work with her beloved husband. I wanted her to safely carry the pregnancy to term.
"That's why you need to be cautious about your meals."
However, mineral toxins are invisible, so even if they were in the food, there was no way to check.
Thinking about what to do, I remembered the scene when I headed to Rocha Country for a meeting—the scene where Nerotheora refused to drink from the river.
"While Sorerina-sama might find it unpleasant, if we enlist the help of the Famiris Knights' beloved horses, we should be able to ensure safe food and drink."
"Oh my. Can the horses of the Knight Family really taste-test for toxins?"
"They seem to be able to tell by smell, even without putting it in their mouths."
When I asked Famiris for confirmation, they agreed.
"With my beloved horse Nerotheora, such a thing is effortless. However, I can't say for sure if there's toxicity in meat. Horses don't eat meat."
"Of course. So, will you lend it to me for the safety of 'this child' and myself?"
"Considering that abandoning a child is a disgrace for a knight of the Sacred Knight State, it's fine. Before eating, have Nerotheora confirm the food. That way, poison won't enter your body."
"Thank you. Truly, a knight of the knightly country. You have a strong sense of righteousness."
At Sorerina's words, Famiris looked proud.
Though I couldn't help but hear it as a bit sarcastic, I smiled wryly. Sorerina had already moved on to planning the next steps.
"Since we have to settle in this capital city, I'll discuss things thoroughly with a blacksmith that Milimos will introduce. Where should I go?"
"Is it okay for a pregnant woman to wander around everywhere?"
"If you're about to give birth while out, you'll have to run to the midwife on your own. It's better to strengthen your legs and hips."
Sorerina's disposition was to be straightforward once she made up her mind.
Giving up on persuading her, I drew the directions to the blacksmith's house I intended to introduce on a piece of paper as a map and handed it to her.
"Make sure to take an escort with you. You're not alone, so wandering alone is prohibited."
"Oh my. I can't disobey the orders of the lord, can I?"
"I'm really counting on you, Milimos. As expected, the thing to have is a cute and clever little brother to be proud of."
"When it comes from Sorerina-sama, who was reputed to be the most outstanding among siblings, it sounds more like sarcasm than a compliment."
I shrugged, and Sorerina responded with a slightly sulky expression, though it was her genuine sentiment.