How You Use a Tool Depends on the Owner

After that, we continued brainstorming ideas and reviewing proposals from the nobles.

In particular, it's apparently difficult to reject all the proposals from the nobles.

If we don't incorporate some of them, resentment will build up and cause problems for governing the country.

Before getting involved with Princess Tianis, I thought kings held absolute power, but…

Unlike Emperor Kelves, who had become the ruler of the Empire, she has to compromise somewhere.

We selected the relatively better proposals and incorporated them into the coronation ceremony.

As the discussions progressed, things took shape, but at the same time, various intentions became more intertwined.

To put it plainly, we weren't aiming for the best outcome, but rather trying to avoid the worst possible situation.

This is similar to how I think about business.

Even if there's a venture that could earn enormous profits, if there's even the slightest risk of bankruptcy, you shouldn't touch it.

A business that won't bankrupt you but only earns a little is far better.

That's what it means to keep your feet on the ground.

"Did we manage to put something together?"

"Yes. I think this is the best we can do at this point."

With advice from Alexia and Elza, the three of us struggled to put together a draft.

Honestly, I felt like I was preparing an incredibly large business proposal, and I was exhausted.

"Really? To be honest, I've been thinking so much that my head physically hurts. I knew it would be hard, but I never imagined it would be difficult in this way. If you two hadn't been here… sigh."

"This one was challenging because of the scale, but paperwork is something you get used to. Once you understand the format, you can process things more easily and quickly."

"I pray you're right."

"Since we've reached a stopping point, how about some sweets during our break?"

It was time for the sweet potatoes I'd prepared.

They were finished with a numbingly rich sweetness. It should really soak into exhausted brains.

A mass of sugar.

"What is it?"

"I want cake… oh my."

Princess Tianis reacted to the sweet smell.

When I took out the sweet potatoes from the box, her expression immediately changed to one of anticipation.

"Here you go."

"W-Well, since you went through the trouble of making them. I suppose I'll eat them."

"Thank you for the food."

Both of them took small, elegant bites.

This was probably the biggest difference from Alexia.

When I looked at Alexia, she had a face that seemed to say, "Got a problem?"

"This is it, this is what I needed. When you're tired, nothing beats sweets. I'll have seconds."

"Oh come on, you don't have to eat so fast. Don't eat too much or you'll gain weight. Yohane-san, this is delicious. May I ask for the recipe?"

"That would be great. If Anatia-neesan learns to make them, we can eat them whenever we want."

"Really now, don't get carried away."

"I don't mind at all, they're simple to make. What matters is the potato you use."

It's a dish that brings out the flavor of the ingredients.

Looking at their expressions, I could tell they liked it.

Along with the recipe, I requested permission to cultivate this potato in Luido.

"Come to think of it, I did leave you in charge of food matters. Good work, good work. If it can be a staple food, grown year-round, and harvested quickly, I have no complaints."

"This is a famine-relief crop, you know. Even though it's within the Kingdom, I'm surprised you managed to get them to share it from the almost independent northern settlements."

"They gave it to me without any issues. I traded meat and money for it, I believe. For them, it's a crop they can harvest regularly, nothing special."

"Wheat inevitably has periodic bad harvests, so if this can even partially compensate, we can reduce the number of people who starve. If it grows in winter too, just imagine how many people it could save…"

As I expected, Princess Tianis and Lady Anatia accepted it.

We've been testing for problems like continuous cropping, but interplanting with wheat or buckwheat solved any issues.

This potato will surely fill the stomachs of many Kingdom citizens in the future.

At worst, you can just bake or boil it and it'll work.

"I'm so full. I feel like sleeping right here."

"Shall we call it a day? This draft should be sufficient for now. We'll probably end up revising it anyway when new requests come in from various places."

"Wait, Yohane, you're joking, right? This is as perfect as we could conceive!"

"Unfortunately, Princess Tianis. Plans always get interfered with until the last moment. And always by people you can't refuse."

"I understand. They insist on squeezing things in… A little bit can be handled as owing a favor, but some try to overturn everything from scratch."

"Oh yes, those types exist. I wonder what they're thinking. It's best if we can filter them out beforehand, but if they have decision-making power, it's the worst."

"On that point at least, there's no need to worry. We remain at the top."

We almost ended up in a complaining contest.

Lady Anatia put her arm around Princess Tianis's shoulders.

When they were like that, they really looked like true sisters.

Today's meeting was adjourned when Princess Tianis's drowsiness reached its limit.

I wonder if I was able to help them somewhat.

I should probably refrain from making small profits using the information I've gained.

You never know when you might get tripped up.

A clean record is the best shield.

I can't take on their heavy responsibilities for them, but I hope I can support them from the shadows like this.

I hope the senior nobles, starting with Finance Minister Morman, won't make unreasonable demands.

If that happens, I'll probably be summoned again.

Maybe I should adjust my work schedule to be ready for whenever that happens.

"Hey."

"What is it?"

After leaving the castle, Finn looked back.

"Those two might be targeted. There were several traces in the room."

"… A duke's daughter with proxy authority and the next queen? If someone assassinated them, the country itself would falter."

"You don't get it. The people who hire underground operators don't think about tomorrow. They just want whoever's in their way right now taken care of."

"That may be true, but…"

"What do you want to do? I'm just a tool. Nothing more than a single knife. How you use it is your job as my employer, Yohane."

If Finn says so, then it's certainly true.