Eastern Stroll (1)
In manga, there are those characters. Incredibly competent, cool, and talented, yet always too busy gallivanting around. Usually, these characters symbolize carefree joy, dumping tedious paperwork on equally capable subordinates while pulling off eccentric antics that make readers laugh.
'Righteous, straightforward... a bit foolish but brimming with humanity—those kinds of characters.'
The key to such characters is that all their actions ultimately serve the greater good or yield positive results.
'But he's just showering women with everything, it's disgusting.'
What Silpiner was seeing through her shared vision—Kailen Marin—was far removed from that archetype.
'This is ridiculously useful, though.'
Silpiner, the wind spirit. Maybe because she's positioned as the protagonist's helper from the start, her speed was absurdly fast, and she even shared vision. Her utility was off the charts. And the cost-performance? Incredible. She'd been watching Kailen for quite a while now, yet there was zero strain on my body.
Of course, that was probably possible only because the original owner of this body—the crown prince—possessed freakish power.
'To think he played the fool with strength like this. Unbelievable.'
How kind and idiotic do you have to be to watch the empire crumble without lifting a finger despite this power? It made no sense, but it wasn't something I could fix right now, so I set it aside.
"They should all be ready by now."
Deciding I'd slept in plenty, I rose from bed. I'd told them to report as soon as I woke, so my rising would be the deadline. To give them maximum time, I'd deliberately lounged around before finally opening the door.
"Haha, I hope this isn't all because of my greed."
"Not at all, Your Highness. How could we call it the crown prince's greed? We enjoyed the work immensely."
"I'm glad to hear that."
Right outside stood my retainers, lined up neatly against the opposite wall—all the ministers from yesterday's council, clutching documents and watching me eagerly. It was a satisfying sight.
"I'll take them one by one. Haha, and look, even the prime minister, with his lofty position, is first in line. Impressive."
"A high position demands commensurate responsibility and duty. No praise deserved, Your Highness."
"You deserve it fully."
With that, I nodded to the maid beside me. She deftly spread her hands, ready to receive the stack.
One by one, the papers piled up neatly in her grasp.
'Oh, right, I should reply to those letters sent directly to me.'
After finishing this eastern report, I'd craft appropriate responses.
"Your Highness, that's all of them."
Pulled from my thoughts by the announcement, I replied,
"Good. You all worked hard—rest easy today. No council, I guarantee it."
"Your grace humbles us."
I dismissed the retainers and ordered the maid to move the documents to my office.
'Eastern Grand Duke, at least keep it reasonable when you lavish them.'
I hoped he'd played within common sense. If he'd goofed off stupidly like the second prince...
'Tch.'
Then even I couldn't help him.
As I turned toward the office to review the files,
"Ah."
Something occurred to me, and I addressed the Imperial Guard knight following behind.
"By the way, are there any personnel dispatched from the north and east still in the palace?"
Checking a potential blind spot,
"I'll confirm immediately."
"If there are, bring them to me. Politely, of course."
"As you command."
The knight immediately pulled a sun bell from his pocket and rang it.
Cleaning is like that. No matter how much you do, it never ends, and you wonder when it'll be over. But you have to do it anyway.
That's cleaning.
"Kailen Marin! How can you, as grand duke, neglect your duties and pour all your energy into playing around?!"
"Father, it's not playing—it's exploring the vast seas."
"I hear you've practically semi-permanently leased fast ships to the Maselin Kingdom?"
"An investment! In Maselin Kingdom. So we can snag the rare stuff first if it turns up!"
"And paying top price for it?"
"Rare things deserve their value—no backlash later that way."
Jabairen Marin sighed deeply at his son. When he'd handed over the grand duchy, he'd thought the east's future brighter than his own. But the lid off? Just a kid who loved to play.
'Can't take it back now, though.'
At least capable subordinates still propped up the pillars, and his son's talent for finding rare artifacts was exceptional. How he sniffed out ocean treasures and stashed them in the vault— that alone kept the east prosperous.
"Speaking of, you're still handling the tribute goods for the empire?"
"I've been so tied up with that I couldn't properly aid Maselin Kingdom. Remember my promise to Princess Mirne?"
"Why obsess over Maselin Kingdom?"
"Huge potential! And imagine me paired with a crown princess from a kingdom like that? Perfect!"
"Heh."
Was it youthful fancy or serious strategy for the east's future? Jabairen couldn't tell.
'Lately... I'm too curious how the empire's central is faring.'
Rumors of a bloodbath in the capital. How could his son remain so oblivious?
Thus,
"Do you know what's happening in the imperial capital?"
Jabairen tested him.
"Heard they're pulling all support and investments from Maselin Kingdom. Wonder if it'll hit the east—sent a messenger bird to check."
"You sent a messenger bird? To whom?"
"Crown Prince brother, obviously."
Thwack.
He smacked his forehead at the answer. Even as grand duke, firing a direct line to the crown prince—who might as well be emperor?
'If sent, it went straight to his chambers? Heh.'
Normally he'd ignore it, but with the empire's odd stirrings, such recklessness irked him.
'He's grand duke now, though—overmeddling looks suspicious.'
Jabairen held back, lest it backfire. Oblivious to his father's concerns, Kailen sauntered to his office.
Eying the modest pile of papers,
"Alright, let's knock this out quick."
Motivated by his father's words for once, a subordinate swiftly listed the day's tasks.
"First, inspect tribute goods for the empire—third time mentioning: seafood basics, artifacts and navigation logs/maps from the sea ruins, and taxes."
"Hmm, Crown Prince bro might let some slide... he's done it before."
"Keep bending rules, and local nobles follow suit. Why should they obey what the grand duke ignores?"
"True, but... I want to properly support Maselin Kingdom."
Listening, Kailen already felt bored.
"Oh yeah, the empire's dispatched talent aside—our eastern dispatches still there?"
"Yes, the port construction crew."
"Mm, Mirne said she wanted a bigger port."
Mention of Maselin Kingdom curled his lips slyly.
'No matter how much I give, it never shows.'
A bottomless pit of a nation. That was Maselin. Small, frail—and housing my delicate love.
Our first meeting unforgettable. I'd ended up sailing there myself one day.
'Ah... just thinking makes me happy.'
Lost in sweet reverie, reluctantly approving papers—
Crash!
The office window shattered, and
Screeeeech!
A vicious-looking red bird perched on the sill.
"Wh-what the...?!"
The subordinate startled.
"...That's the crown prince's messenger bird. Pirande."
Kailen approached stiffly. The crown prince never used his own birds—they were too feral, vicious to all but their master.
'But they're smart. Wait, birds like this aren't even suitable for messages...'
True to form, it deftly plucked the letter from its leg with its beak and
Ptoo.
Spit it to the floor like trash.
Screeeeech!
Another triumphant cry, then
Flap.
It flew back toward the empire, mission complete.
"Heh."
What could warrant deploying even Pirande for a letter? Wondering, Kailen unfolded it.
See you soon.
"...."
Speechless at the absurdity. No who, where, how—just see you soon.
"Huh? See you soon? Crown Prince bro sends this? Does it mean I go, or he comes?"
Kailen missed the implication entirely.
Now comfortably settled in my office.
"I appointed him grand duke, not handed him a kingdom to play king."
A hollow laugh escaped reviewing the eastern analysis report. Even a grand duke couldn't flout imperial law.
Tribute taxes, mandatory central shipments—he'd skimped heavily, even diverting gains to Maselin.
'But logically, with this much aid, Maselin shouldn't need more. Why keep taking it?'
By the support logged so far, Maselin Kingdom should be far stronger than claimed. Yet imperial fools insisted it was weak.
A possibility dawned: Maselin Kingdom deceiving the empire.
'Faster to assume they're cosplaying weakness. Show strength, aid stops.'
Keep whining 'We're still struggling, need more' after every handout—no end in sight. Hide the growth, and it works.
'Not bloated from excess—won't stop till stuffed to satisfaction?'
Mirne, what a riot. 21st-century savvy at work?
'Anyway, that's over now.'
No more gifts for Maselin from the empire.
'Hope the letter arrived safely.'
Pirande—who knew such a capable messenger existed? Though I doubted it was a standard bird.
Mulling how idiotically and haphazardly the east ran, a knock came.
"Your Highness, as ordered, the northern and eastern dispatches brought politely."
I nodded to the maid; she opened the door.
There they knelt, terrified retainers.
"Nicely brought, indeed."
"Yes."
"Y-Your H-Highness, uh, th-the, s-sob...."
Captured and trembling, barely breathing. Baffling—they'd arrived intact.
'Eastern nobles faint-hearted?'
Straight to business.
"Reports show discrepancies. Your dispatches underreported Maselin Kingdom aid, miscounted sea ruin artifacts... Who ordered it?"
"D-deathly sin!"
"Yes, sins aplenty—don't worry, I'll handle that. Just confess the truth."
Same empire, yet the east sucking the center dry with pranks. Ignored till now because...
'Crown prince was a pushover, letting it slide.'
Plenty of issues to escalate if pushed. Even recent eastern impoverishment.
Needed the full story.
"It, it went like...!"
The terrified eastern suck-ups spilled.
"...."
As the tale neared its end,
"....Summon the Executioners."
I exhaled deeply, deciding.
Looks like I'd need a stroll to the east myself.