<Authors Notes>

After the last update, weve received a new review. Thank you very much.

Our next course of action has finally been decided.

With the meeting over, the group disbanded.

The Seven Warlights started leaving the room one after another.

At that moment though

[Ummm, Belzegia-, A moment?]

Calling out to me was Lieselotte Ornick.

Her body turned towards me, she had her arms loosely folded in front of her.

However, with her gaze turned away, she asked.

[Do you have something you need to do after this?]

Thinking about her question, Looked at my pocket watch once.

[I have some time before the evening appointment with the Mad Emperor. Yeah, I have time.]

[C- Can you come to my room?]

[Your room?]

[Ah, well I wouldnt mind even if you refuse. Its not that important anyway.]

It seems like she wanted to talk about something.

However, it probably isnt about the direction of this country.

I guess it would be something personally about Liese huh.

[Alright Seras, you return to our room first.]

As if she understood what was going on, Seras bowed.

[Understood. Ill go back first.]

And thus, I went straight to Lieses room in the castle.

[For a private room, this place doesnt have a lot of decorations, does it?]

With its appearance, it wouldnt have been strange if she called this her office.

Though I say that, its probably wide enough for a private room.

Well, shes the Prime Minister of the country after all.

Besides, even though its unadorned, its cleanly furnished.

Even though it looked plain, that doesnt mean its not gaudy.

The room could be described as a uniform room with its calm color scheme.

At the back of the room, I could see a simple kitchen space.

I could also see what seemed like a restroom.

Theres also a room where you could have a light bath.

It seemed like this room could handle most of peoples daily needs.

Being the Prime Minister, she must be busy, so she probably needs a room like this.

As for the other rooms

There seems to be another room behind the room were in

[? Ahh, thats my bedroom. Its a bit messy at the moment, so Id rather not invite you in.]

As Liese recommended that I sit on the couch, I sat down.

In front of the couch is a long table.

This table seemed like it had plenty of space for about eight people to eat on.

According to Liese, she sometimes held light meetings with the Ornicks in this room.

There were a few chairs for other species near the wall.

However, it seemed like a chair for a humanoid had been prepared in advance.

Pouring water from a jug into a silver cup, Liese places it in front of me.

Bam!

[Here you go!]

[Thanks.]

As if to brush my words aside, Liese snorted.

I could clearly see the slight blush on her cheeks though.

It seemed that unlike Seras, this Arachnes expression easily shows on her face.

[Listen here, okay!? Drink that and just wait right there! It would be just a moment, so quietly wait right there!]

Pointing at me while sternly saying this, she then turns towards the kitchen.

As she began moving about, I observed the back of Lieses head.

It seems like she started a fire.

Eventually, a fragrant smell drifted into the air.

[Sorry, Belzegia Just wait a bit longer.]

[No, you dont really need to hurry.]

Shes putting a lot of effort into this.

It doesnt seem like shes used to cooking.

Heck, she probably doesnt usually stand in the kitchen that much.

Waiting leisurely on my seat, I took off my mask and sipped some water.

[Hmmm? Tonoa Water huh.]

Moreover, it tastes a little different from the normal one.

The one Im drinking now tastes sweeter.

Hearing my words, with her back still turned towards me, Liese responded.

[Thats my homemade Tonoa Water Something I drink when Im tir Ouch!]

[You alright there?]

[I- Im alright! How rude!]

[Just in case what I thought happened, you need to cool the burnt area.]

[I I know Uuuu T- Thank you for the concern.]

[.]

I guess she invited me here to cook for me huh?

Soon after, Liese brought a wooden tray with plates on it.

However

[Wait W- Why the heck are you unmasked!?]

[Well, I cant drink with the mask on. I also cant eat whatever youre serving me.]

While cooking, Liese kept her back to me.

So, she hadnt noticed that I had taken off my mask.

I thought shed realize it when I sipped the Tonoa Water.

Still holding the tray, Liese stopped in place.

[-I- Is that how you really look?]

[Does it look like Im wearing any other mask? I mean, you already know that Im human, right? I dont think you should be surprised now.]

Then again

I guess in her mind, someone who usually wore a full-face mask had taken off their mask.

With that in mind, I guess its not surprising that she was surprised.

[Well I was originally wearing it because I dont really want to feel out of place in a country filled with Demi-Humans and Monsters.]

Of course, it meant that I had been hiding my true identity in the earlier fight outside the door.

Its also to avoid having my facial features be circulated around Alions side.

But right now, its just Liese and I here in this room.

[Though I say that, Id still like to keep my face hidden as much as possible. Id appreciate it if you dont tell anyone about my facial features.]

[Yes, I understand. Everyone has their own different situations after all. Im not going to pry!]

[Thanks.]

[Hmph.]

A little embarrassed, Liese observed me with her eyes half-opened.

[ ? ]

[Y- You look like that huh. You look different from what I expected.]

[Disappointed?]

[, Is that something I have to answer!? Look, that aside, Im done cooking!]

[Youre the one who brought it up though]

[Im sorry then! Like I said, look, Im done cooking-]

In contrast to the roughness of her voice, Liese gently placed the tray on the table.

Even so This Arachne really is that easy to understand.

For example, if I were to point out one easily recognizable feature

When she was embarrassed, her two forelegs had the habit of fidgeting.

I wonder, do spiders legs express their emotions more easily than a humanoids arms?

I guess its something like a cats tail.

That aside

It smells good.

[This is my way of apologizing and thanking you. I dont know what Im supposed to do in a situation like this The only thing I could think of was to serve you food. See, you didnt get a good meal while you were fighting, right!? Since youre hungry, I thought Id just fill your stomach!]

Guess thats obvious.

[J- Just eat it before it gets cold! The heck is your problem now!?]

Shes feeling embarrassed.

Embarrassed and tired.

Perhaps, she may have been agitated.

Youre getting rather tense there, Lieselotte Ornick

Fumu, even so

[Putting aside the appearance, it smells good.]

Its aroma softly drifted in the air.

What an appetizing smell.

It kinda resembles German fries.

It looks in a bad way, soggy.

I heard that they were already boiled before they were fried them, but perhaps, were they overboiled?

There were even some that didnt manage to keep their shape.

The size of the sliced vegetables were also oddly inconsistent.

The amount of greens seems to be just right but

[E- Even if it looks like that, I already did the best of my limits! Uuuu If you dont want to, y- you dont have to eat it]

If I were to point out whats most distinctive about this dish

It would that its covered with this deep red sauce.

Looking at it

I have this feeling that its hot sauce.

Well, putting my misgivings aside-

[Nom.]

I decided to try it out.

.

Hmm?

No, this

[Tastes good.]

[Really!? , Its just I told you, didnt I!? Hmph! Im the Ornick Tribes Chief after all! Does it really taste good?]

[It looks really bad though.]

[Ughhh It looks the same when you eat it anyway]

[I guess so.]

I mean

That Im actually hungry is true though.

Unnn.

The sauce on it isnt bad either.

I think this sauce meshes well with fries.

[It certainly may look like that, but the ingredients used in that sauce have a calming effect. It will give you a good nights sleep, which is especially needed by those who use their brains. However, its a precious commodity, so I cant make too much of it It would be troubling if you ask for more.]

In short

A dish filled with Lieses care and attention.

Perhaps, the fact that its boiled that they werent able to keep their shape is also a consideration to make it easier to digest.

After I finished eating, Liese took the seat in front of me.

[Ummm What happened today was really my fault. Im sorry.]

Hearing what she said, I took a sip of my Tonoa Water.

[I already received your apology before.]

[I just want to properly say it My thanks.]

Straightening up, Liese bowed her head.

[Thank you very much. With your help and advice, this country has been saved I, Faraway Countrys Prime Minister, Lieselotte Ornick, personally express my gratitude.]

I see.

In short, this is what she wanted to tell me.

This is why she wanted to talk to me, one on one.

How conscientious.

[The swelling in your face.]

[Eh?]

[It has abated quite a bit.]

[Y- Yes]

Liese touched her cheek.

Its still a little swollen, but the injury wasnt as serious as I thought.

[I had it examined, and it apparently wasnt as bad as it looked Then, I had a Centaur from the Meiru Tribe use Recovery Magic on me They also plastered medicine on it and a little colorant.]

Saying this, she wryly smiled.

Its possible that the healing process is faster than natural healing because she employed various means of treatment.

However, Mikhail did say that she was going to send Liese and the others to a brothel.

In that case, theres a possibility that he was taking it easy on them.

However, the fear Liese felt at that time should be real.

The mental pain may have hurt more deeply than the physical pain.

[The reinforcements at the final stage of the war You did really great sending them. Thanks to that, the fight against the 7th Cavalry is much easier.]

[Ahh, that huh I thought that the more of us in the field, the fewer deaths wed have.]

[You say all that, but I think your ability to persuade others is quite impressive.]

Dropping down her face, a self-deprecating smile appears on Lieses lips.

[No, thats not true. I just honestly asked them for help. Admitting that I made a mistake I asked them for help to save my friends who are fighting outside. Thats why The credit for those reinforcements doesnt belong to me. It belongs to everyone in this country, they who still kept on believing in me.]

Closing her eyes, Liese clenched both fists in front of her stomach.

[And there, I understood Ive only been able to be an excellent Prime Minister thanks to the goodwill of everyone in the country So, it wasnt that I was excellent Because they place their trust in me in Lieselotte Ornick, I misunderstood that I can do everything]

Opening her eyes, Liese softly mutters.

[Hey, can you tell me why?]

[Tell you what?]

[This negotiation with Mira. I didnt object to it at that timebut why did you choose me to represent the country? If its a representative, King Zect or Qir would have]

[Just now, you said that the credit belongs to everyone, right?]

[Y- Yes]

[This victory That everyone also includes you, doesnt it?]

[]

[Indeed, the people who responded to your plea may originally have been good people. However The one who decided to send reinforcements outside is no other than you, Lieselotte Ornick. Even if you were to ask anyone, that achievement is no one elses but yours. You made a great judgment At least, Im grateful for that judgment you made back then. Just keep that in mind.]

[.]

Hearing my words, her mouth pursed.

Liese- Even as she looked like she was about to cry, desperately held it back.

[W- Why Why!?]

[]

[Even though I said all those horrible things to you! Even though Ive said so many terrible things! In the end.. Everything I thought was wrong and because of it, I exposed everyone to danger, and yet, why do you! Why]

However, it seems like Liese was unable to hold it back anymore.

[Why are you this kind to me]

The answer to this is actually something simple.

Yes

[Theres nothing special to it. Its just something simple.]

[.]

[It was because Lieselotte Ornick hadnt done anything that enraged me.]

For example, the 6th Cavalry.

They certainly infuriated me.

[In a way, Im unable to look at someone objectively. Judging someone if theyre righteous or ethical. isnt something I can do. Thats something I would do either. Its only whether Im displeased with someone or not In short, if they had incurred my wrath. Thats all there is to me.]

In other words

[For me, Lieselotte Ornick isnt someone Im that displeased with. Thats why, I will remain kind to you and I wouldnt eliminate you. Its that simple.]

Yes.

Like my own parents.

Like that sh*tty goddess who treats people with contempt.

Like those irredeemable b*stards Ive encountered in this world.

Compared to them, what she did isnt that big of a deal.

Thus, for me, Liese isnt like them.

Thats the only reason why.

Thereupon, I jokingly spoke.

[Well, the Lieselotte Ornick back then was astonishingly narrow-minded stubborn and awfully aggressive cheeky and unafraid to use hurtful words You really were quite horrible back then.]

Hearing my words, she tried to make her body look smaller.

[Uuuuu, Im sorry.]

[However, youre different now.]

[]

[The current Lieselotte Ornick has a wider perspective Youve learned to be flexible and listen to the opinions of others, and isnt unreasonably aggressive Youre still rather cheeky but well, I guess thats just your personality, but anyhow, you have also become considerate in the words you say to others.]

[Is that right?]

[Yeah, your efforts are paying off.]

[However, cheeky, me?]

[Its your personality, so I think its alright.]

[You arent denying it]

[Even if I try to compliment you, there are just things that couldnt be helped, you know?]

[Uuuuuu]

Thereupon, I noticed Lieses forelegs were entwined together.

[That means Youre being honest in your other evaluations Uuuuu]

[Id have thought that the Prime Minister would be used to getting compliments.]

[S- Shut up. Whether youd get embarrassed or not depends on who compliments you, right?]

[You get embarrassed when I compliment you?]

[That is- Y- Youre misunderstanding things here, arent you!?]

[ ? ]

[ ? ]

Thereupon, softly muttering Thats not it,

[Dont you dare misunderstand, okay!?]

She rephrased it.

It seems like she misspoke.

Well, indeed I wonder what shed do if I did misunderstand anything though.

[Anyway, Im counting on you in the evening negotiations.]

[I- Ill try You and Seras are coming with me, right?]

[Yeah.]

[Will you help me at that time?]

[Naturally.]

[Thats great. Im really going to rely on you, okay?]

[You can rely on me.]

[Im going to rely on you and the others after all.]

[.]

Faraway Countrys Prime Minister, Lieselotte Ornick.

She can now upfrontly ask for help from the people around her.

Not just giving self-righteous directives from up top

She has come to be able to listen to the opinions of those around her.

As a Prime Minister, I suppose she has grown a step better.

When I returned to my room, Seras greeted me.

[Welcome back, Touka-sama.]

[Im back.]

The words Im back naturally came out of my mouth.

How should I say this

I wonder if this is how husbands feel when they come home from work.

Unintentionally- I thought about such an insignificant thing.