Light Meal Followed by Heavy Talk

“I’ve been blind to the lady’s beauty until now, haha!”

“You flatter me.”

“It’s true. I was shocked when Erius brought you in. I thought he had brought in a member of the royal family from downstairs.”

Erdoff lavished praise on my dress while picking at the salad placed on the round table.

“If I hadn’t invited you to today’s banquet, I might have missed seeing you like this, don’t you think, Göring?”

“This is the first time I’ve seen someone suit silk so well. It seems our party’s wardrobe manager put in quite some effort, haha!”

His close associates were no different. Once Erdoff had expressed approval, no fool who would ruin this fresh atmosphere would exist in this place.

Just like after the speech ceremony, Ernst and the other party members continued to praise me as they always had.

It seems they’re confident about winning the election.

There are only about two days left, aren’t there? In a few hours, the moment that will determine Bern’s future will arrive.

In the past, around this time I would have been busy avoiding the extremist demonstrations of Labor Party and Communist Party members and the tyranny of the Storm Troopers, but now I’m in a position to appreciate classical music…

“Ding, dingding!”

“Covering the twilight like a premonition of death─”

Life is truly unpredictable.

I put a piece of biscuit and some wine in my mouth while looking down at the band performing in the center of the lower floor.

“It’s my favorite piece.”

“Bahner’s Fourth Symphony, isn’t it?”

“Oh, you know it?”

“It’s music I often listen to at the military academy when I’m having a harder day than usual or feeling lonely in a foreign place.”

“I didn’t know you were aware of it.”

From Erdoff’s perspective, it’s surprising that a mere commoner child knows about classical music usually enjoyed by nobles, but in fact, it was a familiar and even intimate movement to me.

How could I not know it?

Wasn’t this the music that incessantly flowed from the gramophone whenever I entered Erdoff’s office for reports during the Great War?

In a position where I had to do my best to appear favorable to him, I didn’t miss even such small details.

“Good.”

Erdoff crossed his legs and closed his eyelids, briefly immersing himself in appreciation.

“Yena Freud.”

Soon, he picked up a cherry from the salad and turned towards me.

“Yes, Prime Minister.”

“Do you have any interest in working at a central agency?”

Finally, the formalities of the introduction came to an end.

“Your ability to capture attention with just a few words, imprint topics that might be received rigidly onto the people’s minds, and revive the dying embers of fighting spirit with your appeal is too valuable to leave alone.”

“……”

“I don’t want the resentment and passion festering in your heart to rot away, Yena. You deserve respect and are a talent needed for the unification of our fatherland.”

Crunch!

Erdoff chewed the crisp cherry a couple of times with his molars while holding my hand. In a way, this could be seen as similar to the proposal Gartel had made before.

The difference is that Gartel is an instructor who might gain fame in the future,

“I need talent like you, Yena.”

“……”

While this man is already the undisputed second-in-command after Bern’s president, and is all but certain to rise as the country’s absolute power holder in the future.

However, I couldn’t rashly grab his hand.

I must judge wisely. Even if following Ernst might make it possible to reach a constructive position, there’s a high probability of just pushing a pen.

It would be completely deviating from my original goal.

Moreover, although not mentioned, there’s the Night of Long Knives and the check from Paulo, another propaganda expert, and I might end up wasting time getting entangled in various matters.

“…I’m sorry.”

It’s still not possible.

“As I mentioned before, I followed the path my father laid out and was commissioned as a magic officer, so I want to fulfill my duty without forgetting my role as a soldier.”

“It’s a deeply moving story and I fully understand, but this is a proposal I’m making publicly, Ms. Yena Freud.”

Despite Paulo’s overt rebuke, I still bowed my head.

“Wouldn’t your father, a lifelong patriot, say that serving the Labor Party and making Bern’s heart beat again is true patriotism? I’m sure he would understand.”

I didn’t budge even at Göring’s persuasion.

“I’m sorry.”

I’m sorry for not being able to brighten up this gathering of Labor Party core members and making the atmosphere heavy, but I absolutely did not reverse my decision.

“The words the Party Leader himself is offering…”

Göring, seemingly taking it as excessive rudeness, could no longer stand by and frowned while placing both hands on the table.

“That’s enough.”

Fortunately, Erdoff intervened and no unfortunate incident occurred.

“It’s not coercion, so don’t be intimidated. I’m not criticizing you. Are you really not interested in working at the Ministry of Interior?”

“No, I’m sorry.”

“Haha, no need. In any case, serving as Bern’s proud magic officer and brightening the country’s future is also a proper way to express patriotism.”

Fortunately, or should I say thankfully, Erdoff, unlike my expectations, didn’t show any particular discomfort. Rather, he seemed to respect my decision and protect me from others.

Was it just a lightly thrown question?

“Isn’t it also a sound method to bravely venture into foreign lands at risk and strive to grow into a valuable asset, don’t you think so, Göring, Congressman Paulo?”

“You’re right, haha!”

“Everyone has their own struggles.”

Thanks to this, the atmosphere that was about to turn hostile quickly regained its warmth.

Erdoff’s attitude was quite unexpected, but isn’t it good if it’s good? Whatever his intentions, it was just a favorable gesture that caused no harm for now.

“Still, if you ever have the inclination, don’t hesitate to tell me. I’ll always be waiting for you, haha!”

“Thank you for understanding, Prime Minister.”

“It’s nothing compared to the efforts you’ve made for the party. Moreover, Yena, you’re now a proper member of the Labor Party! Consider it the Party Leader’s consideration.”

Fortunately, we’ll part without much commotion.

I was satisfied just with drawing out Erdoff’s goodwill at our first meeting, influencing the Labor Party, and joining it.

Now what comes next is important.

“I still feel responsible for not being able to express all my gratitude to you with just a medal that’s still only symbolic to me. Someday I’ll express my thanks once again.”

“Thank you.”

“I’m not the type to throw around empty words, so you can look forward to it. Yena, you’re someone who deserves such respect, hahaha!”

---

“This is a high-class Gallian restaurant that I haven’t had the chance to introduce to you yet. I dare say it’s not even worth comparing to things like mint chocolate or pineapple pizza.”

“Mmm, nom…”

“It’s your last day in the capital, so I hope it’ll be a plentiful meal. How is it, does it suit your taste, Yena?”

“It’s delicious.”

With such a feast of delicacies I had never experienced before, my mouth had no time to rest. Even as Ernst asked, my cheeks were so full of meat that I could hardly open my lips.

I should eat a lot since it’s the last supper.

After the banquet with Erdoff, I spent the rest of my vacation without any particular events. Now, tomorrow I had to return to the cold and dry Federation by airship.

“Waiter, another Frankfurter Rippchen here, please.”

“Gulp… Thank you.”

“Haha, it’s nothing. Eat as much as you want.”

Ernst, somehow knowing this fact, had personally come to my residence and was treating me to a luxurious meal.

“I promised you, didn’t I? That when we meet again, I’d present you with cuisine incomparable to before, haha!”

I certainly made the right decision to make a deal.

While smiling back at him as I raised my head, I swept my long straight hair back lest it stick to the corners of my mouth, and bit into another rib on the plate.

“Mmm, nom.”

As I had predicted at the banquet, Ernst had positively accepted the negotiation.

I succeeded in receiving all the resources I could get from him, including nearly unlimited financial support within possible limits and even intangible assets like connections.

“So, Yena Freud, you said you had a favor you wanted me to do right before the meal, what is it?”

That’s why I can talk intimately with him now, even though we were close to being enemies just a few days ago.

“Ah, I haven’t told you yet. It shouldn’t be too difficult for someone who has served as an Imperial congressman and Conservative Party leader.”

And today marks the beginning of using this relationship.

I wiped around my chin with a napkin and put down the cutlery on the table. I rinsed my mouth clean with water, and regained my original posture by placing my arms and legs modestly.

“Could you take charge of a newspaper company?”

“Hm?”

Finally, I moved the corners of my mouth.

“That is my only request.”