I Was Just Having Fun With The Time Limit – Chapter 113

Chapter 113

Isabel knew how to thoroughly distinguish between Princess Isabel and the person Isabel.

Right now, she was Princess Isabel.

And Princess Isabel had one small（?） wish.

Let me leave a gift to this world that gave me a gift.

Even though I’ll be leaving soon, I hope to be remembered as a good memory by people for a long time.

To that end, she was doing her best and living diligently every day.

“What is the most useless theory for an office worker?”

“Hmm……”

She stroked her chin, but she couldn’t figure out the answer.

“As far as I know!”

‘As far as I know’ was a phrase that King Valkio of Jirdel habitually used.

The faces of the vassals brightened noticeably.

“Hahaha!”

Valkio, completely unaware that she was targeting him, clapped his hands and laughed loudly.

“That office worker is doomed to fail. As far as I know, no one has ever succeeded with that kind of mindset. You see, back in my day, I never once complained about things being difficult. And……”

The words that started like that continued for about 10 minutes.

When I was young, I worked much harder than the current generation, and the guys who complain about things being tough these days are just spoiled, and kids these days have weak mental fortitude, and they’re a generation that hasn’t even experienced war, a warm generation, and so on.

The vassals’ faces, which had brightened, darkened again.

“Anyway, your sense of humor is excellent.”

“It wasn’t humor.”

Isabel once again realized the reality of this kingdom through the expressions of the vassals.

Those expressions spoke volumes about public opinion.

“I came here to give a gift to the Jirdel Kingdom.”

Isabel wasn’t just exchanging jokes.

It was a process of confirming how exhausted they were through the vassals’ reactions.

Incidentally, this method was devised in consultation with Narmore, who was standing behind her.

“A gift?”

Valkio also prepared a pretty doll as a gift, the kind that children love.

He was convinced that young Isabel would be very happy if he gave her this.

But unexpected words came out of young Isabel’s mouth.

“A life with weekends.”

The vassals’ faces brightened again.

“The TeyIsabel Transfer Gate isn’t just a cheap transfer gate. It’s a technology that buys time.”

“Buys time?”

Isabel smiled brightly.

“Time is precious to everyone, but it’s truly precious to me.”

“……Ah.”

Valkio couldn’t find anything to say and coughed awkwardly.

He had forgotten because she was so bright and warm.

That she has been living a terminally ill life since birth.

“The fact that the cost has become cheaper means that the benefits can be spread evenly.”

Currently, only the wealthy can use the transfer gate.

Because the cost itself is too high.

However, the TeyIsabel Transfer Gate can be used by many more people.

“The Jirdel Kingdom is a logistics city, isn’t it?”

It’s located in an even more important trade hub than the Alphea Kingdom.

To the extent that the Empire dispatches troops to manage it separately.

“Logistics will become faster. As it becomes faster, as everyone enjoys the benefits, everyone’s time will increase. There will be weekends. The precious time you can spend with your family will increase.”

“Hahaha!”

Valkio shook his head.

“Do you really think so?”

The vassals suddenly became anxious.

Whenever the King was this confident, ‘As far as I know’ or ‘Back in my day’ would surely pop out.

“Doesn’t faster logistics mean that you can move more goods in the same amount of time?”

“Yes. That’s right, isn’t it?”

“Then doesn’t it mean you can do more work?”

Isabel smiled brightly.

She knew Valkio would definitely say that.

‘That’s why office workers try not to finish their work quickly.’

Even if they finish their work quickly, they can’t leave early.

If they finish quickly, they’ll just be given new tasks, so they end up doing more work.

“I don’t think it’s a matter to be thought of so simply, Your Majesty.”

“What do you mean?”

“To accept the TeyIsabel Transfer Gate, we need the absolute support of the kingdom’s citizens.”

This place was much closer to the Mirotel Magic Federation than the Alphea Kingdom.

Naturally, Mirotel’s influence was significant.

Countless people believed the rumors related to the ‘TeyIsabel Transfer Gate’.

Recently, instead of the frame that ‘the TeyIsabel Transfer Gate is fatal’, the Magic Federation has been framing it as ‘the TeyIsabel Transfer Gate causes side effects, knowingly or unknowingly’.

For instance, frames like it causes hair loss or obesity.

“Stimulating anxiety is a very effective means of agitation. You can’t force people who are anxious to use the TeyIsabel Transfer Gate technology. It might be possible for a short time, but eventually, there will be a huge backlash.”

She confirmed that through the vassals’ reactions as well.

The vassals relatively freely expressed their emotions in front of the King.

Considering that vassals in a kingdom with a perfectly vertical relationship can’t even show their emotions in front of the King, it could be said that the atmosphere was very free.

It also meant that the Jirdel Kingdom was quite democratic for a monarchy.

“They have to accept it from the heart. For that, we need a justification that can move their hearts.”

“……”

Narmore added a word.

“A life with weekends. A life where you can be with your family. The TeyIsabel Transfer Gate can make that happen, Your Majesty.”

Actually, it was meant for the vassals to hear.

When Narmore looked at Isabel, Isabel nodded.

From now on, it was strategist Narmore’s time.

“Also, we can consistently supply diamonds of this quality. We are aware that the supply of diamonds within the Jirdel Kingdom has recently failed to keep up with demand. If you cooperate in actively accepting the TeyIsabel Transfer Gate, we will sign a separate contract to supply diamonds of this quality.”

“Aren’t you offering us conditions that are too good? It’s suspicious, haha!”

Valkio smiled kindly and tried to read Narmore and the Imperial Family’s intentions.

Narmore readily admitted it.

“It’s because it’s the early stages of the business. Eventually, we have to achieve economies of scale. In the beginning, we have no choice but to accept some losses.”

“How did you know we needed diamonds? It’s not something we’ve announced publicly.”

“I met with Lady Reina of the Duke Rossild family. There weren’t any significant social events scheduled here, and it’s not a place where her friends are. I judged that she must have come here with a different purpose…… I didn’t think she would have moved alone. Someone must have come here with a special purpose, and Lady Reina must have come along to enjoy herself. Moreover, she looked very closely at the diamond I deliberately dropped. As if diamonds were her biggest concern.”

This was the first time Isabel had heard of it.

Huh? Did you drop the diamond on purpose back then?

To gauge Reina’s reaction?

‘Wow……’

Isabel felt a little scared of Narmore, but at the same time, she thought she had made a really good decision to buy that stock.

✦✦✦✦✦✦

After Isabel’s group left the palace, Valkio had an urgent meeting with his vassals.

Valkio stroked his chin and narrowed his eyes.

“You guys, you’re all on the same page today? You guys don’t usually get along, do you?”

The vassals of the Jirdel Kingdom are divided into two factions.

The Brillio faction, led by Chief Vassal Brillio.

And the Elliang faction, led by Chief Vassal Elliang.

They always opposed each other and fought over everything, but today, they were in agreement.

“……So, you’re saying we should actively accept the TeyIsabel Transfer Gate?”

“Opportunities to seize both justification and benefits don’t come often, Your Majesty.”

“That’s right. Since it’s for the national interest, I’ve decided to join forces with Chief Vassal Brillio.”

For the first time in a long while, all the vassals were in agreement.

“I feel like I’m being tricked.”

“No, Your Majesty. Our hearts are filled only with Jirdel.”

“That’s impossible, Your Majesty. Please consider our loyalty, which only thinks about the well-being and national interest of Jirdel.”

After finishing the meeting with his vassals, Valkio returned to his room.

There was a note in his room.

It was a letter from Queen Rahella of Alphea.

『How was it? Meeting the political and strategic asset that the Empire is wholeheartedly nurturing?』

Valkio was in great shock, though he didn’t show it.

As his vassals said, she brought both justification and benefits.

Judging by the way she spoke, she was definitely not an eight-year-old child.

He decided to send a short reply.

『I didn’t believe it, but I think it’s true. That child is definitely a strategic asset.』

Seeing the young man named Narmore who assists Isabel – although he looked a little young for a young man – made him even more certain.

If he was that capable, the Imperial Family must have deliberately raised him and placed him beside Isabel.

Isabel was undoubtedly a political and strategic weapon that the Empire was determined to cultivate.

And he felt a little regretful.

“Was it a mistake to give a doll as a gift to such a child?”

Actually, his vassals tried to stop him with their eyes.

Valkio wasn’t originally a clueless person.

Even if he pretended not to notice, he was more aware of his vassals’ eyes and expressions than anyone else.

‘Should I have given a more sophisticated and elegant gift?’

For instance, a book containing contemplations for humanistic knowledge, or a political textbook containing insights that penetrate the complex international situation, or something like that.

Meanwhile, Isabel refused to stay at the royal palace and returned to the Imperial Army Base Camp.

She didn’t know how much longer she would be in the Jirdel Kingdom, so she wanted to spend a little more time here.

Yuri, who was baking cookies in the barracks and waiting, ran out to greet Isabel.

“Welcome back. I’ve baked some delicious butter cookies.”

“Yuri.”

“Yes?”

Isabel’s expression was quite serious.

It was an expression of deep contemplation.

The fact that she was making such an expression when she had baked butter cookies meant that something very serious was going on.

Yuri straightened her posture and waited for Isabel’s next words.

‘What on earth is she going to say?’

Finally, Isabel spoke.

It was something Yuri hadn’t expected at all.