In a peaceful mountain village where rain fell, I — Ryuze Hakusu, was eating while being under house arrest.
In the darkness, I couldn't relax and looked at the scenery outside.
(I'm concerned about Britney and Ricardo. I hope they're safe.)
I wanted to go out right now and search for Britney, by I was stopped by Prince Marlow and Prince Emirya.
My current status of "Earl Hakusu" did not allow me to do selfish actions in dangerous places.
If something happened to me if I went into the mountain on a rainy night with low visibility… Hakusu earldom wouldn't be able to stand.
For example, if Britney and I died, there were no other people who could succeed the territory.
My parents were in jail and Britney's father was missing. If my grandfather was gone, worst case scenario was that our house would be broken.
There were voices saying "you have to get married and have a heir" from my surroundings… thinking about that, it was something that couldn't be delayed.
I was a little envious of Ricardo who went out alone as soon as he prepared the luggage.
He was an aide candidate for Prince Marlow, but it was a position that had many alternative candidates.
(I… couldn't go.)
Because I knew the weight of the responsibility that I bore on my shoulders. I couldn't even rush to my precious cousin.
We were already ready to move first thing tomorrow morning.
(Thinking to my limits, I entrusted Ricardo… I hope it's alright.)
After all, the only thing I could do was to pray for Britney's safety after she rolled down the cliff.
Although it was near the crossroad and the inclination was not that steep, she seemed to have fallen down to the bottom, so I couldn't see Britney's situation from the top of the cliff.
In an unknown place, left alone in the mountains at night, how was she faring?
Please, I wished that she was safe. In an effort to manage my restlessness, I forcefully thought of other things.
The one that came to my mind was the words of the second prince, Serunya.
He seemed familiar with Britney who had nothing to do with him.
I had never given any information from my side, and just by examining her normally, such a story wouldn't be found out. The story of Britney's previous life…
(It was only me that knew such a thing.)
Once, she herself told me.
It was not good for Britney to spread the existence of her past life's memories.
If the surroundings were to know the truth, surely people would aim for her.
They would seek knowledge of a world with civilization that was far more advanced than ours.
I myself only half trusted it, but now it was clear that Britney was not an ordinary 16 years old girl.
So, knowing her memory, I had to be careful in choosing her engagement partner.
(…The way it is, it's better for her to stay at home. In many ways.)
Serunya seemed to have no special thought about Britney… "I want you to help her" was what he said.
And at that time he revealed that he too had his previous life's memories.
His knowledge seemed to be the reason why the southern country was advancing rapidly.
At the moment, Serunya seemed to use his knowledge to peacefully develop his country, but in a sense, he's a threat. The same could be said for Britney.
The majority of her knowledge seemed to be about people's health and beauty.
However, there were many times when she showed that her knowledge wasn't just about those.
At the time of waterway construction, she said "I would like to make a canal that goes out of the lake in the middle of Hakusu territory to the ocean near the capital". Also, when the highway was improved, she said "I want to make a station that was useable by anyone".
With the station, the information transmission between the center and rural areas of the territory became much prompter.
But, Britney said that it was not such a station.
(Rather than a simplified station dedicated for messengers used for emergency contacts… it seems like it's a transportation station for ordinary people.)
I would investigate traffic volume and other factors after the highway road was built, and then I would consider about it.
(But from where did she think about it… no, in Britney's previous world, such a thing is normal.)
Many ordinary using hot springs and baths on usual basis, overflowing amount of unknown cosmetic products, and if one went to the station and paid the money, anyone could go to certain places anytime. A world where literacy rate was high and mathematics with large amount of digits could be easily done even by children.
In such a place, a big canal or something similar would be normal. If the same thing happened in this country, there were certainly many merits. Though it was a problem of Hakusu territory.
For example, if the canal was formed, the burden of luggage and people's transportation to the capital city would be greatly reduced. Currently our ships carried the goods to the capital city, but the sea of western territory was rough… transportation was greatly delayed depending on weather and season.
Because of that, I went to the capital city mainly by land, but it took a long time.
Rejecting the ocean route to the capital city, we had to go through the canals of Astor territory a little, but they would be willing to cooperate since they're friendly to us.
Either way, cooperation with other territories and a lot of funds were essential. It was difficult to implement now.
Unlike the canal, the highway road would be constructed nationwide soon. It was something of different magnitude from the maintenance of Hakusu territory's highway… it was a plan to connect the north of the country, the capital city and the south of the country with one huge road.
However, many feudal lords were disagreeing with where the road was passing over.
All the lords of each region wanted the highway road to pass through their territories, as human traffic would then increase causing their territories to flourish.
(Hakusu earldom is at the end point of the frontier and it doesn't really matter all that much to me since the highway road will certainly pass through our territory… the other territories are desperate to be transit points of the highway road though.)
From the convenience of transportation, Astor territory was the best choice. However, some lords wanted to curve the highway so that it would pass their territories while some said that including their territories as detours would be putting the cart before the horse.
Prince Marlow was fumbling with the plan, and his head seemed to be worried about it. The current trip to the southern country was also for observation purposes.
By the way, the north side of the country had already been visited.
As the schedule was pushing, he and Princess Merrill along with Prince Emirya would depart first.
(Anyway, I just wish for Britney to be safe…)
I thought that this me who couldn't do anything was worthless.