Chapter 425-2 I Don't Feel Like Anything Has Changed So Far
Edward pressed on.
"Please give up. This technology doesn't actually exist. I think it would be wise to store liquefied magical power."
"Hmm."
"Moreover, while it's true that it's convenient, we should avoid becoming overly reliant on the Mobile Portal. The royal family, of course, but other noble houses might resent it. There's a high possibility they could interfere."
Marquis Grandchester and Edward agreed with Sara's statement.
"Indeed, if only Grandchester holds such power, other houses won't remain silent. If we show our loyalty to the royal family, other nations may come to view Avalon's power with disdain."
"If the Mobile Portal truly becomes practical, it won't be long before Grandchester can't monopolize it. If we don't disclose the technology, it could lead to war."
"Will it really escalate to that?"
Chloe tilted her head in confusion.
"It's obvious if you think about it. It can transport people and goods instantly. If we set up a Mobile Portal near the battlefield, the logistics issues would be resolved in an instant."
"Logistics?"
There's no way a lady would have military lessons, so Chloe and Elizabeth tilted their heads in confusion.
Sara stepped in to help.
"It's about securing military supplies during war. Things like food, weapons and armor, horses, medicine, tents, and blankets need to be sent to the front lines."
"Is that really that important? It's just a matter of sending supplies quickly with a cart, right?"
"Chloe, you understand that even moving between the Royal Capital and Grandchester territory requires a lot of supplies, right? Knights and soldiers need food to fight, and they need weapons and armor too."
"But can't we just hunt for food? There are edible plants too. And we wear our weapons and armor when we set out, right?"
"You can't just leisurely hunt in the middle of a war. There's no guarantee you'll consistently catch prey. If you keep setting up camp in the same spot, you might deplete the surrounding game and edible plants. Plus, weapons and armor need repairs or replacements, and you have to carry medicine and bandages for injuries and illnesses, right? A lot more supplies are needed for war than you might think."
Chloe added her words as if she understood Sara's explanation.
"I see. So, keeping the supply lines intact is the most important thing during wartime, right?"
"Exactly. Water is especially crucial."
"Water? Isn't there a river or spring nearby?"
"To quench the thirst of many knights and soldiers, we need to secure a large amount of drinkable water, but that doesn't always mean there's a water source nearby. It can also lead to conflicts with the enemy, and sometimes even with our own farmers."
"I understand the conflict with the enemy, but why would there be issues with our own farmers?"
"Because they might not be able to secure water for drinking or for their crops. Water is a matter of life and death."
"Then we should just set up camp in a place with plenty of water and food. If not, somewhere close to a road that's easy to transport supplies."
"That's right. It would also be better if the terrain is easy to attack and defend. That's why many rulers want detailed maps, and if the area is strategically important, they want to build roads."
"Hmm... so, the Mobile Portal solves the 'road' problem, right?"
"Almost correct. To put it another way, the benefit is that you can 'transport instantly.' Being able to move the necessary supplies at the right time and in the right amount is an incredible advantage. After all, you won't incur unnecessary war expenses, and you won't have to fear attacks on supply wagons."
"Attack supply wagons?"
"Of course. Stealing or burning the enemy's food is a common tactic. If they run out of food, they have no choice but to retreat. So, you end up having to allocate troops to protect supplies, but if the Mobile Portal is on the battlefield, you can deploy all your forces to the front lines, right?"
"Ah! So that's why Sara must keep her storage magic a secret? If it's found out, she'll end up bringing supplies from her spatial storage to the battlefield, right?"
"That's correct."
Listening to Sara's explanation, Marquis Grandchester and Edward recalled their days attending classes at the academy.
"Still, the country you lived in during your past life must have been quite violent. It's surprising for a woman, who wasn't even a ruler, to be so well-versed in military affairs."
"Well, there are significant individual differences. In the country where I lived, after losing a major war, it became law to abandon warfare. Thanks to that, there hasn't been a war in our country for decades before I was born."
"A law against warfare? Isn't that leaving yourselves wide open to attacks from other countries?"
Marquis Grandchester tilted his head, imagining the other world where the founding ancestors lived.
"We did maintain military force under the reason of 'for defense.' Also, we were protected by a powerful ally."
"Being protected by another country? Isn't that just being a vassal? I don't understand."
"Well, while saying we abandoned warfare, we did provide monetary support to other countries engaged in wars, so we weren't entirely innocent in that regard. But that's a matter of politics."
"However, abandoning war is quite an extreme policy."
"It is the result of various motivations, but I want to respect the decision to stop waging wars."
"May I ask for the reason?"
"War in that world led to far too many lives lost too easily. In the last war my country lost, weapons were used that could kill tens of thousands of people in an instant. Since it was an attack on urban areas, most of the victims were ordinary civilians, not soldiers. Moreover, those weapons polluted the land, causing even more people to fall ill."
"What a terrifying weapon it is."
"In that world, several nations possess weapons capable of annihilating humanity multiple times. Some argue that holding such weapons suppresses war. In such a delicate balance, the global situation has always been in flux. I can only pray that it won't be destroyed in an instant like this ancient kingdom."
When Sara closed her mouth, a silence painful to the ears fell over the room.
The sound of snow crashing down was heard from outside the window.
Then, Rebecca suddenly spoke up.
"At least Sara understands that great power can lead to conflict."
"That's true. However, I don't think the Mobile Portal will lead to conflict right away. The future is uncertain, though."
"Why is that?"
"Even if the technology were to be disclosed due to unavoidable circumstances, the issue of massive mana consumption cannot be solved. Above all, to install the Mobile Portal, the golems from the Sophia Merchant Guild are required."
In the next moment, Robert stood up as if kicking the floor and walked over to Sara, lifting her up.
"So that means Sara, no, the Sophia Merchant Guild, the maidens, Mr. Paracelsus are the targets, right?!"
"Exactly. Moreover, just by monopolizing the technology for replenishing magic stones, we are already targets. The professors at the Academy throwing tantrums at Maiden's Tower would be the least of our worries. I have already secretly assigned guardians to the families of the maidens."
Sara tapped Robert's arm gently, indicating her wish to be set down.
However, since Robert pretended not to notice, Sara began to squirm in his arms.
"Please set me down already. Or rather, stop lifting me! I'm already 9 years old!"
"You're still 9. I'm a pathetic father, but I'm worried about my daughter."
"Lifting me won't solve anything. If you keep this up, I will resist for real, you know?"
Robert came to a sudden stop and gently met Sara's gaze.
"Hearing what that serious resistance entails frightens me."
"Well, is it something that physically hurts?"
"I'm your father, right?"
"That's right."
Reluctantly, Robert set Sara down.
"It may not be beyond expectations, but as Chloe said, the royal family will want the Mobile Portal. It might be difficult to use for military purposes, but it will undoubtedly be effective as an escape route in case of emergency. However, there's no need for the Grandchester family to supply it to the royal family. I will negotiate directly with the Sophia Merchant Guild, and the royal family will have to decide where to move it. It will likely become a state secret, but due to sorcery contracts, it's highly probable that we won't be able to disclose the location."
"That is..."
"Since this is a good opportunity, let's clearly show that the Sophia Merchant Guild is not the merchant guild of the Grandchester family. Originally, the Sophia Merchant Guild was established to solve the stockpiled wheat issue in Grandchester territory, but the storage warehouses are already filled with plenty of wheat. It has already fulfilled its purpose."
Marquis Grandchester and Edward realized that their interests were being lost right before their eyes, but they could not think of a way to stop Sara.
"So, that means it won't serve as my dowry?"
"Hey Chloe, will you be happy just by becoming a princess?"
"Of course. It's someone I've admired for a long time."
"Just imagine for a moment. If you were engaged in exchange for the delivery of the Mobile Portal, what do you think people in high society would say about Chloe?"
"A princess with the power to move the royal family?"
"I can see malicious nobles whispering about Chloe as 'the princess who bought the prince with the Mobile Portal.' Can you endure that? More importantly, is it okay if the prince doesn't love you?"
"Huh?"
"It's true that love is not necessary for a strategic marriage, but Chloe must like Prince Andrew, right? However, I wonder if the prince will truly love someone he married just for the Mobile Portal."
"But he can't possibly ignore me!"
"He would certainly treat a valuable asset with care. But that's different from protecting a woman he loves. He might take in other women as concubines or mistresses. He could end up forming an emotional bond with them. ... But noble ladies are educated to endure such things, aren't they? I could never do that."
"Sara's being mean! We have no way of knowing if it will really turn out that way!"
Elizabeth gently stroked Chloe's back as she burst into tears.
"Sara, that's just how noble ladies live. Fortunately, I've been able to connect with Ed, but I thought for a long time that Ed didn't love me. It's sad, but I've lived believing that just being by his side is happiness."
"In reality, marriage is a social institution, so I don't think romantic feelings are essential. If being treated as a cherished partner to support each other, then that could be happiness in its own right."
"That's true."
Even amidst such exchanges, Chloe continued to cry loudly.
'Oh dear. Have I been too harsh? I didn't expect her to cry this much.'
Feeling pity, Sara decided to speak to Chloe for now.
"Hey Chloe, I think you should empower yourself. It's better to have the ambition to make the prince kneel before you with your own strength. There are plenty of rival ladies, right?"
"That's true. So I want to raise my value even a little!"
"I actually quite like Chloe's business ideas. I think we could be good business partners. So let's stop asking our relative Sara for favors. Relationships where one depends on the other don't last. If you want something, show me the value you've earned with your own ability."
"But you'll keep your distance from the Grandchester family, right?"
"I see. From now on, I think I'll get along with other young ladies from different families too. It's not guaranteed that I'll treat Chloe as special, and there might be other princess candidates as well."
"If that's the case, I'll bring more benefits to Sara than to the other young ladies."
"If that's true, I might prioritize Chloe. At least, I don't want to deal with a woman who throws tantrums in front of relatives."
"I-I understand..."
Still sobbing, Chloe managed to stop crying for the time being.
"Are you really going to distance yourself from the Grandchester family?"
"Hmm. For example, if Aunt were to give away the dress that Chloe helped me get to another young lady without permission, that would be frustrating, right?"
"That's true."
"But if I protested about that, and they said it was 'for the Grandchester family,' would you be able to accept it?"
"I wouldn't be able to accept it, but I might give up. However, I would want them to explain the reason properly before taking it away."
"I feel the same way. Even if they did explain the reason, wouldn't it still feel bad if it happened repeatedly?"
"That would definitely be unpleasant."
"Don't you think it's natural for me to feel that if they claim they can take my things or those of the Sophia Merchant Guild just because I'm a daughter of the Grandchester family, I should just give up being a Grandchester?"
"I understand what you're trying to say, Sara. I was being presumptuous, wasn't I? I'm sorry."
"I know you're desperate. I also have feelings of wanting to support Chloe and the Grandchester family emotionally. So, I think I've been swayed by that many times. But I don't want you to take that for granted."
"Yeah..."
Then Sara turned to face Marquis Grandchester, wearing a lady's smile.
"So, Grandfather, before I can no longer endure it and completely sever ties, I will distance myself from the Grandchester family."
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