dmims Page 94
Page 94
If Ms. Norson knew what she was thinking, she would definitely give her a good scolding—saying things like "You can't trust strangers," or "What if I sell you out?"... But for now, let's leave it at that.
"It's no big deal. I'm not like you would have any thoughts about short-lived people. Besides, Margarita has grown a lot since coming to this city. At least now you understand how short-lived people's lifespans are, how fragile their bodies are, and that their social structure is measured in seconds, not years, right?"
She slumped onto the sofa, muttering dejectedly. After all, Margarita had been working at a hospital in the small town of Minos for quite some time now.
Margarita had come to understand the fragility of the short-lived through her work. In the endless cycle of [making friends] and [friends passing away]... her mindset gradually transformed from that of a young girl who would initially weep bitterly into that of an immortal being with a cold, iron-like heart.
This is Margarita's growth process. If nothing unexpected happens, she will ultimately only reveal her iron-hardened heart to a specific group of people, right?
"Teacher—!! I, I... Ugh! Never mind! I'm going to work now!"
"Go quickly and come back—by the way, Margarita, what about that gentleman today?"
"...He has passed away. He was taken to the morgue last night. I delivered him there myself."
"Okay. Go ahead."
She left the apartment, while Ms. Northumbers, after muttering for a long time about things like "the hospital work is probably nearing its limit" and "I wonder if the messenger delivered the letter," also began her work.
Chapter 200
...
"So, what if we exchange it for something more?"
When the dragon princess from Yan Kingdom took out her phone, Yang Hao already had a vague sense of unease.
However, Yang Hao kept lying to himself: It shouldn't be such a coincidence.
But when the princess showed him her phone screen, revealing the icon of a marriage agency app...
Yang Hao's last shred of hope vanished completely. His heart felt as cold as if it had been doused with ice water: not for any other reason than that it all seemed so incredibly strange!
I already achieved my goal with that software! Now, even the Emperor is one thing, but why is the princess of Yan Kingdom joining in—
...Wait a minute?
I remember there was a Deepsea Hunter there back then?
If we include the Deepsea Hunter, that is, Ms. Sonia, this is already...
Three already?!
What exactly does this software want to do to me?!
At this moment, Yang Hao's heart was filled with despair. At the same time, Kosichek's grip on his hand tightened for some reason...
“...I think, Princess, you may have misunderstood something?” Replacing Yang Hao, who was momentarily speechless, Duke Kosiché's smile had faded, and he was now scrutinizing the Yan Kingdom princess before him with a cold gaze. “My husband has a name—and should not be referred to as a puppeteer by you.”
She recognized the app icon, but she was very confused: You say you're a princess of Great Yan, if you want to find someone, why don't you find someone yourself? Why are you, and His Majesty the Emperor of Ursus, all coming to find my man?
Have you no shame? Finding a married man? I can understand that His Majesty the Emperor has no heir due to special circumstances, and the Ursus Empire needs one. But what about you?
Don't tell me you only dated my husband to learn administrative experience—
“I think I haven’t misunderstood anything. Duke Koschcher, I’m quite certain that your husband might be the one we’re looking for—his administrative abilities are indeed something our officials in Great Yan should learn from. If you’re not entirely satisfied with the business contract, then paying more isn’t out of the question.” The graceful princess smiled, put her phone back where it was, and then rose from her seat to take Mr. Qian Tian’s place opposite Yang Hao and Koschcher. “But first, let me introduce myself. My name is Wei Qing, and I am the Third Princess of Great Yan. I am here today to be fully responsible for the communication between the Great Yan royal family and Duke Koschcher.”
"...I think I don't need to introduce myself."
“Yes. I know your name, Miss Green. I know your husband’s name, but I also know he is a puppeteer.”
"My husband is not a puppeteer."
"Really? Then, sir, what is your surname?"
In just a few words, the princess of Yan Kingdom understood that the Duchy of Koschei was not ruled solely by Miss Green—that is, Koschei's current physical body. The duchy was currently in a very strange situation—in her eyes—of dual rule. So, after clarifying this, she smiled and turned to formally inquire about Yang Hao's name for the first time.
She knew Yang Hao's name, but this was just a matter of courtesy—exchanging names—a common occurrence in various countries.
"...My surname is Yang, and my name is Yang Hao." Yang Hao came back to his senses and answered somewhat reluctantly.
"You are a puppeteer, aren't you?" Princess Wei Qing asked with a smile.
"But it is not."
"But you didn't deny what the Agorians said. We heard a little about it when you and your soldiers and police were capturing the aliens. But please rest assured, you and Duke Kosiché, we will not tell anyone about it."
Princess Wei Qing paused for a moment, then added: After all, the existence of cannibalistic nobles within the Ursus Empire would damage your reputation internationally, wouldn't it?
Was this a veiled threat? Or was it merely a gesture of goodwill? Or was it just Yang Hao's imagination? Was this simply a formality required for communication between the nobles of the two great empires? His smile was somewhat forced, and the cane he had been holding in his left hand was now tapping nervously on the leather carpet on the wooden floor beneath his feet.
Compared to Yang Hao, who was still unfamiliar with aristocratic social interactions, Koschche, the seasoned veteran, frowned. This could be interpreted as a threat, or as a pre-emptive communication to avoid any mishaps. In short, it seemed Princess Wei Qing was determined to fight this to the bitter end.
The people of Yan value compromise. It's said that if they wanted to open a window in a room, simply saying "open a window" would definitely not work—because everyone would vehemently oppose it. However, if you suggested tearing down the roof while they were already objecting, those who initially opposed it would actually agree to your plan to remove the window.
This compromise, or rather, this attitude of casual conversation, was irritating Kosichrie. After all, no one knew whether they genuinely just wanted to open a window, or if they planned to tear the roof down if she didn't say anything. She had to proceed cautiously, but first...
"I'd like to thank Princess Wei Qing for your 'kindness' first. But what does this have to do with my husband?" Kosiché frowned. While everything in the world can be a bargaining chip, there's no rule that says the chips can't be too large to satisfy. Besides, if this princess simply wanted to see the effects of the policy, sending an expedition wouldn't be out of the question. "To be precise, what does this have to do with your purpose?"
Because Kosiché clearly understood that Yang Hao's ability to so easily resolve the current economic crisis in the Duchy of Kosiché was largely due to his [Puppet Stage] ability. Without that ability, even with the corresponding knowledge, the situation would be fraught with difficulties—therefore, she clearly understood that sending an expedition team from Yan was meaningless under these circumstances. They would only know that Yang Hao's policies were very effective, but they wouldn't understand why they were so effective. With all sorts of speculation, the final result would only lead to two points:
Either the Yan people would give up, or they would try their best. Or they might simply hope to hold a second meeting, putting their husbands at the table as well. But Old Black Snake was very shrewd: she planned to set a trap for the Yan guests from the very first meeting.
I have no objection to your plan to send an expedition team to my territory. It's just that the money for this business activity—shouldn't you offer a bit more? Besides, since you've already sent your expedition team here, isn't it only natural for me to send one to your territory? Who knows, Kosiché might even gain access to some important intelligence about Yan Kingdom. It's a perfectly reasonable deal.
However—this only applies to the conveniences you receive in the first transaction. If you intend to make a move against my husband in the second transaction, you will only be met with a "rejection." The contract for the first transaction may then fall apart, but who cares? The Duchy of Kosiché has already reaped a huge amount of benefits for free; let that contract fall apart, we don't care.
This is something I need to clarify with Yang Hao later... So, with that in mind, Kosiche squeezed Yang Hao's fingers, indicating that the rest of the meeting was "handed over to her," and then began her endless wrangling with the Yan Kingdom princess...
...
As expected of someone from Yan, their compromise-oriented way of thinking left even Yang Hao, who was just sitting and watching, speechless with astonishment.
Princess Wei Qing's offensive was fierce. She not only tried to steer the conversation towards Yang Hao's policies, but also intended to directly demand something from him. However, she was facing an ancient black snake that had lived for over a thousand years. It easily refuted Princess Wei Qing's words, and while Princess Wei Qing frowned and carefully considered her next words, this old snake even had the leisure to flick its tail onto Yang Hao's thigh!
She seemed so relaxed that Yang Hao had the illusion that he could do it too. But after careful consideration and realizing that going up there now would only result in him giving up, Yang Hao calmly and freely let go of Kosich's right hand, and instead started looking at the "Puppet Stage" to see if any information had been revealed.
Although it seems impolite, I can't help it. I can't get a word in edgewise, and Mr. Inada is staring blankly at the ceiling, so it's only natural for me to stare at the table in a daze.
He chuckled and shifted slightly, and after Monica in the mirror world gave them a quick massage to relieve their stiff joints from sitting for so long, he saw a new event pop up.
[Event: Princess of Yan]
On the eve of your decision to travel to Saint Jun's Castle to purge the traitors within the Ursus Empire in order to wage a fierce civil war, Mr. Qian Tian, a distinguished guest from the Yan Kingdom, and his host, Princess Wei Qing, the third princess of the Yan Kingdom, approach you and show great interest in your economic policies.
Normally, your wife wouldn't allow Ursus's secrets to be coveted. But this time, the economic policies they crave can't be understood simply by "learning." So your wife decides to give them some benefits in order to get more for free.
So what are your plans? Perhaps you have some bold ideas, but think about it carefully, this is already the third person on your phone, right? If you include your wife, it's the fourth.
How many people are still on that app...?
'Can I go back and take a shower now?'
'...Can I have them all?'
Yang Hao stared at the pop-up notification, his lips twitching uncontrollably. He was right; that marriage agency was indeed problematic. Now, including Koschche, four people had connected with him through that app. If this continued, his life and work might become even more complicated...
"So, what do you require of us in exchange for allowing our expedition team to enter your territory?"
"In exchange, we also need to send an inspection team to your side—and not only that, your business contracts will have to be subject to several conditions."
"...That's reasonable. But I hope the conditions you've added aren't too unreasonable."
On the other hand, if you think about it carefully, it seems that all the people who come to him now have a necessary need for him.
Her Majesty the Emperor of Ursus hopes to eliminate dissidents, resolve the domestic economic crisis, win the civil war, and then establish a direct dictatorship—most importantly, she needs an heir.
And Kosiché, needless to say, is now working hard towards that goal with his wife.
The Deep Sea Hunter hopes to use his abilities to give her people a chance to survive, and she is willing to give up almost anything for this, even becoming his puppet.
And what about the princess of Yan Kingdom?
In the eyes of the three people above, the princess of Yan Kingdom seems to be the most "ordinary." She doesn't seem to have any necessary needs or clear purpose; so, she just came to our door? She came under the pretext of "investigating economic policies," which is unnecessary for Yan Kingdom?
Does she really not have any other little secrets?
"...We can accept your request. However, as compensation, we would like to build an embassy within your territory."
"But the entire Ursus Empire is currently experiencing a severe economic crisis, and we do not have the resources to build an embassy for you. Perhaps you could pay for it yourself? Of course, we can help with the workers."
"...Thank you for your patronage, but the detailed construction work will still be carried out by our craftsmen."
There's definitely a little secret going on here! It's just building an embassy, right? You provide the design plans, and we can build it, no problem, right?
You need to build your embassy entirely with your own people, you must have some secret, are you afraid we'll install listening devices or cameras in your embassy?
But then again, if we could figure out the little secret of the Yan Kingdom princess, wouldn't we gain more advantages in business after the economic crisis ends?
Yang Hao nodded thoughtfully, but the two women who had been watching him at some point misinterpreted this as a signal that it was "okay".
"Then let's leave it at that." Kosiché felt a little disappointed, as she felt she could have asked for more. "It's been a pleasure doing business with you, Princess Wei Qing."
“Alright. It’s a pleasure doing business with you, Duke Kosiché and Mr. Yang Hao.”
"...? Ah, um. It's a pleasure doing business with you."
He watched, bewildered, as the two guests from Yan Kingdom got up and left the reception room. After they left, Monica returned to the material world from the reflection, noting that it was almost 9 PM and wondering if she should go home for a late-night snack.
Chapter 201
At 11 p.m. on the 4th, it was the Duke and Duchess of Kosice's routine time to report to each other after the day's work.
Unlike before, Monica, their eternal head maid, was no longer standing in the corner staring blankly at the mirror, but rather standing on the edge of the bed. She handed the couple, who were sitting together on the edge of the bed, cold drinks to cool them down after their bath, while occasionally pointing out some things they should pay attention to.
"Oh, I see... In short, Kosicheau, you're trying to get something for nothing, right? My economic policies are basically only feasible in this era if I implement them, so you allow them to examine our policies, and then refuse when they can't figure anything out and want me to teach them?"
"I suppose so. And in a sense, there's no need to directly refuse—if they came before the civil war, you could politely decline their request by saying you'd be working in St. Arthur's Castle afterwards. If they came after the civil war, you could refuse by saying you'd be working on the coast or in St. Arthur's Castle. Ah, no, this isn't a 'refusal,' but rather a 'circumstances' situation, you know?"
"My wife is really full of mischief..."
"Actually, Lord Yang Hao, you're pretty much the same. Here, gentlemen, this is dessert after your bath."
While eating, drinking, and chatting about the Yan people, the topic soon turned to the fate of the cannibalistic nobles who had been imprisoned for so long. There wasn't much to say about this; Kosiché hoped they would contribute as much value as possible before they died, while Yang Hao had long disliked them. So, after a brief discussion, they decided—to announce the nobles' crimes the next day, execute them, and hang their corpses on the city gate directly opposite the Duke of Nikolai.
"I imagine Duke Nikolai and the cannibals from the Sherlock Holmes nightclub would be quite hostile towards us... but never mind. How's the military expansion going? I don't recall you paying much attention, Kosiché?"
"I've been so busy lately that I haven't been able to keep up with military matters... Could you use your abilities to see what's going on?"
"Okay... Huh? Isn't this work? Why is it lying on my lap?" Yang Hao nodded with a smile. He was just about to use his abilities to help Kosichev take a closer look at the army's situation when he found that the little cat in the bathrobe was lying on his lap. It seemed that it wouldn't be leaving anytime soon.
"I'm so tired lately. Darling, how about being my pillow tonight?" she laughed. "I'm usually the one who initiates things, but tonight I want to be a little more passive."
"...Lord Kosiché? Um, Lord Yang Hao has very important work tomorrow morning... Please be lenient."
"Sigh, Monica? It's come to this, and you're still only thinking about him? Let me make this clear beforehand, if you don't take the initiative, my husband might just go and fawn over that little pony." Faced with Monica's reminder, Koschei's smile turned into a mischievous grin, and her tail slowly extended, gently slapping Yang Hao's cheek before he finally bit it. "See, see~ my little baby is very passive, you know?"
"Hey, I'm an adult, aren't I?"
"From the perspective of an immortal, you are no different from a baby."
"You're really inhuman to lay a hand on a baby like that..."
"What need do immortals have for ethics and morality?"
She sat up from Yang Hao's lap, then smiled and said, "Stop fooling around, let's get back to business."
With his wife saying so, Yang Hao got down to business. He carefully examined the military interface of the Duchy of Koschche and frowned when he discovered that the army's expansion was frantically slow.
He noticed that the most serious constraint on the speed of military expansion was the issue of weapon production. If the Martian military factory in the Duchy of Kosiché could currently produce 500 sets of standard-sized weapons for regular soldiers per month, then meeting the needs of more than 20,000 new recruits, even including the miscellaneous equipment that had been replaced previously, would take far too much time.
Even if all the factories in the duchy were converted into military factories, the problem would still persist. The limiting factor for the speed of weapons production is not only the industrial efficiency of this era, but also the fact that the weapons and equipment of soldiers in this world are far too cumbersome!
The weapon, a military knife—that's easy to calculate.
The rest of the equipment—including the shield—are items that take a little longer to manufacture, but they're still acceptable.
But armor, especially regular army armor, is... a real problem.
A standard Ursus Assault Trooper's equipment includes five essential armor components: helmet, breastplate, leg armor, iron boots, and gauntlets. Ignoring the abdominal armor and skirt armor for now, the production time required for just these five parts is staggering.
Not to mention, as the world's leading military power, the Ursus army has extremely stringent quality requirements for its weapons and equipment. While Colombian soldiers, often paid to relieve themselves, might accept any weapon that meets standards, the regular Ursus army only accepts equipment of standard quality. This further prolongs the production time of a single set of equipment needed for a soldier...
More importantly, Yang Hao really had no way to solve this problem! It was due to a complete lack of industrial and equipment design capabilities. In addition, to ensure victory in the civil war, he had to ensure that his soldiers received the best equipment. So... he could only watch helplessly as the factory's production efficiency plummeted.
He sighed, and after explaining everything to Koschche in detail, he took the cool drink that Monica, the head maid, handed him and drank it all in one gulp. Only then did he realize that the head maid was holding a tray and watching their interaction with envy.
Yang Hao blinked and, noticing that Koschchet beside him tacitly approved, he took the head maid's hand and made the apprehensive and loyal servant sit down beside him, blushing.
"In short, this is a problem within the Ursus Empire... no, it's a problem that exists in every country in the world. And from your perspective, it might be considered 'slow,' but in the eyes of other countries, the weapons we produce are considered superior in both quality and efficiency." Koschche didn't seem to care that Monica was sitting next to Yang Hao. "So let it be, my husband. Soldiers can still train normally with training equipment even without weapons, right? If you're really dissatisfied, you can think of a solution before heading to Saint-Germain. I'll fully support you."
"Sigh...and the United Cities are coming too? I was wondering if I could trade with them for some equipment they don't want...oh well, I was originally planning to have them buy our secondhand goods."