Chapter 34 – Negotiation

Arrived at his grandfather’s office.

Judging by the sound inside, it seems certain that he is in the office…

I’m hesitant to go in right away because I don’t know how to react as soon as I see me.

They say it’s been a while, but they won’t just run into it, right?

I swallowed and carefully opened the door and poked my head inside.

“Pope… ?”

It’s cold.

A dagger flies into the chest and pierces it.

But that’s okay… The hand is faster than the eye…

“Eris? Is that Eris?!”

Come!

I nodded my head, preparing to immediately close the door in case of an unexpected situation.

Originally, we weren’t meant to meet like this, but after that, I tried not to meet, so should I say that it’s burdensome because it’s been a long time since we met.

“Oh, hello… ?”

What…

I thought he would run right away as soon as he saw me, but he didn’t… ?

“It’s been a while… How long have you seen it since then? “

Grandpa said, wiping his tears.

I’m not dead, it’s just that I haven’t seen you for a long time, but when you see me shed tears
To be honest, as soon as he saw me, I knew he would run right away.

However, my grandfather only expressed his pleasure when he saw me, but did not directly come up to me and try to hug me.

Did I just come to my senses because of what I said?

If so, that would be very welcome.

“Sit down for now. Did you come here because you have something to talk about?”

Although it is.

Something is so quiet that it makes me anxious.

I’m worried that I might be able to catch my guard and run away as if the reason I stayed still was to gain momentum.

Of course, my grandfather isn’t that kind of person, but…

Am I too anxious about my grandfather?

However, to be honest, considering that I was made to be escorted every time I go out just because I was barely worried, I carefully excuse myself, saying that it is natural for me to react this far.

“I’m glad you came to me like this, but… It’s Eris. You never came to me unless it was something important.”

“… “

I have nothing to say.

It doesn’t stick together like before, but I feel like my heart is weakening because I say it with a sincere expression on my face.

Yeah, now that I think about it, I think I overreacted.

It’s not that her grandfather did anything pervert, it’s because he always loved me like his granddaughter, but I didn’t hate her and didn’t make a fuss just because her grandfather liked me so much.

I feel sorry for grandpa

“Sorry.”

“Yes?”

Maybe she didn’t expect me to apologize, but her grandfather widened his eyes in surprise.

However, I sincerely felt sorry for my grandfather.

Of course, whenever I go out, I must have an escort with me, and it’s upsetting that I’m not allowed to go out otherwise.

Apart from understanding, it’s just because I’m angry.

“Just… I think I was thinking too much… “

“Whoops… “

Grandpa smiled and waved his hand as if to invite me to come.

He hesitated, then approached cautiously, then put his hand up and stroked my hair.

“I am deeply moved to see that little child has grown this much… You grew up well.”

What… ?

He’s not the grandfather I knew…

I wondered if maybe my grandfather realized what he was doing wrong and corrected it because I didn’t want to meet him.

Or, as I guessed earlier, it could be a deliberate act to draw my attention.

Anyway, now I have to tell you why I came here.

“I… May I get to the point?”

Grandpa nodded at my words.

Okay… Where do you want to start talking?

.
.
.
.

It wasn’t that I didn’t feel that way because it was a political topic after meeting him for the first time in a while, but my grandfather listened to everything I had to say.

I thought he would tell me not to say nonsense or that such a thing could not be possible, but my grandfather listened to me and only occasionally nodded his head or made a thoughtful expression, but showed no reaction beyond that.

After I finished all the explanations, I looked at my grandfather with a nervous expression.

The answer will depend on what the grandfather will say and what he will think of the empire.

“It’s Eris.”

“… Yes.”

“It seems to me that there is another reason.”

“Ah… “

Find this out again

Well, it would be strange for me to suddenly say that I should be friendly with the empire.

We have no choice but to go with plan B here.

In fact, there is no such thing as a plan B.

Because I’m talking realistically…

Still, it’s a grandfather and granddaughter relationship, but rather than talking about politics like this, I thought it would be more appealing to simply say that I want to meet with my friend a little more often.

I don’t know how well that would work for my grandfather.

“Actually, I have a friend I met on the Internet… It turned out that the friend was the princess of the empire with whom I was very close… “

At my words, my grandfather smiled knowingly.

“Okay… I knew that would be the reason. If you, as a saint, suddenly want to be friendly with the empire, that should be the reason.”

“Ah… “

Her grandfather answered as if he knew.

“I’m sorry to you, but this is a matter between countries, and it’s not something you can solve simply by wanting to meet a friend.”

“I… “

“Even more so, the Empire is a place where a person who draws cartoons that insult our gods lives. That’s why I took the loss and widened the distance.”

“Yes… “

I hate this side of my grandfather.

Of course, even if it’s just one person, drawing such a cartoon can make you angry.

The only problem is that the result was to cut off communication with the empire.

If this is not fanatical, what is it?

Even though he said he wanted to stay with his friend, he didn’t seem to have any intention of allowing it, seeing as he said it in that way.

Can’t help it…

I sighed inwardly.

I’ll have to go back and say I can’t do this.

“Of course, these are my thoughts.”

“… ?”

What is that all of a sudden…

“Eris. No… Who the hell are you?”

“Who are you… “

It’s probably not a pure question, since there’s no way my grandfather didn’t know who I was.

I am…

“She’s a saint… ?”

“As a saint, why are you asking me this?”

“… Ah!”

Her grandfather seemed to know what he meant. Even though he was in the same position as me, why did he act as if he was below him?

If he was going to come to talk, he did not come to ask, but to give reasons and the benefits of having a relationship with the empire again.

Even if I gave a reason, I didn’t give it properly, but I said that I want to get along with the empire because I want to be close to my friend.

Grandpa seemed to regret it.

“I’ve said it a long time ago, but you are a saint. I was chosen by the goddess who exists in the position of ruling the Holy Land.”

“… “

“Then, instead of asking for a favor, wouldn’t it be right for you to persuade me about why you should associate with those who do such rude things and then do it together?”

That’s right.

Am I thinking too modernly?

No matter how long I’ve lived as a saint, that doesn’t mean I’ve lived longer than the years I’ve lived as a modern person.

I may have been thinking wrongly in a world where there are only differences in social status and technology, and people can use the Internet and draw pictures.

I had nothing to say.

“Yes… I guess I was thinking wrong… “

What is plan B?

You have to go out in a straight line.

I inhaled.

Originally, I was trying to persuade, so I had been looking into quite a lot of reasons to give as a basis for my claim.

All I have to do now is convince the Pope to interact with the Empire again.

And so that I could interact with the Empire again, I was to step forward and continue.

It didn’t matter if I could do it.

Just because I can’t do it here doesn’t mean I’ll have a problem, and since opportunities will continue in the future, I just had to persuade them step by step.

How long that will take is the question.

‘It’s hard to meet a friend… ‘

If you look closely, the life of the upper class is not very good either.

I sighed.

But if you work hard, the day will come when you can meet Freya and Marie when you want to meet them.

I wanted to believe that.