For a man who has known nothing but darkness since birth, a bright light is nothing but a weapon to burn out his eyes and brain.
　She was, after all, the light for him.


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　The 23rd prince of the Stanza Empire, Exiga Athar Stanzaum.
　This was the identity and name he was given the moment he was born. His father was the Emperor of the Stanza Empire, and his mother was a maidservant who went up to the harem with him to serve the Emperor's new concubine ....... She was a helpless girl who was taken away from her family by a man who wanted to glamorize the room of the daughter who was to become his aide in order to attract the attention of the emperor.
　When the emperor visited the room of the new concubine, he liked not the concubine herself but the maidservant who quietly waited beside her. While visiting the chamber, he made love to his favorite maidservant, and the child that resulted was Exiga. It is said that the mother who gave birth to him was not well-fed after childbirth and passed away without ever being able to hold her child. Although he was called a prince, his mother's status was so low that she was not even allowed to carry him on her shoulders in the battle for the throne, and Exiga grew up quietly in a corner of the palace. Her side chamberlain, who was supposed to be her mother's master, was jealous and could not tolerate the fact that his daughter, his maidservant, was secretly communicating with the emperor, and he hated Exiga, so she could not stand out even more.
　As a child, Exiga had no place in the palace, and her place was in a dimly lit corner of the library. It was not because he was interested in books, but simply because the daytime sun in the Stanza Empire was so strong that it could burn his skin, so he sought a cool, unpopular place. With nothing better to do, he grew up reading the books in the stacks, learning to read and write from the occasional adult who visited. Most of the adults who used the library were low ranking officials, and they treated Exiga with no disdain, even if he was a prince with no maidservant, so the young boy became more and more immersed in the library. --Incidentally, the library where Exiga was immersed was a facility outside the harem that was normally used by officials, and it was strictly forbidden for princes and princesses to go outside the harem before they came of age, so technically Exiga was an escaped prince. Technically speaking, Exiga was an escaped prince, but it seems that the adults of the time managed to cover it up.

　While Exiga was growing up quietly, many more women were taken into the palace and many younger siblings were born. ...... However, not many of them grew up safely, and five of the older brothers also left for the afterlife. The rank of Exiga's siblings was moved up to 18 princes, but that was only a result. In the Stanza Empire, both males and females are recognized as adults at the age of thirteen, and are allowed to marry and hold office, but as an adult, Exiga chose to study. In the war-torn Stanza Empire, joining the military is the standard way to quickly rise through the ranks, and Exiga knew that, but she didn't want to stand out and be watched by her older brothers who were fighting for the throne.
　With the privilege of being a member of the royal family, Exiga was admitted to the University of Stanza, the highest school of the empire, where he quickly rose to prominence. He had been familiar with books from an early age, and unbeknownst to him, there was a vast amount of knowledge and expertise hidden within him. In addition, having grown up with books as his teachers, his reading and comprehension skills were far superior to those of his peers. Although he did not have a specific field of study in mind, Exiga was naturally drawn to foreign countries and languages, and he began to focus on the languages and historical cultures of the surrounding countries.
　In this way, she has taken advantage of her position of not being expected to do whatever she wants, but she never thought that she would be involved in a critical phase that would determine the future of the country in this way.

"Your Highness.

　Exiga was lost in thought as he gazed through the window at the beautifully landscaped garden with deep greenery, something that was not possible in the Stanza Empire (it was night now, so he could only see it dimly), when he heard the familiar voice of a subordinate call out to him and he quietly turned around.

"Samba. What's up?
What's wrong?" "Nothing, sir. Why don't you get some rest?
I'm having a hard time seeing .......

　He replied with a wry smile, but the answer was probably expected by his long-time aide. In Samba's hand was a tray with a steaming cup on it.

"Here you go. I've already been poisoned.
As long as we're in this country, we're not in danger of being poisoned, are we?
Yeah. Yeah. It's a good-natured, easy-going, ...... peaceful country, really.
But that's not all.

　But there's more to it than that," Exxiga murmured, and Samba's expression turned serious.

I'm sure you're right.　I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that the Princess of the Red Rose was able to decipher our country's intentions during her conversation with His Highness.
"Judging by her appearance, I'm sure of it. I was trying to gain your understanding, but I dug my own grave. It's my fault. ......
I don't think the princess is that bright or insightful.
It's probably because you've never talked to her face to face. You can't help but realize the uselessness of mending when you are pierced by the unfathomable light of wise philosophies in the eyes of that beautiful blue sea.

I'm not sure what to make of it, but I'm sure it's a good idea. Exiga and the rest of the emissaries are the sharp end of the intelligence warfare that is about to begin against Ergeland.

　--The Stanza Empire, where Exiga was born, is a warlike nation that has expanded its territory and enriched itself through warfare. The history of Stanza is a history of war, and its military power is unrivaled.
　However, there is a limit to the territory that can be expanded. During the reign of the previous emperor, the Stanza Empire had expanded its territory to the edge of the continent in the north and to the desert in the south, and for the first time in its history, it had experienced a period without major battles. However, there have been frequent small-scale rebellions on the fringes of the territory, so just because there have been no full-scale wars of expansion doesn't mean that warfare itself has ceased.
　The next step for the empire that had leveled the land was to go to the unknown kingdom beyond the sea. The Kingdom of Ergrand, a mysterious land protected by a mysterious mist, which, like the Stanza Empire, had united the peninsula through war, but had lived without war for over three hundred years. The Empire, which has been looking to expand into Ergeland for several generations, has been encouraging merchants to come and go in an attempt to familiarize them with the existence of the Stanza Empire through civilian interaction. In order to familiarize people with the Stanza Empire, the empire has been encouraging merchants to come and go, quietly letting spies slip in among the merchants, and having them periodically report on the internal situation of the Kingdom of Ergeland.
　What emerged from the spies' reports was an image of an affluent kingdom blessed with more fertile land than he had imagined, and a gentle people who did not like conflict. The emperor of the time was said to have been delighted with the situation, but it soon became clear that things were not going to be so easy.
　The Kingdom of Ergland, which had been wary of the sudden arrival of foreign merchants and had severely restricted their activities, suddenly decided to lift the ban on all trade with foreign countries. The Kingdom of Elgrande, which had been extremely wary of these people, suddenly decided to lift the ban on all trade with foreign nations, not only with the Stanza Empire, but also with all neighboring countries. The Empire, which was indeed out of range of the Elgrande Kingdom, panicked and hurriedly conducted a survey. ...... Naturally, they learned that all neighboring countries with some degree of national power were planning to expand into Elgrande. In the event that you've got a lot of money, you'll be able to take a look at the best way to use it.
　At the time, there was nothing we could do but wait and see, and in the end we had to concentrate on expanding our territory little by little to the edge of the desert, but now, more than fifty years later, we still can't get a foothold to settle the situation. The emperor's patience was approaching its limit. The reports from the spies were gradually fading away, and nowadays there was hardly any new information. As for the information about the central part of the kingdom and the army, which was essential for the settlement of the country, the only information that came in was not very useful, such as the names of the positions and the discipline of the soldiers. In this situation, the commander would be troubled because he would not even be able to determine where and how to attack effectively when he sent his troops.
　The emperor and his entourage were gradually losing their way, when last year, good news came to them. King Ergeland had been replaced by a new king, and the new king had built a large palace, which was causing chaos in internal affairs. Further investigation revealed that the nobles were currently divided into several factions and fighting in the royal court of Ergeland, weakening the power of the king who should have the final say. The king, unable to stop his vassals from running amok, took in a daughter who was known to be an evil woman as the head of his entourage.
　There was no reason to miss this opportunity. The Emperor immediately decided to take drastic measures to cut into the heart of Elgrand. That "drastic measure" is the "Stanza Empire Goodwill Mission" that was formed this time.

(In the name of "goodwill," as long as it is not too sensitive, we can freely tour the country of Elgrand, and meet and exchange words with royalty and influential people in the country without hesitation. In the event that you have any kind of questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. I'm sure you'll be pleased to hear that.

　In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. Since her ascension as a concubine, she has used her beauty and s*x appeal to win over the king and maintain her power at will. The stanzas laughed at her reputation as a typical example of a woman with a strong desire for self-aggrandizement. In the stanzas, it was not uncommon for a woman to use her good looks, charm, and s*xual skills to gain the favor of the emperor, and to plan to acquire the power to run not only the inner palace but also the entire palace. Rather, that is the ultimate goal of a woman who wants to enter the palace as a concubine. The harem in Ergeland seems to be slightly different from the harem in Stanza, but there are similar women everywhere.


　Exiga, born and raised in the harem of Stanza, is used to dealing with such women and can tell when a woman has a strong desire for power. Even if he were to meet her in the harem, it would be easy to win her over. With that in mind, Exiga offered to take a look around the palace on the day she arrived at the capital. She was aware of King Elgrand's request that she follow the guidance of his vassals in the palace, but she interpreted it to mean that she could go anywhere as long as she was guided.
　Women who seek power are self-interested and will easily betray their birthplace if they know that they will get a greater return than they are getting now if they cooperate with Stanza. In fact, successive emperors of stanzas have done so by cajoling women who are close to powerful men in the other country to get the information they want. We need helpers from the male world, but women are more useful for cutting down the opposing country from within. --The "bad girl" who was the favorite of King Elgrand, and was using her position to enjoy her worldly glory, was a perfect target for Exiga.

It's a good idea to take a look at the actual information on the web and also to make sure that you are getting the most out of it. I'm sure you'll be able to understand that the rumors are not always true.

　I'm not sure what I thought of Exiga's cynical grimace, but Samba's expression was complicated.

You don't have to take it so seriously. As far as actions go, no one can blame you for your behavior tonight. You saved the Princess of the Red Rose from being harmed by a rude nobleman and kept her away from the noise of those around her.
I'm sure the princess saw it as a travesty to win her over. ...... Perhaps you judged that the rude man's actions themselves to be a trap set by us (Stanza).
I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that we're not the only ones who've come up with shortcuts like that. I'll check with the others to make sure.
Oh. It's unlikely, but just in case, please.

　There are very few people in the delegation who are fluent in Elgrande. Specifically, Exiga herself, Samba here, and a few others. The work of a person who understands the languages of both countries is quite simple, and he would not have had the time to embrace such an absent-minded man and devise a plan with a low success rate, but in the world, there are always contingencies.
　--As Exiga let out a short breath, his trusted aide let out a small laugh.

I never thought I'd see the day when His Highness would be so obsessed with one woman.
"Of course not. I'm surprised myself.
I've only seen her from a distance, but she is so beautiful, isn't she?
Of course she is gloriously beautiful. I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I'm not the only one. ...... I've never met a woman like that before.
I've never met a woman like her.
It's not just the Elgrand Lords. Neither you nor any of your attendants are aware of the princess's true nature.
I don't think she's as bad as Noble Elgrand says she is. I can't judge her because I've never actually met her and talked to her.
I've never met her and talked to her, so I can't judge her. I'm curious as to why you would conclude that from that exchange.
"Your Highness said so much, so I asked those who were with him that day to elaborate.
"Oh. Very clever, Samba.
I don't know. I don't know. They all said a lot of things. "Greeting us in stanzaic and revealing your status to us is something a strong woman would do. Even in front of His Highness, the prince of Stanza, he seemed to be saying, 'Who do you think I am?' Or, 'His Highness was so concerned that he switched to Elgrande, but he smiled arrogantly as if it was natural. ...And then there was the one who said, 'As the rumors said, she was an indiscriminate woman who knew His Highness' status and immediately tried to seduce him.
You see too much of the ...... invisible. You can't laugh at the empty-headedness of the Elgrand aristocracy.

　In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the following web site: ....... I am horrified just thinking about it.
　In the event that you've got any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

You really respect the Princess of the Red Rose, don't you? How did the princess look in your eyes that day?
"The princess of that day...

　Samba's words brought Exiga's mind back to that day.
　She entered the royal palace of Elgrand, and after insisting on seeing the rear palace, she was led to a deserted corridor. In the event that you are a guest of honor, it's not so easy to take a group of men from a foreign country to the living space of the side chambers,....... The Exiga was walking along, thinking about it, when a view full of light flashed into his eyes.
　It looks like a cut out of another world, or a majestic religious painting that has moved unexpectedly. --For Exiga, who had barely survived the whirlpool of jealousy and lust, malice and murder, it was so bright that it seemed out of this world.
　I'm sure you'll be able to figure out what's going on.

"...... Well... I'm sure that for me, the princess on that day was like the light itself.

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