I Already Know My Magic Power Is Ridiculously High! Now I Just Need a Cute Wife... - Episode 86

The Continental Charter, *Atra Carta*.

A law that broadly defines the role of nobles and methods of self-governance.

It covers a wide range of practical matters, such as taxation and dispute mediation.

Just as religious figures have their sacred texts, nobles treat the *Continental Charter* as their bible.

Because it is widely recognized among nobles, it is often used as a means to resolve conflicts between noble houses and even between nations.

“The conditions for a ceasefire proposed by House Ortenos include the cession of the entire western region of the Elhoro River and the withdrawal of all troops from the Kingdom of Naia stationed there.”

“Do you even understand how vast the western region of the Elhoro River is? It makes up nearly a quarter of the Hoshiros territory. There’s no way we can hand it over.”

For a while now, my father and Galtano had been engaged in a heated debate.

It seemed that my father was aiming to take full control of the western Elhoro River during this opportunity.

Since we were in a superior position, there was no reason for him to hold back.

“Consider yourself lucky that all you have to do is surrender some land. A defeated party should accept its fate.”

“You fox, acting all high and mighty while hiding in your own territory. First of all, we haven’t been defeated. Bangwall was stolen from us by thieves, and the northern region is being unjustly ravaged by a pack of wild dogs. If your forces withdraw, that would solve the problem.”

While the heads of the families clashed in their war of words, I quietly remained on guard.

“P-please calm down, both of you. Let’s stay rational.”

“Luna, why do you act like this doesn’t concern you? Our land is under threat! If you truly intend to stand as ruler, then instead of preaching idealism, why don’t you support us?”

“Ugh…”

Luna still seemed unable to recover from the previous shock.

Perhaps it was the weakness of someone in love. I decided to throw her a lifeline.

“Galtano, then state your own conditions for a ceasefire.”

“Hmph, I’ll be generous and allow you to keep Bangwall Fortress. But nothing else. The Ortenos forces occupying northern Hoshiros must withdraw immediately.”

The military achievements of House Ortenos were mainly in the Bangwall region, under my control, and in the Ronchant region, under my grandfather’s command.

It seemed that Galtano was particularly keen on protecting the north.

That was natural—his capital, Horosion, was nearby.

—

“Hmm… Evelyn, what do you think of this proposal?”

“It’s out of the question. Bangwall Fortress is currently under Ortenos’ direct control. Urban development is progressing smoothly, and within three years, it is expected to grow into a second-tier city. There are no other major cities in the area, so it’s only natural that the surrounding region will also fall under Ortenos’ control. In summary, when combined with Lord Urgore’s military achievements, the cession of the western Elhoro River region south of Ronchant Fortress is a reasonable demand.”

Evelyn, understanding my intent, laid out the argument in one breath.

To put it simply: *We already have Bangwall, so hand over the surrounding areas too, you fools.*

“Ridiculous! There’s no way such nonsense could be accepted!”

Galtano scoffed in disdain.

I turned to Evelyn again.

“It’s not nonsense. According to the governance laws of the *Continental Charter*, the key factor in a ceasefire is the rationality of border adjustments. To reduce geopolitical risks, the cession of surrounding territories is inevitable.”

“Tch… You, you’re from the Eastern Star Church, aren’t you? Why are you siding with Ortenos?”

Evelyn pressed Galtano relentlessly. Even he, usually so composed, twisted his face in irritation.

“The Holy One is the light that illuminates this world. To serve the land where the Holy One resides, Ortenos, is the greatest honor for us of the Ballista Church.”

“You… you’re insane…”

Bringing Evelyn along was the right decision.

Seeing her look so proud beside me, I couldn’t help but think—

(*Nice sideboob.*)

Recently, I had been too focused on city-building, neglecting my needs.

For a nobleman to go too long without indulging in certain pleasures—it simply wasn’t healthy.

Evelyn must be suffering from tension in her shoulders. I should give her a private massage later.

Nicoletta, as a scribe, had also been doing an excellent job. She had a way of fitting in exactly where she was needed.

It was about time I rewarded her efforts.

Speaking of sideboobs, Luna’s figure was quite impressive as well.

Even if she was dispirited, her body continued to grow on its own.

Even at fifteen, when growth should have slowed, there was still a strong will pushing forward.

Harassing a princess could become an international issue, but considering my relationship with Luna, maybe I could get away with sneaking a touch on her thigh…?

◇◇◇◇

By the time the sun was high—

“…Everyone, let’s take a break from the meeting and have lunch.”

At Luna’s signal, lunch was served.

Eating food in enemy territory might seem risky, but there were official food tasters.

Each dish was sampled to ensure there was no poison.

Despite the tense situation, Naia’s noble cuisine was familiar and delicious.

Given that our lands had once been united, it wasn’t surprising that our food cultures were the same.

“Father, I’ll step out for a bit.”

I had the urge to relieve myself, so I left my seat.

Taking a walk through the garden, I noticed signs that it had been hastily maintained, probably in preparation for this meeting.

Since the church ruins were near the Elhoro River, the sound of the water was pleasant.

I looked around, found a suitable bush, pulled down my trousers, and relieved myself.

“*Ahhh…*”

I let out an involuntary sigh.

That satisfying shiver after relieving myself hit me.

I had let my guard down a little.

Just then, I heard footsteps approaching from behind.

(*Crap… Someone’s coming!*)

In my haste to pull up my trousers, I lost my balance and fell backward.

“Lord Shalka…?”

“Wah!”

A voice, clear as a bell, called out from above.

And before her eyes—

A boy, sitting on the ground, his lower half exposed.

“Kyahh…! W-what are you doing!?”

The girl clutched her hands to her mouth and screamed.

And that girl—was none other than Luna.

◇◇◇◇

After some time, Luna and I sat side by side on a bench in the garden.

She seemed a bit more distant than before.

Given that I had opposed the ceasefire and flashed her by accident, that was understandable.

“I’m sorry, Luna… for showing you something unpleasant.”

“N-no, I should be the one apologizing. I rushed after you because I realized I hadn’t told you where the restroom was…”

(*Which resulted in encountering a flasher.*)

Luna looked down, avoiding my gaze.

Since it was a ruined church, I had assumed there were no proper facilities.

That was my mistake.

“We both had a rough time. Let’s forget about it.”

“It’s fine. I won’t think about it…”

“…”

“…”

A subtle awkwardness hung between us.

“Um… thank you for helping me earlier.”

“I didn’t do much. Don’t worry about it.”

Luna was referring to the ceasefire meeting.

All I did was deflect attention away from her.

“I keep dragging everyone down, don’t I? Just like Duke Hoshiros said… I don’t deserve to be queen.”

“…What do you mean?”

Luna seemed troubled, not just by the negotiations, but by something deeper.

She probably had something she wanted to share.

“…Lord Shalka, may I tell you a bit about my past?”