The Neighborhood High School Girl, Miss Isezaki, Is the Great Saintess Returned from Another World~ And I, Suddenly Awakened as Her Exclusive Mana Supply Uncle, Travel Between Earth and Another World with Time-Space Magic~ - 212. Declaration of Independence

212. 212. 212. 212. Declaration of Independence  

“Independence…? Is that even possible?”  

I asked skeptically, and Holly immediately answered without hesitation.  

“In the Kingdom of Revis, there have been numerous instances of land division or transfer since its founding. For example, in the western Murrent County, a succession dispute led to the territory being split between the eldest and second sons. In the southern Southrail Viscounty, part of the land was confiscated as punishment for the viscount’s misconduct and subsequently transferred to a noble who resolved the matter. In the central region, there was also—”  

“Okay, okay, I get it. That’s enough…”  

Apparently, there were plenty of precedents for such cases. It wasn’t some idea she’d just come up with on a whim—Lady Levia must have been seriously considering independence for a while. Still, the scale of this situation suddenly felt massive.  

“But Levi….If you go through with this independence and fail…”  

“Yes, Sister. If independence isn’t recognized, my sister and father will accuse me of rebellion, and… well, most likely, I’d face execution by beheading. However, if I do nothing, the same fate awaits me sooner or later. In that case, I must act. And for that, I will… do whatever it takes!”  

Lady Levia declared this resolutely, her determined gaze somehow directed at me.  

“Uh, why are you looking at me like that?”  

“Matsunaga-sama, should the Levia Territory be acknowledged, I promise to grant you an appropriate—or, no, even greater—position and power of your choosing. So, would you please lend me your strength?”  

“I don’t need power or status, not even a sliver.”  

No, thank you. I’d said as much to Lady Levia before, but I guess nobles find it hard to comprehend. She widened her eyes, looking genuinely astonished as if thinking, “What? You don’t want power or status? Really?”  

“Levi, it’s impossible for Uncle to work under someone and abide by their whims. After all, what Uncle truly seeks is to live freely, untethered by anything, following his heart. Someone like that would never desire such worldly things as power or status, right, Uncle?”  

“Ah, well, yeah. That’s… accurate.”  

Isezaki-san passionately argued her point with sparkling eyes. It felt exaggerated, but not entirely wrong.  

“I see… In that case, how about becoming my husband, Matsunaga-sama? Despite appearances, I’m a diligent worker and a very devoted woman. If we were to marry, I could guarantee you a life of luxury—Eek!”  

Lady Levia’s confident tone faltered as her face turned pale.  

“J-just kidding! A noble’s marriage isn’t something decided on the spur of the moment! My apologies for the slip! Oh ho ho ho ho ho ho!”  

For some reason, Lady Levia glanced nervously at Isezaki-san as she awkwardly laughed. Well, not that I intended to entertain this conversation further—I wasn’t looking to become a kept man. Besides, more importantly—  

“Lady Levia, I don’t need any rewards. If it’s within my ability, I’ll help you. So for now, can you tell me the details of your plan?”  

“Oh my! Oh my, my, my! Really? Thank you, Matsunaga-sama!”  

“…..Are you sure about this, Uncle?”  

Lady Levia looked ecstatic, practically leaping out of her seat with joy. While Isezaki-san, in stark contrast, furrowed her brows in concern. I gave her a reassuring nod.  

“Yeah. You know, when we went herb-gathering, it made me realize how important connections are in this world. Thanks to that, we got into the mines without any tedious procedures. If I’m going to keep visiting this world, earning Lady Levia’s goodwill isn’t a bad move.”  

With noble privilege, I’d easily gained access to the magic stone mines and quickly gathered a large haul of herbs. The benefits of leveraging aristocratic power in this feudal society weren’t lost on me.  

“…Besides, Isezaki-san, I know how much you care about Lady Levia. For your sake, I want to help her.”  

Ultimately, this was my biggest motivation.  

For the sake of Isezaki-san, who cherished Lady Levia—a childhood friend from this world, practically a sister—I was willing to go the extra mile.  

“Uncle…”  

Isezaki-san looked at me with tearful eyes. Feeling a bit embarrassed, I quickly redirected the conversation to Lady Levia.  

“…So, Lady Levia, what exactly do you want me to do?”  

“Ah, yes… Before that, I’d like to ask you something. How is your potion-making progressing?”  

“Huh? Oh, well, thanks to Lady Levia’s connections and Isezaki-san’s magic, we’ve made good progress on that front—”  

“Don’t forget that Uncle showcased his exceptional skills by exterminating the monsters lurking in the mines!”  

“Haha, well, yeah, things are going smoothly for now. All that’s left is selling them in Japan.”  

“I see. If I recall correctly, a single day in Japan corresponds to three days here, right?”  

“Yes, that’s right. Lately, the time ratio has been stable at that level.”  

Originally, the difference was ten days. But since my magical power leveled up, it’s been fixed at three days.  

“I see… Then, as long as you spend most of your time in Japan, would you mind transporting the gathered supplies to the magic stone mines every two days?”  

“If it’s just that, I don’t mind… Is that really all you want me to do?”  

Transporting supplies wasn’t much of a task; I had already done it today as a side job. It felt almost too simple, like an anticlimax.  

“Matsunaga-sama, this is a critical mission. Right now, our top priority is to send a large amount of supplies to advance the development of the magic stone mines. Without restarting the mining operations, the notion of independence won’t even be entertained.”  

“That’s true… You can’t present independence to the king without any tangible results to back it up.”  

“So, I’ll transport supplies here every two days and spend the rest of my time in Japan. That’s fine, right?”  

“Yes. It also takes time to gather the materials in Grandain. So that schedule should work perfectly.”  

That arrangement worked well for me too since I could also focus on potion sales in Japan.  

“Got it. Whew… Having you formally ask for my help made me think it would be something much harder, haha.”  

I sighed in relief, rolling my shoulders to ease the tension that had unknowingly built up. Then, Isezaki-san leaned in, pointing her index finger at me with a serious expression.  

“Uncle, as she said, this is a very significant task. Instantly transporting goods from one place to another? It’s like you alone are controlling the logistics of this entire world. Especially here, the implications are enormous. Your decisions could impact the power dynamics of various countries and territories. In essence, Uncle, you wield influence akin to ruling the world itself… As expected of you, Uncle!”  

“No, no, that’s definitely an overstatement…”  

I’m just a glorified delivery guy.  

“By the way, Matsunaga-sama. You plan to sell the potions to wealthy individuals in Japan, correct?”  

“Yes, that’s the idea. Potions are even rarer there than here, so I intend to sell them at a high price to affluent buyers.”  

Hearing my response, Lady Levia rested her chin on her hand and fell silent for a moment, deep in thought.  

“Hmm… Then I have one suggestion—or rather, a request—for you.”  

“What is it?”  

“Until the supply transport is completed, would you allow Colin to serve as your bodyguard while you’re in Japan?”  

“Huh? Colin? As my bodyguard?”  

At Lady Levia’s unexpected request, I could only tilt my head in confusion.