I was Pannacoa, the eldest daughter of the House of Count Silver Silk in the Reiwight Kingdom.
Pannacoa Silver Silk—though you may call me Panna if you wish to be friendly.
By then, about ten days had passed since I first arrived at the Information Hall. My days were spent assisting the princes with the requests they had made of me, which meant processing the mountain of documents piled high on the desks. Processing them was not as simple as merely signing my name. I had to read through the text, extract the necessary figures, uncover hidden data, and even predict numbers that had been omitted entirely.
I also couldn't dismiss the possibility of errors. Everyone makes mistakes, after all, and some people made them on purpose. I had to read every page under the assumption that something was wrong. Once the figures were gathered, I compiled them into entirely new reports.
The documents were essentially a population survey of the Reiwight Kingdom, detailing roughly how many people lived in each town and city. From those numbers, I had to calculate the appropriate number of public outhouses to be installed.
That was right. Outhouses.
While they were standard in noble mansions and the homes of wealthy merchants, it was still somewhat uncommon for commoners to have their own. Those without a private facility relied on communal ones. My current task was to compile data and draft proposals for the Public Toilet Improvement Project. I wasn't entirely sure why a prince was spearheading such a venture, but I set to work nonetheless.
Improving the existing communal outhouses was a massive undertaking. It involved obtaining permission from the King and the local lords, planning the expansion of the water supply system to accommodate the new designs, arranging for craftsmen and materials, establishing waste processing procedures, and managing construction schedules. We even had to arrange for temporary outhouses to be used while the work was being done.
Doing this for one or two locations would have been easy enough, but planning for the entire country resulted in a staggering amount of data. Then there was the matter of new construction based on population growth. That required securing land, which often meant negotiating with local residents. To make matters worse, we had to push the territories belonging to the opposition faction to the bottom of the list. Adjusting the priority queue was a headache in itself.
The documents before me were overflowing—quite literally, as they were also piled in stacks across the floor. It was enough to make anyone feel faint, but I couldn't abandon the task. The princes had asked for my help, after all. For the sake of a brighter future, I accepted the day's hardships.
Besides, I wasn't alone. Three daughters of Barons—Stora, Terra, and Roche—were also there. They were the ones I had originally come to find. They had practical knowledge of the actual sites and were quite skilled at arithmetic, making them incredibly reliable. Ten other noble ladies had also managed to pass the tests and reach this room: one daughter of a Count, four daughters of Viscounts, and five daughters of Barons. I wasn't particularly close with them, but I recognized their faces from various tea parties. They all had their strengths and weaknesses, but the fact that they had reached this room meant they were dependable. They tended to rely a bit too much on theoretical figures since they lacked field experience, but that was easily corrected.
And then there were Prince Istre, Prince Nilk, and Prince Monren.
To be blunt, I felt they needed a bit more study, particularly when it came to their arithmetic. It wasn't that they were incapable, but their processing speed was dreadfully slow. Therefore, I gave the princes work—excuse me, I requested they handle the tasks they were best suited for. Specifically, negotiation using their royal status.
"Lady Foka of the House of Count Godreik? You want me to bring her here?" Prince Istre asked. "But the records show she came to the Information Hall before you did, yet she never reached this room. What are we supposed to do once we find her?"
Lady Foka was more brilliant than I was. There was no way she could have failed those tests. In other words, she had realized exactly what was happening the moment she saw the questions and fled to avoid being recruited for the paperwork. We couldn't let such a talent escape.
"I... I see," Istre replied. "It would be a nuisance if all three of us went. I know her face, so I'll go alone."
Once the prince left, I turned to the remaining two and assigned them a different task.
"So, we just need to write letters to those who haven't come to the Information Hall yet?"
"That is correct, but you mustn't write it like that," I corrected. "Poorly written letters become a weakness. You must not leave evidence behind."
"Meaning?"
"Instead of a formal letter from the princes, pretend to be a well-meaning provider of information. Only hint at your royal identity."
"That sounds... difficult."
"Don't worry. You can have the butler attending you perform a final check. He was assigned to you, so he must be quite capable. He's someone you can rely on without question."
Honestly, I would have preferred the butlers to wrestle with the documents instead of taking care of the princes, but I couldn't ask them to abandon their primary duties. The same applied to me and the maids who accompanied the other ladies. They were employed by our respective houses, not by us personally, so we couldn't assign them new work. This was a burden we simply had to endure. Though, I didn't hesitate to ask the maids for tea. That, at least, was their job.
As we worked, a delicious aroma eventually wafted through the room. It was time for lunch. The one delivering the meal was Alfred-sama, the benefactor of my family, along with several cooking assistants. Among the cluttered desks, one large table had been kept clear, and the food was lined up there. Everyone stopped working and quietly took their seats.
The dish served was called karaage—chicken meat deep-fried in oil. The prince let out a small cheer. I understood the sentiment. I was certain it would be exquisite; every meal served so far had been nothing short of a masterpiece. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that this food was the only reason we hadn't run away.
Whenever Alfred-sama was absent, I felt like crying. The royal cooks were capable enough, but they were no match for him. Not even close. It wasn't just the unique seasonings he brought with him; it was his mastery of them. The royal assistants were still trying to research how to use those ingredients, but progress was slow because the seasonings were apparently quite expensive. Alfred-sama, however, used them without hesitation.
Furthermore, the ingredients he used were completely different from what we had in the kingdom. They were so much richer. Even the same cut of chicken tasted thin compared to what Alfred-sama prepared. I was told the meat came from a village related to his father, though I wasn't given the specifics. Honestly, I found myself wondering if I should be targeting Alfred-sama instead of the princes.
As I ate, I realized just how delicious it was. I heard that Prince Istre had stopped by the kitchen to secure his portion of karaage before leaving the hall. He certainly was thorough.
In the afternoon, Prince Istre returned.
"It seems Lady Foka has already fled back to her territory," he reported. "I've dispatched the Third Knight Division to pursue her. They should be able to bring her back."
It was a decisive move, but I knew it would fail.
"Is that so?" I asked.
"Do you doubt me?"
"Lady Foka surely considered the possibility of pursuers. I doubt she would head straight for her home."
"I see. Then the knights can just wait at the territory and catch her there."
"That won't work either. She'll just stay away until the knights withdraw. They aren't exactly subtle."
"Drat. Was I too hasty in moving the knights?"
"Not necessarily. We can use them as a decoy and send others to secure her. Let me see a map."
I looked at the route from the Royal Capital to the Count Godreik Territory. Lady Foka was an unmarried noblewoman; she couldn't move about with total freedom. A detour was her only option. She didn't lead a flashy life, but she wouldn't hide in a tiny village where there was a risk of trouble. She would stay in a reasonably large city with a proper inn. That narrowed it down to seven potential cities.
"Seven cities... that's a wide range," Istre noted. "And she likely isn't using her family name."
"Let's ask the Korin religion for help," I suggested. "High Priest Fouche will surely cooperate. With her help, we can check multiple cities at once. But wait..."
"What is it?"
"Prince, when you went to the Godreik residence, who spoke with you?"
"The butler at first, but Count Godreik was there, so he attended to me personally."
"The Count was at home?"
"Yes. Why?"
"That's very strange. The Count cherishes Lady Foka, but he is also a very energetic worker. Normally, he stays at the Royal Castle until evening. Why would he be at home in the middle of the day while his daughter is supposedly traveling?"
Istre froze. "Are you saying... he lied to me?"
"It seems so. Lady Foka was likely still at the residence and only began her move after your visit. Technically, he didn't lie; the timing was just slightly off."
"That's still unacceptable!"
"Regardless, she is nearby. And I doubt she's heading for her territory. She'll go the opposite way in a carriage without her family crest."
"No way."
"That is what I would do. She'll probably claim she got lost if anyone stops her."
"Would that actually work?"
"She can make it work. Since the Third Knight Division is heading for the territory, she won't feel the need to rush. That means she's likely in this specific city right here."
I pointed to a single spot on the map. We still had time.
"Prince Istre, take everyone you can and go secure her."
"Wait, I have to go too?"
"Your royal name will be needed. And besides..." I looked at Alfred-sama. He nodded in understanding and promised that if the prince returned with Lady Foka, he would cook whatever dish Istre requested.
"Understood! Leave it to me!"
Two days later, Prince Istre returned with Lady Foka in custody. Victory was mine! She gave me a terrifying glare, but I didn't mind. One can never have too many brilliant minds to help with the paperwork. I ushered her to a desk and told her she'd get used to it soon.
A few days after that, Lady Foka—now fully captivated by Alfred-sama's cooking—helped us recruit several more noble ladies. They were truly a godsend. As for Prince Istre, his requested reward was a noodle dish called ramen. It was, as expected, delicious.
Prince Istre (Asamud Royal Family) Prince Nilk (Seibool Royal Family) Prince Monren (Dargrin Royal Family) Pannacoa (House of Count Silver Silk) Foka (House of Count Godreik) Stora (Baron Family) Terra (Baron Family) Roche (Baron Family)
Mikel: "Wait, what about my turn?"