Chapter 171: 171 Iftane Walk

--And afternoon.

Dear Diana. This is the biggest diner around here.

Thank you, Mr. Porte. Thank you, Porte. It's really a magnificent building.

As planned, Deanna, accompanied by Yuri, visited the favelas with Exiga as her guide. At the request of Porte, who had recovered completely, and her sister, Saja, Deanna was given the promised "sightseeing tour". This was just a way to convince Porte that she couldn't afford to pay for the treatment, but it seems that this sister and brother are very polite. Porte is said to have been raised by Saja, so I guess Saja is the one who's really disciplined.

Porte's tour of Iftane is naturally limited to the northern part of the city, as that is where he lives. However, his tour was more intellectually stimulating than I had expected. The day before yesterday, when I went to Iftane for the first time, I spent the day examining Porte and preparing herbs, and the day before yesterday, I visited the academic and religious district in the west, and yesterday, I visited the commercial and industrial district in the east.

(Iftane is really an interesting city. (Iftane is a really interesting city, as His Highness said, each district gives a completely different impression.

The West District, a place of learning and religion, has an austere and tranquil atmosphere, and the buildings are neatly lined up like a city of scholars.

The commercial and industrial East District is a city of craftsmen. Within the East District, the different professions were further subdivided and grouped together, creating a patchwork-like appearance when viewed from high above.

And here, in the North District, a trading town where a variety of people live...

"Metaphorically speaking, it's a toy box turned upside down. ......

"Miss Diana?　What's wrong?

Oh, I'm sorry, Porte. It's nothing.

The size of the building, the way it was built, the way it's lined up, you can tell at a glance that it wasn't planned. It's a historical "city" that naturally grew and expanded as people gathered and lived there. Perhaps the oldest part of the Imperial City of Iftarne is this northern district. --Deanna is not averse to this cluttered, unadorned atmosphere, where the activities of the people can be clearly felt.

The people of Iftane look at Diana from a distance as she leads Porte to the restaurant. Even though it was past lunchtime, she felt that staying too long would interfere with her business. I had only one request for Porte, "I want to visit the most crowded places in the North District," so I wondered if I should urge her to move on.

Just as I was thinking this, the door to the cafeteria opened at just the right moment and a man who looked like a shopkeeper came out with cleaning tools in his hand. The moment she saw him, Porte's expression changed.

《Damusama ......》

Master?　Is that man the owner of this store?

Yes. ...... I'm sorry, Miss Diana. Can I come in and say hello for a moment?

Yes, of course.

I'm sure you'll be glad to see me, but more importantly, I'm sorry, which is more than I can say for a little girl. If Porte wants to say hello, even though she doesn't know what's going on, there's no reason to blame her. As I was watching Porte approaching the man, away from Deanna, Saja approached from behind.

I'm sorry about my brother, Master Diana. I'm sorry you had to leave the guidance and let your personal feelings take precedence. ......

There's nothing rude about it. You know the owner of this store and Porte-kun, don't you?

Yes. Porte's age doesn't allow her to be employed anywhere yet. ...... Every day, I go around to the stores in town to ask for help and get paid according to the work I do. The owner of this store is especially kind to Porte, and always prepares work for her, and pays her more than the market rate. ...... I think Porte is worried about the fact that she couldn't do her errand due to illness.

That's right.

The man who claims to be the owner of the store speaks to Porte with a gentle expression and pats her head gently as she repeatedly bows her small head. I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I'm not the only one who's had a bad experience. ...... I know how my husband feels, it's hard to hate a good girl like Porte.

Porte's expression returned to a cheerful one as she greeted her husband and answered his questions crisply. She must be relieved to know that her master is not angry with her. She looked much more mature than her age.

In honest admiration, Diana turns to look at Saja.

Porte is really strong for such a small child. It must be the way you raised him.

《That's not true .......》

Although she shakes her head in humility, she is strong enough to offer to accompany me as a guardian because she is worried about her little brother alone. She is probably a few years younger than Deanna, but the age difference doesn't seem to be noticeable. It may be natural for her sister to be the same way, since her brother is stronger than his age.

If my brother and I seem to be strong, it's probably because of my parents and the people of the city who raised me. My parents taught me that even if I lived in poverty, I shouldn't be mean at heart, and they taught me manners and etiquette.

Yes, you're right. I'm sure Saja's parents were wonderful people, and I'm sure she and Porte were able to survive in that town where people help each other. ...... But you know what, Saja? I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I'm not the only one who's had to deal with this.

Deanna smiled softly at Saja, who rolled her eyes.

I'm not sure what to make of it, but I think it's a good idea. In the face of cruel and unreasonable reality, you have continued to cherish what is important to you without letting your heart rot, and that is why you are here today. That's what I think.

《Diana-sama ......》

You really did your best. --Thank you, Miss Saja. Thank you, Saja, for being alive and meeting me.

A clear drop drips from Saja's eyes. Diana gently embraces Saja, whose shoulders are shaking.

She slowly and repeatedly pats her small, thin back as she tries to hold back the sobs that echo through her. --(To tell her that it is okay to cry.

In addition to surviving day to day in a world where you can't even live, raising your little brother to be such a good boy, risking your life to protect him when he's in danger,......, it's all part of everyday life for the poor people of this country, and Saja has never been recognized by anyone. I'm sure that if your parents were alive, they would have been able to help you. (If your parents were still alive, I'm sure they would have given you a lot of "thank yous" for taking such good care of Porte.

In the Kingdom of Ergland, it is the role of adults to say "thank you" to their children. It is natural to praise and appreciate children, not only your own, but also those you know and those you don't, when they help you in any way. Children are supposed to be raised by everyone, and if a child is unfortunate enough to lose two parents in an accident, disaster, or illness, the child is either taken in by a family that knows the child well, or taken care of by the local temple and raised by the whole community. Both Edward and Diana grew up with the help of the people of the city of Crester.

They were scolded when they did wrong, praised when they did good, and told "thank you" every time they helped out. Now that I'm an adult, I can finally understand.

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(...... I am not a stanza person. (I'm not a stanza person. I can't give my opinion on the state of this country, nor can I irresponsibly offer a helping hand.

But I hope you will at least forgive me for this. Please forgive me for at least affirming the existence of a small life that is desperately struggling.

Diana found herself hugging the sobbing little body of Saja tightly. After some time, Saja seems to have calmed down, and moves her arms loosely. I'm not sure what to make of it, but I'm sure it's a good idea.

I'm sorry, sir. I'm sorry for the way I've been acting. ......

There's nothing to apologize for. If you want to cry, you should cry. If you hold back from crying, you'll eventually become desensitized to the pain in your heart and won't even know that you're in pain.

《......In a world like this, it may be easier to live if you are insensitive to pain and suffering. In fact, people who kill their hearts and live without crying or screaming live longer in this country.

《So ......》

In fact, people who kill their hearts without crying or screaming live longer in this country. The words of Saja clearly showed Deanna the reality that people are distorted in exchange for strong control.

But ...... it doesn't look like Saja and Porte are killing their hearts. I don't think your hearts are dead because you care for each other, appreciate the people around you, and live with a smile on your face.

Yes. Numbing the mind in the face of painful reality is probably easy if you want to do it. ...... I think it is better to live a short life laughing with the people you love with your heart than to live a long life killing your heart. If you kill your heart, you won't feel pain and suffering, but at the same time, you won't know what makes you happy or joyful. That would be more painful for me.

Saja's words made me feel hot-headed. Such a noble and pure soul is rarely met, regardless of country. In the midst of harsh reality, it is not a question of how to live comfortably, but rather how to choose a way of life that values joy and happiness, even if it is painful.

I'm ...... really, really, really glad to meet you.

I should be the one to tell you that. My life and Porte's were given to me by Master Diana. ...... If I had the freedom to move to a different country, I'd be willing to give you everything I have for the rest of my life.

That feeling alone is enough. Your life is far from over. It's too early to be thinking about giving it to someone else.

...... In all seriousness, with the Cresters' domain and wealth, they can accept the entire population of the Iftane favelas. However, since the Stanza Empire only allows a small number of high-ranking people to leave the country (otherwise, people who couldn't stand the tyranny of the Empire would have turned into refugees and fled the country long ago), this is a card that can't be played until the very last moment, when an all-out war with the Stanza is inevitable. It's a card that can't be played until the very last moment, when an all-out war with Stanza is inevitable. Besides, it's not only the poor people of Iftane who are suffering in the Stanza Empire.

If Deanna was just a traveler with no responsibility, it wouldn't matter if she only saved the people suffering in front of her on an ad hoc basis, but ...... now, that's not good enough.

(As the ambassador of the Kingdom of Ergeland, I will sow the "seeds" of hope to the people of Stanza in order to build friendship between the Kingdom of Ergeland and the Stanza Empire. ......)

The time limit is ten days. You'll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them in the marketplace. I suppose.

I glanced at Exiga behind me to make sure he didn't notice me, and he was looking at Diana and Saja talking to Diana with a very complicated expression on his face. It seems that in this country, it is forbidden for poor people to speak directly with the royal family, so Saja and Porte are skipping Exiga, who was supposed to be their guide, and only talking with Diana. It would have been possible to listen to Exiga's opinion with a samba in between, but perhaps because Diana first said, "I'll leave it to you, Porte, to show me around," the sisters seemed to dare not to see Exiga's presence. It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for and how to get there.

But ......, judging by the expression on her face, His Highness is indeed aware of it. --(But judging from the expression on his face, His Highness is indeed aware of the danger that the Stanza Empire is currently in.

The day before yesterday, when I visited the favelas to see Porte, I felt the danger of this country - the hatred of the lower classes towards the ruling class. Not only is it manifesting itself in an overt manner, but it's also simmering in a sticky situation.

--The favela dwellers, who at first looked at Diana with anger and hatred because they thought she was a high-ranking person, changed their attitudes and fell to their knees as soon as they found out that she was a foreign girl who shared herbs with Porte. They said that she was the one who came to save them, and even that she was a saint. She bowed to Diana, an Elgrandean who was supposed to be a virtual enemy of her country.

That is to say, it proves that the hearts of the people of this country are already far away from the stanzas and from the rulers. If it is only separation, then their hearts are filled with anger and hatred for the oppression and abuse they have been subjected to. Saja said earlier that the people are killing their hearts to endure the unreasonable domination, but that stage is passing. ...... Perhaps, at the slightest provocation, their anger and hatred will burst into a fierce flame that will cover the entire empire.

The Exigas are not fools. They must have sensed that their rule is on thin ice, or at the very least, that it has reached the point where it only "appears" to be in place. The hatred of the poor must be even more pronounced now that they have visited other areas the day before yesterday, the day before yesterday, and yesterday.

(If even the people living in Iftane, which is supposed to be the home of the Imperial Palace, are like this, then the poor people living far away from the palace must have even less respect for the royal family. ...... If you think about it, it makes sense that even if there are no major battles, there are always small uprisings on the fringes of the country.

This is the watershed of the Stanza Empire. This is a watershed in the stanza empire. If we continue to rule as we are now, the royal families will soon be pulled down from their thrones. ...... Speaking of which, even though the Kingdom of Ergeland has not yet been pushed to this point, the limits of absolute monarchy and centralized power are becoming apparent. Looking back at the past history, when a country was reaching a major milestone, it was often the case that the Kingdom of the Lakes was heading for a similar situation, or had passed it a while ago. Even though the countries are different, the people who live there are the same people, so even if there are some differences and gaps, the major flow of history may not change.

Dear Diana, thank you for waiting for me!

--The returning Porte pulled Diana back from the depths of her thoughts. I'm not waiting that long.

I'm not waiting that long. Did you have a chance to talk to her?

Yes!　Thank you very much.

Porte. You're kind enough to forgive me, but you shouldn't leave your guests alone when you're in charge of showing them around.

Yes, I'm sorry.

I'm sure you'll be glad to know that Porte's anxiety is gone, and you can see the smile on her face. You'll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them.

(I don't care what happens to the stanza royalty or any other high-ranking people in this country. (I don't care what happens to the Stanza royal family or other high-ranking people in this country, but in the event of a major civil war, these two people who have no way to fight would be the first ones whose lives would be in danger.

Besides, there are people like Arciolene who are not really of high rank, but by a trick of fate have become the daughter of a famous family. If at all possible, it is best to avoid war.

(In the next ten days, we must build a friendship between Ergeland and Stanza, sow the seeds of hope among the people of Stanza, and minimize the spark of war as much as possible. ......)

It's incredibly difficult, and to be honest, I feel like it's impossible, but as long as I don't give up, I want to believe that the path will lead somewhere.

So, Porte. Where will you take me next?

Yes!　Next, we'll go to the bazaar where the people of this town often go. ......

Nodding to Porte's words, Diana looked at what she should do with renewed determination.

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