The genius prince : vol 7 ch 28

 Nanaki nodded and followed Franya. But the next moment, his eyes were wide open.

"Franya, stop!"

"Huh?" Franya's foot stepped on something strange.

When I looked down at something, When she looked down to see what was going on, her eyes caught sight of a man lying on the ground.

"eyaah" She jumped up with a strange cry. Nanaki quickly grabbed her and covered her behind his back.

"Oh,  Nanaki that person is dead."

"No, this is ..."

staring over Nanaki's shoulder at the fallen person, and Nanaki keeping his gaze fixed on him, In front of such two people

The person quietly got up.

 "Oh, I beg your pardon. I was drowsy from exposure to the sun."

 He was a tall, lanky man. He had a lazy look, stubble, and wrinkled clothes.

 At the center of the empire, the imperial palace, it is a completely unsuitable style. Nanaki stayed alert and said with Franya on his back. "....... I was surprised. I didn't feel anything at all. You're as good as dead.."

"I'm actually a man whose heart stops beating when he's asleep."

"Really?”

“No, not really

Franya looked at the man suspiciously.. However, the man continued without worrying about such a line of sight.

"By the way, neither of the two have been seen here before. If possible, I hope that your identities are clear. In the case of a suspicious person, I would have to call someone, but I am too lazy to walk.

In that case, I would appreciate it if you could call someone for me. "

"……Let see" Franya thought the person in front of her was a hundred times more suspicious than the one in front of him, she bowed gracefully, thinking that it would be polite to say her name if she was asked.

"I'm Franya Elk Arbalest, Princess of the Kingdom of Natra. I am staying in the imperial capital at the invitation of Princess  Lowellmina"

Then the man nodded as if he was convinced. "I see. I beg your pardon. You are the daughter of King Owen, I see. No wonder you have such a clever appearance. "

"Did you know my father?"

"I never met him in person, but as a young man I was greatly impressed by Natra's long reign and the political skills of King Owen, who inherited it. Oh, I still remember. At that time I was a lowly civil servant. I had no money, I was always hungry, but all I had was work. So I decided to pretend that my work papers were a treat. In order to deceive himself, I spent those days chewing through paper. What do you think happened to me after a month?"

"Well, uh, were you able to trick yourself into thinking it was a feast: ......?"

"No, I almost starved to death"

"A person can't be a goat. I spent one precious month of my youth learning this lesson. These life experiences are often kept secret and passed down from generation to generation, but in honor of this miraculous encounter, I present this to you, Princess Franya. "

"Uh, yes."

Franya She seriously wondered if he was picking a fight with her

But when she looked at Nanaki, he gave her a look that said, "He's probably serious."

she wondered if it was even worse, but Franya who was raised as a lady. She looked annoyed, but smiled.

"Thank you very much for your invaluable words. I have some business to attend to now."

"Oh, please wait" The man stops Franya trying to turn her heels.

"Have you everdreamed of a broad river? I always have this dream where I’m fishing as a tattered boatman helps those on the verge of death cross to the riverbank on the other side. For whatever reason, I heard a voice call me from behind today, wailing that running a nation was difficult business. Just as I woke with the thought that I must offer advice as a leader, you appeared before me, Princess Franya. "

"Let  see……"So was he saying he had heard her and Nanaki’s

conversation while dreaming? He definitely shouldn’t be dreaming about crossing any rivers. Those were bad omens. 

"That's why Princess Franya, do you understand the difference between a person and a citizen?"

She hesitated for a second before deciding whether to respond in all seriousness or to force herself to leave, and then chose to answer.

"Isn't it the same?"

"wrong" The answer was surprisingly immediate.

"People are those who do not belong to the state. They have no rights to the state, and in return they have no obligations to it. On the contrary, the citizens are those who have rights and obligations to the state. So let us ask the question:  What makes a person a citizen? "

The man's tone of voice was deeply intelligent, a sharp change from the previous question. Intuitively, she knew that she should not give a half-hearted response, but because of this, she could not come up with an answer on the spur of the moment. So, she dared to say what she wanted to say.

"I don't understand. What is it?"

"the laws created by a nation shove its people into a mold and recast them. Through that process, they become creatures known as ‘citizens.’ Laws must be observed. Bending, breaking, or otherwise abusing these laws to shake the foundation on which citizens are built is considered a serious act of betrayal.” "

Franya saw a moment of passion in the man's eyes.

"Even if it's a lineage of the imperial family, it's no exception. Yes, it shouldn't be an exception.

 Princess Franya will eventually be in a position to rule her lands and protect her people. Do not forget the weight of the law." The man smiled as he finished.

"That is all I have to say. I apologize for keeping you waiting so long in your busy schedule."

"Oh no ..." Franya shook her head. Until now, she had been thinking of him as an oddball, and he was still not out of the oddball category, but she had a slight curiosity about this man.

"Well, can you ask for your name?"

Then the man claps his hand. "I didn't give my name. It's rude to only ask the princess name. My name is "

"Keskinal!"

The voice comes from the doorway of the courtyard. When she turned around, there was a figure of lowellmina.