Eijirō listened patiently as they walked along the many corridors and halls of the palace, glancing around as they did so. Personally, he felt as though the amount of marble and other decorations, while impressive, were perhaps somewhat gaudy. It was a far cry from home, though he was certain that plenty would feel the same of the Imperial Palace in Shinkyō or any number of villas owned by members of the Imperial Family. Of course, he didn't hold the same opinion of the library. That, he silently admitted, was impressive. Oh, what his brother would do to get his hands on all of these books... He was the bookworm of the family, after all. Sure, Eijirō enjoyed a good book once in a while, but not to that degree. Maybe next time he was around, he'd see about getting him to tag along, if his work didn't get in the way, anyways.
"I'm sure she's not too far off." Eijirō said, cracking a smile as he looked out the window. His mind briefly turned to his own family, to Mayumi and their soon-to-be-born child. He wasn't really sure if he was cut out for parenthood, as it happened, but that was neither here nor there. Not at the moment, anyways.
He turned around and took a seat on the sofa directly opposite to David, accepting a cup. He wasn't actually all that thirsty at the time, but it would be improper to decline. Besides, he might've wanted it later, who knew for certain? He continued to listen as David spoke, now turning to the Sky Coast and green tea. He was vaguely familiar with the country, though only just as it was, admittedly, not particularly relevant to his studies, but he was aware of their love for green tea. It was a love which was shared with Daitō, so he could understand how the King of East Moreland had come to appreciate it. He'd be sure to arrange to get David some premium-grade Matcha the next time they saw each other, given his apparent love for it. Nonetheless, that tangent came to an end soon enough, and it came to pass that David finally got to the point he was trying to make.
Why had he taken so long to make this trip?
It was something he regretted, but it was true that he had taken just over two years to really reach out like this. Sure, he had been in Rokkenjima once, but that hardly counted—it was effectively in Daitō's back garden—while other members of his family and the Imperial government travelled abroad. He remembered how his younger sister had travelled to Revana during the 2021 Aperture World Fair, even though he had desired to go himself. He had been close to making the trip, but Sachio Heishi, the Daijō-daijin—the Chancellor of the Realm—had stepped in the way of it. The last attempt he had made to visit East Moreland, in all fairness, was because he was too ill, but that shouldn't've stopped him from travelling to Djabidjan last month. Once again, the Chancellor stopped the trip before it could happen. Only now, now that the traitorous dogs who led the CDP had been handled, was he able to actually make such a trip. Perhaps the reason had been staring him and everyone else in the face all this time. He wasn't really making the decisions here, but... He wasn't sure if he should say as much. At least, not explicitly.
"That's a very good question. Both of them, I mean." Eijirō admitted, glancing down at his cup. "Firstly, I'm sure you're aware of the issues that Daitō has faced in the last few years. The assassination of my father and all, I mean, not to mention the fears held by some"—his eyes darted briefly to Ambassador Tsujimura before he looked back at David—"that certain... complications may arise by me going abroad."
"What I believe His Imperial Majesty is trying to say, Your Majesty, is that the Tokubetsu Kōtō Keisatsu rightly feared that Kokuryūkai would attempt to assassinate him." Ambassador Tsujimura opined while Eijirō was quiet. "Merely a matter of security is all."
"Regardless, as for what I believe the goal of the Yamatojin state should be as this year draws to a close, well, it's simple. We have stood idly by as mere observers on the global stage for long enough. We watched as others... overtook us, and we did nothing to prevent it. I'd argue that this inaction will only lead to ruin, and as such, I believe starting out, it is prudent to reach out, foster friendly ties with the outside world, from the center to the margins, as it were. From there, we shall have to see, but it is my sincerest hope that we may at least foster a healthy relationship with many nations across Mundus, especially with regards to international commerce."