by Dojyomaru
“Why did you say that line like an old woman...?” Aisha asked.
“Now then, let’s get things back on track,” said Souma. “Now, now, we’ve kept you all waiting. Next up, the pride of our country, the Prima Lorelei, makes her appearance!”
“Madam Juna is incredibly popular even in this first broadcast, isn’t she?” asked Aisha.
As the two of them had just said, Juna had already secured the position of Elfrieden’s top lorelei for herself during the last Jewel Voice Broadcasts. Her popularity had surprised and confused even Juna herself.
“When the Congress of the People, which collects petitions, issued me a request saying, ‘Broadcast programs more often and let us hear Juna’s singing,’ even I was a bit weirded out,” said Souma.
“Wow... err, Madam Juna has been looking for a good herb tea to help with stiff shoulders lately...” said Aisha. “It’s not easy when they’re so big, it seems.”
“...Anyway, let’s hear her sing,” said Souma. “Here’s Juna Doma.”
“What was that pause for?” Aisha demanded.
“...I wasn’t imagining anything, really.”
“You inadvertently let that slip, I see.”
The adorable image of Souma turning to look away and Aisha staring at him as he did so faded out, and now the blue-haired Juna Doma appeared on screen.
On her upper half, she wore an outfit that looked like she had just wrapped a piece of fabric around herself, while on her bottom she wore loose white pants that tightened around her ankles. Wearing a thin, veil-like piece of silk on top of her head, she looked like a dancer girl who had escaped from the world of One Thousand and One Nights.
Her beauty captivated every last member of the audience, man and woman alike, while her singing voice would indiscriminately intoxicate the peoples of both Elfrieden and Amidonia.
The viewing masses were made to see why Souma had called her the Prima Lorelei. Juna’s voice didn’t have a unique character to it like Pamille’s did. However, her expressive control of her pitch was carved even deeper into people’s memories than Pamille was. Juna’s voice also lacked the power that Nanna’s had from training with the fishermen. However, thanks to that, her gentle timbre was able to seep deeper into the hearts of people than Nanna’s had.
The viewing public were certain of it. Certain that Juna Doma was the lorelei who stood above all loreleis, the Prima Lorelei.
The viewers in Amidonia had all been completely charmed by the three singers. They were surprised to find out that the Jewel Voice Broadcast could be such an enjoyable experience. At this point, none of them were concerned if this broadcast was Souma’s way of trying to win them to his side anymore.
In Japanese, the word “music” was written “to enjoy sound.” They were enjoying it for its sound. That was why no one noticed Souma’s true aim.
—With one exception.
◇ ◇ ◇
“That king, he sure pulled a nasty trick...”
In Nelva, a fortress city in the southwest of Amidonia, one individual who had mixed in with the viewers to watch the broadcast muttered. This person wore a hooded cloak which covered their entire body, making it impossible to read their expression. All that it was possible to discern was that, compared to those around the person, this person had a small build, and a voice that was most likely female.
A similarly hooded man standing beside her asked the girl in the hooded cloak a question. “A nasty trick?”
“It’s nasty,” said the girl. “After all, he’s takin’ all the things my old man deliberately kept away from the people and then suddenly givin’ ’em to them all in one go. There ain’t any hope of my brother gettin’ himself reinstated after this. ...Well, for the people, that may be for the best.”
With those words said, the hooded girl shrugged as if to add, “Good grief.”
The hooded man beside her looked at her with confusion. “Um, princess, what are you saying Lord Gaius stole from the people?”
“Freedom, that’s what, Mr. Colbert,” said the hooded girl.
The hooded girl was Gaius VIII’s daughter, Roroa Amidonia. The man beside her was the former Minister of Finance, Colbert.
Roroa pointed at the video. “Usin’ the Jewel Voice Broadcast like that, women dressin’ up fancy, and men lustin’ after cute young girls in broad daylight, none of that woulda been allowed in the principality before now, yeah? That was because neither the prince or the people wanted the ideologies of weaklings to spread. But that king, he’s showin’ them with this broadcast that all of that stuff is allowed in the kingdom.”
“In other words... showing off their ‘freedom,’” Colbert said.
Roroa nodded. “That’s right. That’s what makes it nasty. Freedom is ‘free.’ Givin’ it away doesn’t cost Souma anythin’. Now, if ya try to take it away, there’ll be resistance. Even if he borrows the Empire’s power and manages to get Van back, do ya see my brother bein’ able to let them keep that ‘freedom’? ...I don’t. Under my brother, it’ll be a rehash of how my old man was rulin’ the place. There’ll be chaos, no two ways about it.”
“No... do you mean to say Souma calculated all of that before making this broadcast?!” Colbert exclaimed.
“That’s what it’s lookin’ like to me.”
Colbert’s eyes went wide. He was shocked that this girl, who when she pulled back her hood had adorable beady little eyes like a tanuki, had seen through the designs of King Souma, the man who had played Gaius VIII for a fool.
If the ruler of Amidonia had been not Gaius or Julius, but Roroa instead, the world might be a very different place right now. No, there was no doubt it would have been. When he thought about that, Colbert couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of regret.
However, it seemed Roroa herself wasn’t even thinking about that. “It just means my old man was no match for him. That old man was hopeless when it came to anythin’ off the battlefield, after all. Honestly... I told him if he didn’t stimulate the eagerness to spend and get the economy movin’ again, this economic slump was gonna last forever, but he didn’t hear a word I said.”
Hearing her speaking so bitterly, Colbert hurried to respond. “Um, princess... about your father...”
“Oh, don’t you worry about that none,” she said. “I ain’t too bothered by it myself.”
In the recent battle, the forces of Amidonia had suffered a major defeat at the hands of the forces of Elfrieden, and Roroa’s father Gaius VIII had been struck down by the Royal Army under the command of Souma Kazuya.
When Colbert tried to show her some sympathy for her loss, Roroa just waved for him to stop. “I wondered why it is? I heard my old man’s dead now, but I don’t feel sad about it one bit. I guess in the end, I never did get along with my old man or my brother...”
“Princess...” murmured Colbert.
“If anythin’... I’m shocked that I ain’t more shocked by it,” said Roroa. “I oughta want revenge against Souma, but all I’m feelin’ towards him is curiosity. The way he rebuilt that old country and the strange way he uses the Jewel Voice Broadcast, I wonder what kinda world he must’ve lived in to learn to do all that. I’d like to meet him and talk about it. Hey, Mr. Colbert. Do ya think I’m heartless, maybe?”
For the first time, her uncertain eyes peeked out from behind the hood. Her moist eyes were like those of an abandoned puppy. When Colbert saw her like that, he hurriedly said “No!” and shook his head.
“You were trying to save this country in a different way from Lord Gaius!” he declared. “That’s why you never got along with Gaius or Julius, who put ideology before the people, and you feel a kinship with King Souma who always looks at things through the eyes of his people! That is the true proof you are the princess of this country!”
When Colbert said that, Roroa, who had just moments before had the look of an abandoned puppy, said, “Y’sure? Well, good,” then started chuckling to herself.
W-Were those crocodile tears?!
Even the mild-mannered Colbert was ready to snap at her for that, but he reconsidered. Roroa was capable of pretending to be sad, but she was also capable of pretending to be pretending to be sad. Only Roroa knew what she truly felt. So... Colbert said nothing.
Then, suddenly, Roroa pulled back her hood. With her two ponytails hanging forward in front of her, Roroa’s adorable face came into view. Colbert’s eyes opened wide with surprise.
“Princess, what do you think you’re doing?! We are in hiding, you realize?! What if someone sees you?!” he exclaimed.
“Everyone’s busy watchin’ the music program,” she said. “They ain’t gonna be lookin’ at either of us. But, before we talk about that, as the man I’m gonna be up against, I was thinkin’ I should burn the image of Souma’s face into my eyes now.”
In Roroa’s eyes, Souma was a plain, ordinary young man, the kind you could find anywhere. However, she was also well aware that there was more to him than met the eye. A normal person couldn’t restore a declining kingdom, or defeat the three dukes and the principality. He was a difficult opponent to gauge precisely because he looked so normal.
Roroa put her hood back on, pulling Colbert by the arm as she walked away. “Now then, we’ve got some preparin’ of our own to do. Souma moves faster than I thought.”
“...Ah! Yes, ma’am!” Colbert said.
Thinking that this was where things would begin in earnest, Colbert wore a serious expression on his face. As she walked, Roroa turned back, looking at the image of Souma projected by the receiver, and giggled.
Now that you’ve gotten us in the mood, don’t go thinkin’ we’ll let you run off while you’re ahead, she thought. You’re gonna have to take responsibility for it. Oh, yes, you are. Better get yourself ready, Souma! ♪
◇ ◇ ◇
With Juna’s song finished, it was Pamille’s turn again. We didn’t have enough loreleis yet, so for today’s broadcast, each of them was going to sing two songs.
When Pamille’s turn ended, I waited for Nanna to begin her second song, and then dragged Aisha off to somewhere out of sight, where we wouldn’t show up in the broadcast.
“Wh-What is it, sire?” she asked. “We’re still live, you know?”
“I told you there was something I was worried about during this broadcast, yeah?” I said. “It’s what comes up after Nanna.”
When she heard those words, Aisha took on a serious expression.
I quietly told her, “When the next act begins, I’m counting on you as my bodyguard.”
“Wha?! You don’t mean to say Madam Juna would do somethi—mmmph.”
Even though we were still in the middle of the broadcast, Aisha had started to raise her voice, so I’d covered her mouth with my hand.
Once she’d calmed down, I silently shook my head. “It’s not Juna. In between Nanna and Juna’s second songs, we have a singer who jumped in to participate at the last minute.”
“Mmph... I-I never heard about that!” Aisha cried.
“Like I said, she jumped in at the last minute,” I said. “We decided on it suddenly, right before we went live. Besides, if I’d warned you in advance, I figured you’d be too busy thinking about it and you’d flub your lines.”
“Murrgh... I can’t deny it,” she said.
Oh, come on... I thought.
Still, I clapped her on the shoulder. “So, there you have it. I’m counting on you if it comes to that. You’re one of the hosts, so you can’t carry your greatsword, but do you want to keep a smaller weapon on you?”
“No, in that case, I’m better off bare-handed... Wait, is this person that dangerous?!” Aisha exclaimed.
“Nah... I think, probably, it won’t be an issue,” I said. “I’m just taking out some insurance.”
“Insurance, I see... Understood. I will protect you to the death, sire.”
Aisha thumped her chest once. It usually made a metallic clang because of her armor, but today Aisha was in a cocktail dress. The ample bosom that was usually hidden beneath her armor swayed, so I turned away in embarrassment because I didn’t know where to look.
Now, then... Let’s see how this goes.
◇ ◇ ◇
“This music program sure is nice...” someone in the crowd said.
By the time they had finished listening to Nanna’s second song, an air of relaxation had set in for the Amidonian viewers. They were sincerely enjoying the music program. Judging by the order of things so far, Juna Doma was up next. They were even excited to hear her singing again.
However, that air was all but blown away in the next instant.
A woman appeared on the screen. She looked to be somewhere between thirty and forty years old. She stood nearly two meters tall, with a build so muscular that it was apparent even through the military uniform she wore. There was a sharp glint in her eye, and she wore her hair slicked back, so it was hard to tell what her gender was.
In fact, the only ones who knew that she was female were the viewers in the principality. It turned out viewers in the kingdom thought she was a guy in drag.
Souma and Aisha appeared on the screen next to the woman. Souma still had his forced smile on, but Aisha was looking at the woman warily.
“Now, we have a surprise guest participant,” said Souma. “It’s the Amidonian commander, Margarita Wonder. While the troops garrisoned in Van were withdrawing, Ms. Wonder remained here to monitor whether we were respecting the agreement and not harming the people.”
The people of Van nodded. That sounds exactly like Madam Wonder, they thought.
Despite living in the Principality of Amidonia, where it was hard for women to make a successful career for themselves, her extraordinary martial prowess and ability to lead had let her rise to the rank of general, and she was now an experienced warrior. Her martial ability and stern appearance made her feared by the people, but she had also gained their trust for her reputation as a fair and upright individual.
Still, that made it all the harder for them to understand. What was Madam Wonder doing here, next to Souma?
“Ms. Wonder was a prisoner of war, but the reason for her capture being what it was, we had her under house arrest,” said Souma. “However, when she heard about this broadcast, she said, ‘I’d like you to let me sing, too,’ and volunteered to participate.”
Souma was talking in a cheery tone, but Margarita herself was silent. That difference in enthusiasm between the two of them was palpable, and it sent a chill running down the spines of the residents of Van.
“Hey... is something about to happen?” someone in the crowd wondered.
“You don’t think Madam Wonder would use this as a chance to try and kill Souma, do you?”
“No, Madam Wonder would never stoop to doing something so underhanded...”
“But look at that dark elf’s expression. She’s on guard.”
“Souma’s smiling, but you can tell he’s on edge, too.”
Even though the events were actually unfolding in the castle, the people in Van could pick up on the uneasy air and it frightened them. In that atmosphere, Souma kept on talking with a smile.
“Now, let’s hear her sing. Ms. Margarita Wonder’s song will be... ‘Through the Valley of Goldoa.’”
When they heard the song title, the air flowing around the audience seemed to freeze.
The announced song, “Through the Valley of Goldoa,” was the national anthem of Amidonia. She was going to sing the anthem in occupied Van, right in front of Souma, the occupying power’s king.
The people of Amidonia understood the significance of that in an instant.
Madam Wonder was prepared to face death.
Once Souma and Aisha had gone off-screen, a solemn piece of music in a minor key began to play. Then, at last, Margarita started to sing.
“In the land beyond the mountains, where Ursula will be born tomorrow, ♪ Is the land that birthed our forefathers, the land to which we will return. ♪ Press on, O horses, cl
imbing over the hill of our fallen comrades. ♪ Press on, O brave warriors, to become the earth of the land beyond. ♪”
It was a powerful song sung in a husky voice. The people of the principality naturally stood tall with pride.
Margarita’s singing forcibly reminded the people of the principality that they were citizens of Amidonia, including the ones in Van.
They had been feeling a budding admiration for the “freedom” enjoyed by the people of the kingdom, but her song was like a frost that caused those buds to close.
◇ ◇ ◇
It’s an intense song...
I was off in a corner, listening to it.
While there had been a slight commotion from the soldiers in the audience when she started to sing, because they had strict orders to “Remain seated no matter what happens, and listen to the music quietly,” no one made a scene over it.
However, it was hard to blame them for being unsettled.
After all, this song was about an invasion of the Elfrieden Kingdom.
The lyrics “In the land beyond the mountains, where Ursula will be born tomorrow,” referred to the lands east of the Ursula Mountains which were once part of Amidonia but were now part of Elfrieden.
It called for their horses and brave warriors to press forward towards there.
In other words, their national anthem was a song about crossing the Goldoa Valley to invade the Elfrieden Kingdom.
I dunno... It felt like, did they really have to take it that far? It showed just how vindictive a militaristic state could be that even their national anthem was trying to incite the people.
While I was thinking about that, Aisha asked me in a hushed voice, “Is this all right? Do you want to let her sing like this?”
“...Well, it’s about what I expected,” I responded in a whisper, with my arms crossed. “Someone who was a general of the opposing army suddenly said she wanted to participate in my music program. About the only reasons I could come up with were ‘to stir up the patriotism of the viewers,’ or ‘to wait for a chance to get close to me and then strike.’ After a cursory investigation into what sort of person she was, I expected it to be the former. That’s why I asked you to protect me, Aisha.”