by Dojyomaru
Hrm... if I recall, pikemen are a unit with long spears meant to be used against cavalry, right? I thought. My knowledge comes from playing war simulation games, but they’re a troop type that forms up a phalanx against charging cavalry, sticks out their spears, and counters the charge. If I recall, they can stop cavalry, whose mobility is their life. Depending on the situation, I think they can be a powerful type of troop, but because theirs is primarily a waiting tactic, they can be hard to use well.
“Even if they can negate magic, are they really a treasure?” I asked.
Hakuya looked at me with dismay, then in turn asked me, “Do you remember the reason why gunpowder weapons never developed on this continent?”
“Since magic is more powerful and has better range, they weren’t necessary, right?” I said. “That’s why the only cannons developed were for use at sea, where magic is weaker, or for during a siege, where they can still do good work.”
“Yes,” said Hakuya. “There is also the fact that the skins of creatures living on this continent are hard and tough, so an ordinary gunpowder weapon couldn’t even hurt them.”
In other words, the fact that they couldn’t use them for hunting was another reason gunpowder weapons had never developed.
If people here had developed the rifle, which increased the penetrating power of the bullet by spinning it, things might have been different. However, that was an invention that had come about because the musket (Japan’s hinawaju matchlock was equivalent to the early musket), which simply fired a bullet, had already spread. They didn’t have the basis for that research to happen.
Just as I was thinking that maybe I should develop the rifle for them, Hakuya said, “On top of that, we have attachable spells in this world. Some defensive items are better than others, but they have a spell that reduces damage attached to them. The reverse is also true, and a weapon will normally have a spell attached that increases its damage to break through that defense.”
“What the heck?” I said. “It sounds like a game of whack-a-mole...”
“With all due respect, I believe that is the way technology advances,” said Hakuya. “And for the spells attached to weapons and armor, the greater the item’s mass, the more powerful they can be. In other words, in this world, the bullet is weaker than the arrow and the arrow is weaker than the spear.”
Does that mean that even if I develop the rifle, the tiny bullets won’t have much power behind them? I thought. A unit of riflemen is sounding less and less practical. Well, I don’t want to turn this country into a gun society, so I don’t really mind.
Hakuya continued, “In a world like this, there is a group on which magic and bombing by wyverns does not work, cavalry charges cannot get past, and because they are human-sized, they cannot be targeted with cannons. This group in black armor slowly advances forward. From their enemies’ perspective...”
“...that’d be mildly horrifying, yeah,” I said. “They’d look like the armies of Hell.”
In an open field battle, they’re probably invincible, I thought. If I could fight in somewhere like a hill or swamp with bad footing, or if I could lure them somewhere with loads of traps and break their formation then surround them...
But these ideas all relied on me fighting a defensive battle. It was difficult for the attacker to choose where to fight. In that sense, I could see why they talked about their every step expanding the territory of the Empire.
“Besides, the Empire has other powerful units in addition to the Magic Armor Corps,” Liscia said, glaring out towards the enemy. “They have the griffon knights, which rival not just wyvern cavalry, but dragon knights in power. They have a unit of mages that overwhelmingly outnumbers and outclasses ours. They have a combat-trained unit of rhinosauruses. If we’re fighting the Imperial Army, it means taking all of those on at once.”
Why, yes... yes, it would, I realized. The enemy had more than just the Magic Armor Corps.
It was the shallow thinking of an amateur that had let me believe that if I could pick the location of the battle, I could win.
“...We really are no match for the Empire, huh?” I said.
“Souma...” Liscia looked concerned, so I gave her a smile.
“It’s not going to happen yet,” I told her. “Eventually, I’ll build this into a country that can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them.”
I clapped my hands, giving the signal.
“Now then, how about we go and welcome Madam Jeanne?”
They were in the audience hall in Van.
In this space, with colors and decorations much more ostentatious than those in Parnam, the younger sister of Empress Maria of the Gran Chaos Empire, Jeanne Euphoria, and the eldest son of Sovereign Prince of Amidonia Gaius VIII, Julius, stood on a carpet several steps below where I sat on the throne.
So this young man was Julius. He looked to be in his mid-twenties—a beautiful man with calculating genius, like Hakuya, but Julius came off as even colder. He seemed to be suppressing his emotions, but in his eyes I could see his enmity towards me flickering like a pale blue flame.
In contrast, Jeanne was truly magnificent. This was enemy territory for her, so the courage she had shown in coming here with no bodyguards, only Julius in tow, deeply impressed me.
As we greeted these two, we were arrayed with Liscia and Hakuya on either side of me, Aisha behind me diagonally, standing by as a bodyguard.
Seeing that, Jeanne cocked her head to the side. “This is a surprise. I had expected our meeting to have a large number of soldiers watching.”
“If I brought too many soldiers to the meeting, it would only make you two uneasy, wouldn’t it?” I asked.
“I see,” she said. “You’re a courageous one.”
Jeanne said it as if she was impressed, but inside, I was smiling wryly.
It was just that I had read a historical chronicle (whether it was Records of the Grand Historian, or Romance of the Three Kingdoms, I don’t remember) in which a certain ruler had welcomed an enemy envoy with an attitude similar to Jeanne’s. That envoy had said things like, “Is it a show of respect in your country to place so many troops with you just to meet with one person?” and “Or are you a coward who doesn’t feel safe without his soldiers protecting him?” It had humiliated that ruler, and I’d just happened to remember it, but... I decided not to let Jeanne in on that fact.
“Of course, with that one behind you, you must feel quite safe.” Jeanne perceptively looked at Aisha. Perhaps it was because they shared something in common as warriors, but she had accurately judged Aisha’s ability. “She’s a fine warrior, I can tell. I would ask for a match with her, but it might prove difficult for me to win. You have a fine vassal, Sir Souma.”
“...Thanks,” I said.
There was no way for me to tell how serious she was with her praise, but judging from how tense Aisha looked, Jeanne was not to be underestimated as a warrior, either.
“You, as well,” I went on. “It’s very courageous of you to face the king of another nation without bringing an entourage of guards. Did you not worry that I might have you assassinated here?”
“I have come as an envoy of peace,” Jeanne smiled. “Why should I need fear I would come to harm?”
I could tell she was quite the actor. She might not have guards with her openly, but perhaps covert operatives had slipped in to keep watch over her. Even now, somewhere we couldn’t see, they might be competing fiercely against Juna and her marines.
Next, I looked at Julius. “This is our first time meeting. I am Souma Kazuya.”
“...I am the Sovereign Prince of Amidonia, Julius.”
Not hiding the hostility in his eyes, Julius gave himself that title. He must have inherited it on the death of Gaius VIII. With us occupying Van, he likely hadn’t been formally crowned yet, but I (as a provisional king) was in the same boat, so I didn’t point it out.
“Now then, let’s hear why the two of you are here,” I said.
Julius
immediately opened his mouth. “Let me get straight to the point. I want you to return Van at once.”
“Sir Julius...” Jeanne looked troubled by his outburst, but Julius continued, not caring.
“Our nation is signatory to the Mankind Declaration. In the text of the agreement, it says, ‘The moving of national borders by force will be deemed inadmissible.’ The Elfrieden Kingdom has occupied Van by means of force. As such, in accordance with the declaration, I have come here with Madam Jeanne, an envoy dispatched by the Gran Chaos Empire, to seek the return of Van and the surrounding area.”
“That sounds awfully selfish.” I rested my elbows on the arms of the throne and my cheeks on my palms, glaring down at Julius. “You started this by invading Elfrieden first. First you attempt to expand by force, and then, when you lose, you turn to the Mankind Declaration for protection, clinging to the power of the Empire to seek the return of your territory. Don’t you think that’s pathetic?”
“The decision to invade Elfrieden was one my father, Gaius, made on his own,” Julius said stiffly.
“You accompanied him on the campaign, so you share in his crime,” I said. “Besides, before we start negotiating the return of your territory, isn’t an apology for invading my country in order?”
“Urkh...”
“Sir Julius,” said Jeanne. “Sir Souma is right. We are in the position of requesting that he return your land. We have to start with you showing your sincerity.”
Julius seemed deeply mortified by the thought, but with his one lifeline, Jeanne, pressing him to do it, he grudgingly, ever so grudgingly, bowed his head. “...While the invasion of your country was solely the decision of our former ruler, Gaius, it was my own lack of virtue that kept me from stopping him. Allow me to apologize for that.”
It didn’t sound like much of an apology, but it seemed it was all that could be expected.
Julius continued to speak. “However, it is your country that is now infringing on our borders. As signatories to the Mankind Declaration, it is our right to request that the Empire work to return our territory to us.”
“...So says Julius, but what’s the Empire’s take on it?” I asked, turning the conversation over to Jeanne.
She shrugged. “The Empire would prefer not to help Amidonia, who are really only getting what they deserve... but, as signatories to the Mankind Declaration, we have no choice but to respond to their request.”
“Basically, you are saying that the Empire will request that we return all occupied territories, including Van?” I asked.
“That would be what it means, yes.”
Yeah, I thought. I figured the Empire would take that position. It’s a little irritating seeing Julius act as if it was a matter of course that they would, but this is all within the range of what I expected. So, let me give them the answer I expected to give, too.
“I refuse.”
“Wha...?!” Jeanne gasped.
Julius was at a loss for words momentarily. Maybe he hadn’t expected such a clear rejection. However, he immediately rallied and took on a furious expression, saying, “Are you sane?! Thinking to defy the Mankind Declaration!”
“My intention isn’t to defy the Mankind Declaration,” I said. “However, I can’t abide the way Amidonia does things. First you invade Elfrieden territory, and then when we launch a counter-invasion, you whine about us changing the border by force. That doesn’t stand up to reason.”
“That’s... It was all decided by the former ruler Gaius, on his own...” Julius sputtered.
“That’s pure sophism, and you know it, don’t you?” I asked.
Julius seemed at a loss for what to say, at first, but then he responded, “Say what you will, it will not change the fact that the people of my country are living under your occupation. I, as the ruler of this country, must liberate my people.”
That was his argument. Liberation from occupation, huh...
“I question whether the people of Van want to be liberated,” I said.
“What?” Julius sputtered.
“Sir Julius,” I said. “Did you not see the streets of Van on your way here?”
In response to my question, Julius’s eyes went wide, and he immediately glared at me. “Van is the city that birthed and raised me. I know it better than you.”
“Do you now...? Well, what do you think of the color of Van now?” I asked.
“The color?” he asked hostilely. “I did see a number of houses with their roofs and walls painted in garish, tasteless colors, but what of it?”
Yeah... Well, maybe it wasn’t unfair to describe them as tasteless.
“We each have our sense of aesthetics, so I won’t comment on that,” I said. “However, Sir Julius. If the people were choking under the yoke of our oppression, do you think they would want to make their roofs and walls more colorful?”
I chose my next words carefully, so as not to drive Julius into a rage.
“If a ruler is oppressive, the people will try to act in a way that doesn’t stand out. That’s because, if they were to catch his eye by doing something showy, there’s no telling what kind of disaster might befall them. So the more oppressed the people, the less you will hear them complain. They don’t show their feelings or attitudes, keeping their true feelings bottled up deep inside their hearts. They would never dream of doing something like painting their roofs and walls in showy colors.”
There, I paused for a moment to look Julius in the eye.
“Now, tell me, what color were the colors of Van like when you and your father were here?”
In response to my question, Julius clenched his jaw. Of course he did.
When I’d entered Van, the color I’d sensed here was gray.
The labyrinthine streets, not even properly divided into districts, had had only houses with gray walls and earthen roofs, without the slightest hint of personality. Even though they hadn’t been part of a unified color scheme, they had all appeared standardized because the residents of this city had not been free in spirit.
“Between Van under my rule, and Van as it was under your rule, which really looks more like it’s ‘under occupation’?” I asked.
“You... Are you trying to say we were oppressive?” Julius shouted.
“Yes, because it’s a fact that you were,” I said. “It looks like most of your national budget was going to military expenses. The taxes your people pay are supposed to be returned to the people in the form of welfare. Instead of maintaining your city, or your roads, or supporting industry, you bled your people with heavy taxes that only went into the military. What is that if not oppressive?!”
“You cur!” Julius screamed, lunging for me.
“Sir Julius!” Jeanne snapped, reaching out a hand to stop him.
While Julius did stop after only taking half a step, he still gnashed his teeth in frustration. I hadn’t permitted them to carry weapons during the audience, but it would have been a risky situation if Jeanne hadn’t intervened.
“Aisha, you take your hand off your hilt, too,” I said.
“...Yes, sire.”
I had been able to feel the bloodlust behind me, so I’d put a stop to it. Her voice sounded dejected, like a child who had been scolded.
She didn’t have to let it get her down so badly, though. The reason I could brazenly tear into Julius like this was that I felt safe in the knowledge that, if it came down to it, Aisha was there to protect me.
“Sir Souma... I would ask that you refrain from agitating Sir Julius,” Jeanne objected, with a sigh.
“I only spoke the truth,” I responded. “Governing the nation and providing relief to the people... those are the two duties of a ruler. They, however, taxed the people heavily to pay for their wasteful military spending. That is the very definition of oppression.”
“And whose fault was that?!” Julius shouted. “If the royal family of Elfrieden hadn’t stole land from my grandfather...!”
“Not this again...” Hearing Julius trot o
ut the same tired arguments, I let out a sigh. “The royal family of Amidonia calls out for revenge against Elfrieden at every turn, but neither you, nor even Gaius, were party to those events. What’s more, I haven’t been in this world that long. What grudge could you possibly have had against me?”
“Ah! That’s...”
“If anything, your country is the one that’s continuously tried to bring harm to mine,” I said. “...Hakuya.”
“Yes, sire.” Hakuya pulled out a piece of paper that was rolled up inside a cylindrical tube and handed it to the two of them.
On the paper was written a number of names. When they saw those names, Jeanne seemed confused, but Julius had a look on his face like he had just bitten into something unpleasant.
“What... is this?” Jeanne asked.
With a bow, Hakuya explained, “The names you see written here are nobles of the Elfrieden Kingdom who were incited to sedition by the Principality of Amidonia. Some of them rose up during the reign of the former king and were put down. Amidonia incited them, fomenting rebellion, tempting them into corruption, and encouraging them to adopt an uncooperative stance towards the royal family.”
“Oh, my...”
When Jeanne turned a cold look towards him, Julius clenched his jaw.
It had seemed like they’d been trying to stir up the three dukes, so I’d had Hakuya look into it, and, boy, had we ever found some shady stuff. I could see the names of corrupt nobles who had taken part in the uprising on the list, but some of the names I saw belonged to nobles who had refused to take a side in the recent conflict. When I returned to the royal capital, I was going to have to do something about that.
“Madam Jeanne,” said Hakuya. “While they pay lip service to the Mankind Declaration, the Principality of Amidonia has been engaging in all of this skullduggery behind the scenes. It’s hard to see how they can talk about revenge against our kingdom after all this.”