How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom: Volume 9 (Premium)

by Dojyomaru

  “You’ve found a good wife,” I said. “Don’t do too much to make her sad, okay?”

  “I can’t make any promises, but I’ll do my best. I’ll definitely protect Mutsumi. I have to show her my world, like I promised to.”

  They’d talked about that, huh...

  I see. Like Liscia had bet on me, Madam Mutsumi had done the same with Fuuga.

  They had bet their own futures.

  I let out a sigh of admiration for them as I said to Fuuga, “I understand the situation, but are you sure this is all right? You haven’t considered that I might take Yuriga hostage?”

  “You’d never lay a hand on Yuriga.” With the eyes of a large predator, Fuuga smirked. “I don’t really understand you. You’re not strong, yet you have many followers. You have tens of thousands of men at your command, yet you are not trying to do anything.”

  I was silent.

  “Even if you outnumbered me five-to-one, I don’t think I could lose. But if it came to a fight, I feel like it would become a quagmire. Like it would turn into an annoying battle. That’s my prediction. I think, if possible, I’d rather not fight you. You feel something similar about me, don’t you?”

  “...Well, yeah,” I nodded. “In my case, it’s not ‘if possible,’ though. I absolutely don’t want to fight you.”

  If he was going to be so open about it, I couldn’t dodge the issue.

  Fuuga slapped his belly as if to say, I knew it! “It’s an honor to have the king of a great country so wary of me. So, given that you don’t want to oppose me, you would never lay a hand on Yuriga and incur my wrath. If anything, you’d go out of your way to defend her properly, wouldn’t you?”

  He was right, so I couldn’t deny it.

  If we took Yuriga into our care in the kingdom, I was sure I’d monitor her to keep her from learning anything confidential, but I would give her maximum protection.

  “So? What do we gain holding onto Yuriga for you?” I asked.

  “I’ll owe you one.”

  “If the need arises, you won’t hesitate to back out on any obligation or duty, will you?”

  I said it nastily, but Fuuga responded with a jolly laugh.

  “I won’t deny it. But Yuriga is my only remaining relative with the exception of Mutsumi, who’s becoming my wife. I wouldn’t go out of my way to start trouble with the country where she’s staying.”

  “I don’t know if I should believe that...”

  This being Fuuga, I couldn’t be overconfident. Still, it was probably true that I could expect her to be a somewhat effective deterrent. It was a card it was better to have than not, that was all, but it was not bad to have something prepared to deal with Fuuga, no matter how insignificant.

  “...Okay,” I said. “We’ll take Yuriga in.”

  “Ha ha ha, it’s a big help.” Fuuga released the arm around my shoulder.

  When Fuuga moved away, Aisha, Juna, and Naden stood down, too. I was glad we’d ended that without a clash.

  Putting a hand on top of Yuriga’s head, Fuuga said, “Everything’s sorted out. Go to the kingdom and study hard.”

  “I will! I’ll do my best, Big Brother!” Yuriga said with spirit.

  With another smirk, Fuuga approached me again and said in a quiet voice, “I know I said you’d never lay a hand on Yuriga, but if you want to lay a hand on her sexually, I don’t mind, you know?”

  “Huh?! What are you saying?!”

  Yuriga was what, thirteen? There was no way I was touching that.

  However, Fuuga laughed in amusement. “No, no, I’m not saying you’d do it right now. I expect to leave Yuriga with you until she graduates school. I’m sure several years from now she’ll be beautiful, so maybe you’re going to want to have a go at her?”

  “As if!” I snapped.

  “Well, if you do, I’ll see to it that you marry her properly. That would make you my brother-in-law. I’ll see to it you pay me respect as your older brother.”

  “...I want no part of that.”

  Being Fuuga’s brother-in-law? Count me out. I’d be in for as much trouble as Azai Nagamasa had with Nobunaga.

  Then Fuuga slapped me in the back. “Well, anyway, I’m leaving Yuriga in your hands.”

  “Ow... Fine.”

  I figured the brother-in-law talk was just a joke, but it was scary that I didn’t know how serious he was about it.

  And so, having had a troublesome present thrust upon us at the last moment, we set out on our return to the kingdom where Liscia was waiting.

  Chapter 7: The State of Various Countries

  — One day in the 1st month, 1,547th year, Continental Calendar, in the Northeast of the Kingdom —

  It happened while Souma was still in the Union of Eastern Nations.

  In the east of the kingdom, the National Naval Defense Force under the command of Castor was engaged in patrol duties. As they advanced not in the top secret island-type carrier, but in five of the traditional sea dragon pulled iron battleships, Castor’s ship received a report.

  That message, delivered by a messenger kui trained specially for naval use, informed him of a clash between the kingdom’s fisherman and fishermen from the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago Union who had been fishing in the kingdom’s waters illegally.

  What was more, there were armed ships on the side of the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago Union, and their attacks had forced the kingdom’s fishermen to retreat.

  When Castor received the report, he immediately headed for the point where the clash was said to have occurred.

  From his seat in the captain’s chair, Castor glared in irritation at the sea ahead.

  These clashes have become more frequent lately. We’ve only had people wounded so far, but sooner or later, someone is going to die. Once that happens, there’s no stopping it. It’s a cycle of hatred. Do these Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago guys plan to kick off a war?

  Even if it came to war, Castor thought the kingdom would win.

  It was true that a naval conflict played to the advantages of a maritime state like the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago Union, but the kingdom had their secret weapon, the wyvern-bearing island-type carrier, Hiryuu.

  The Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago Union would probably not be able to respond immediately to a weapon which went against the common sense of this world, which said that wyvern cavalry couldn’t be used at sea because wyverns feared going far enough out that they couldn’t see the land.

  Besides, on that island they had secretly built into a carrier, his former vassals who were now the wyvern cavalry were engaged in intense training to improve themselves to this very day. He couldn’t see them losing to anyone.

  Still, if we can avoid fighting, that’s for the best.

  Even if he was confident they could win, nothing in war was absolute. The unexpected could happen.

  Besides, they had just fought a war with the corrupt nobles and the Principality of Amidonia last year, and they were dispatching reinforcements to the Union of Eastern Nations now. Frequent military campaigns would exhaust the country.

  Well, not that I’m in a position to talk...

  Though it was the product of many different intentions and situations intertwining, Castor felt a heavy sense of responsibility for having opposed Souma last year. He resolved to work himself to the bone for this country this time.

  He imagined what a war with the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago would be like. Wars at sea aren’t like wars on land.

  In the war with Amidonia, their aim had only been to take one city, so it had been possible to end it in a short period of time. But an all-out war with the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago would be troublesome.

  There may be routes in the sea, but there’s no land. With a single naval battle, we can gain superiority in maritime trade, but unless we take the land where their ports and docks are, the enemy fleet can recover as many times as they have to. That said, it would be difficult to make an agglomeration of island countries, like th
e Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago, fully submit.

  Even if they took an island, maintaining it would be difficult. Those islands were separated from the Kingdom of Friedonia by the sea, and he’d heard lifestyles on each island were drastically different from in the kingdom, of course, but even from each other. It would be difficult to put a magistrate in place to administer them.

  Just winning’s not going to be enough, yeah. Honestly... When I was fighting in the air, brute force was everything, but there’s just too much holding us back on land.

  Castor let out an exasperated sigh.

  In the past, Castor would have been excited just at the chance to fight, but now he was thinking about what would happen after the war, too.

  This was proof of his growth since losing to Souma and being properly reeducated by Excel, but he probably didn’t realize it himself.

  “Captain, that is our destination.”

  When his second-in-command told him that, Castor squinted.

  He saw a fleet of about ten fishing vessels and medium-sized armed vessels deployed as if to protect them. As if to work himself up, Castor adjusted his captain’s hat.

  “Okay. Today’s the day we find out what they’re up to. Send a message to all ships. ‘Ignore the fishing vessels; focus on capturing the armed ships.’”

  If things followed the usual pattern, the illegal fishing fleet would flee the moment the National Naval Defense Force showed up. Then, in order to let them escape, the faster medium-sized armed ships would rapidly close in on them for a hit-and-run style attack to confuse the National Naval Defense Force before fending off pursuing attacks.

  The medium-sized armed ships of the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago were made of wood, and instead of sea dragons, they were drawn by horned doldons, which were creatures that were like dolphins with a unicorn-like horn attached.

  These horned doldons might not have the same pulling power, but their swimming speed and maneuverability far outstripped that of sea dragons.

  For that reason, in a moving battle, the National Naval Defense Force was unable to capture the armed vessels.

  Castor was well aware of that fact.

  “I’ve gotten used to how they move,” Castor announced. “There’s no need to match their speed! Do not change heading, but remain fixed on the direction the fishing ships fled! Prepare for bombardment!”

  “But Captain!” his second-in-commander protested. “If we simply fire as we pursue another target, I believe it will be difficult to hit an enemy with their maneuverability!”

  Castor shook his head. “There’s no real need to hit them. We’ll see how they move, and fire where they’re likely to go. I’m sure they won’t go anywhere that’s already being bombarded. When we’ve naturally placed restrictions on their course, we can kill their mobility.”

  “I see. Roger.”

  As expected, the three armed ships moved to shield the fishing ships, closing in toward Castor’s fleet.

  The National Naval Defense Force fleet followed Castor’s orders, deliberately not targeting the armed ships and firing where they were likely to go.

  Boom... Splash! Boom... Splash!

  There was the repeated sound of cannonballs firing, and then them impacting the surface of the sea and raising a pillar of water.

  Though the armed ships kept trying to use their maneuverability to make fools of them, with the cannonballs and pillars of water, their courses were blocked and they couldn’t move around well.

  Castor watched calmly from beyond the brim of his captain’s hat. “I more or less have it figured out.”

  “Huh?”

  “Artillery! Direction: two o’clock! Distance: eighty!”

  When Castor yelled into the speaking tube, the artillery fire began as commanded.

  Boom... Crunch!

  There was a hit on the prow of one of the armed ships that had been trying to turn while avoiding the cannonballs and pillars of water.

  It tore the front off the boat, severing the reins that bound it to the horned doldon, and the now-free horned doldon swam off to the east.

  “Target struck! Medium damage to enemy ship!” Seeing the incredible hit, Castor’s second-in-command looked at Castor with surprise. “Th-That was magnificent. I’m impressed that you could hit it...”

  “When I was in the Air Force, we had to calculate the wind currents so that explosive barrels we dropped would hit their targets. This is a cinch for me.”

  Castor made it sound easy, but it went without saying that this was an insanely advanced skill. It was the product of his experience as General of the Air Force and his training in the navy.

  While the second-in-command was exasperated, the remaining two ships gave up on any further distraction as too difficult and began to withdraw.

  The ship with its prow damaged was listing heavily and beginning to sink, but they must have decided rescuing them was too dangerous with the National Defense Force here.

  They cut loose a meager number of life boats into the sea and then headed off to the east.

  The crew abandoned the sinking ship, swimming desperately for the life boats that had been left behind.

  Confident that his opponents had no will to resist, Castor gave an order to the whole ship. “Cease hostilities. We will now go to save those thrown overboard. Every one of them is a valuable source of information. In order to find out what’s going on in the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago, save as many lives as you can!”

  “““Yes, sir!”””

  Then Castor’s fleet rescued all of the crew from the armed ship, loading them aboard and returning to Lagoon City.

  The prisoners would likely be questioned by the National Naval Defense Force, and then Souma or Hakuya would decide what was to be done with them.

  I hope we can learn something from this... Castor thought as he sat in the Captain’s chair on a ship returning to port.

  ◇　◇　◇

  — At the same time, in the northwest of the kingdom —

  In the mercantile district of a walled city near the border with the Lunarian Orthodox Papal State, a large woman in her mid-thirties wearing armor was walking with a slovenly man who was casually wearing the vestments of a Lunarian Orthodox priest.

  They were the female general of the former Principality of Amidonia, who Souma had entrusted with preparations against the Lunarian Orthodox Papal State, and the rotten Bishop Souji Lester who had come from the Orthodox Papal State.

  When they walked through the town, people frequently came up to speak to them.

  “Lady Margarita, please shake my hand.”

  “I’m always listening to you sing. You have such a lovely, powerful voice.”

  “Could I ask you to pat my child on the head?”

  The words Margarita received from young women were all of praise and respect.

  Meanwhile, the words Souji received...

  “Hey, Bishop. Why don’t you come here and join us for a drink?”

  “Hey, worldly bishop, come listen to my drunken confession.”

  “Hey, you, when are you going to pay for your drinks from last time? I’m not putting any more on your tab.”

  Well, as you could imagine, a lot of them were from drunkards or the old lady who ran the bar.

  Margarita looked at Souji with a wry smile. “You’re a popular one, aren’t you, Sir Souji?”

  “Geez, that sounds nothing if not sarcastic. I only get talked to by old women and drunk old men. I’d rather be popular with the young ladies, like you.”

  “Isn’t that because you show up at the bar to drink every night?”

  “I don’t have anything else to do, so what’s the harm? My old haunt looks like it’s keeping quiet, after all.”

  “...True enough. We’ve seen no sign of any activity.”

  These two had been deployed here to prepare against the Lunarian Orthodox Papal State, but the Orthodox Papal State was showing no sign of acting, and this border was oddly quiet.

>   Right now, close to half of the army had been dispatched to the Union of Eastern Nations as reinforcements, and the provisional king Souma was away on top of that.

  It was a prime opportunity to pull something, but the Orthodox Papal State was showing no signs of moving. That was actually more disturbing.

  “There have been no reports of their forces approaching the border, after all...” Margarita crossed her arms and cocked her head to the side.

  Souji let out a snorting laugh. “Well, knowing that country, they’ll incite the believers here before they move troops themselves. That’s why you, who are beloved by the people of the Amidonia Region, and I, who am an obstacle to their incitement, were sent here, but... I don’t hear anything about orders being given to the believers.”

  Margarita narrowed her eyes at him. “Is it possible that you’re just not aware of it?”

  Souji shrugged. “I’ve asked the drunken adherents at all the bars I go around to, but nothing. Drunks will blab about anything, you know. If nothing along those lines is coming out of their mouths, that probably means there’ve been no commands at the level of the believers.”

  “I thought you were just going out and drinking, but it seems you were doing what you ought to, after all.”

  Margarita sounded impressed, but Souji just cackled.

  “Yeah, I’m doing my job. So maybe I can get the king to pay my tab, huh?”

  “...It seems you did it half out of a desire to drink, after all.”

  “No arguments here. How about it, will you drink with me tonight? I happen to like glamorous gals like you.”

  He was attempting to woo her, but Margarita was having none of it. “Unfortunately, you will have to try someone else. I am married, you see.”

  “Huh?! You’re married?!”

  “Is that such a surprise? I’m old enough to be.”

  “No, but... I’ve never heard a thing about this...”

  The bold General Margarita who feared no man had a man. Souji tried to imagine what kind of hero he must be, but Margarita shyly scratched at her cheek.