by Dojyomaru
Now, let’s get back to the story. Basically, Tomoe said she had spoken with one of these demons.
Apparently, up until now, no one had ever succeeded in talking to a demon. With the sudden appearance of an army that spoke a foreign language, and with hostilities ongoing no less, understanding one another just wasn’t going to happen.
Liscia drew in closer to Tomoe.
“Just what did you talk to, and what did you talk about?!”
“W-With Mr. Kobold. They’re different from us... They’re short, and their whole faces, not just their ears, are doglike... On the day before our village was attacked, he said, ‘I can’t bear to see those with the same scent as me attacked. Hurry and flee.’ It was a miracle I could understand what Mr. Kobold said, but... thanks to him, we were able to avoid trouble...”
“So, to sum it up... Demons have a clear will of their own, is that it?” Ludwin said, as if groaning.
The people of this world only thought of demons as slightly smarter monsters. Like locusts swarming over the land, or barbarians that delighted in slaughter. From what I had heard, that wasn’t a mistaken impression when it came to monsters. However... For demons, perhaps another viewpoint was going to be necessary.
If demons had their own will, like Tomoe was suggesting, mankind might have been fighting a “war” against the demon race without realizing it. A war with no channels of diplomacy, at that. With their families being killed, their houses razed, and their countries stolen, mankind held great resentment towards the monsters and demons. If this was a war, it was possible that the demons resented mankind in the same way.
“If this knowledge spread to all of the other countries...” I began.
“...there would be chaos,” Liscia finished.
Liscia and I both slumped our shoulders.
I didn’t think dialogue would be possible with each and every demon or monster from the Demon Lord’s Domain. Those we could talk to, like the kobold who had let the mystic wolves escape, might only be a small portion of them. However, if people were to find out that even some of the demons are like that, the demon race would stop being the common enemy of all mankind.
Right now, even if it was only on the surface, all of the other countries were united against the Demon Lord’s Domain. If this information were to spread, what would happen to that? If it meant they tried to sue for peace with the demons, that would be great, but it would be completely unsurprising if some of them put their own country’s interests first, siding with the demons in order to invade other countries. If that were to happen, mankind would fall to pieces.
“Do you think the Empire knows?” I asked.
“...I’m not sure,” Liscia said. “It was only with Tomoe’s unique gift that someone was finally able to communicate with them. Even if they do realize it, they’d have no way to verify it.”
“So, basically, our country has a monopoly on this information for the time being. Good grief...” This was one hell of a thing to have fall in my lap.
She’s like a bomb. I can use her as a trump card, but if I mishandle her, it could all blow up in my face.
“I-I’m sorry...” Tomoe was wincing, so Liscia poked me.
“Oh, no, we aren’t blaming you,” I said quickly. “Actually, I’m glad you came to this country. It chills me when I think what might have happened if you had gone to another country instead.”
“Still, are you going to conceal this information?” Ludwin asked. “If people find out we hid such vital information, isn’t it possible we would be condemned as an enemy of all mankind?”
“...You have a point.” I wanted to clutch my head when Ludwin pointed that out. “Doing a bad job of hiding it and then having people think we’re harboring ambitions as a result isn’t a great plan. Besides, if this is a war, the current situation where both sides are fighting a war of extermination is not good. In order to make sure the war doesn’t continue until one sided is wiped out, we need to leak the information out little by little.”
I need to resolve myself. I continued to speak, looking at those around me. “‘Maybe there are those among the demons we could talk with.’ We’ll leak something that sounds like nothing more than a hypothesis to the other countries. If we do that, they should be a little more cautious. At the very least, they should try to discover if there’s any truth to the rumors.”
“As part of that process, isn’t it possible they will reach the same information that we have? Wouldn’t that eliminate the value of concealing it?”
“You’re wrong, Marx. Our trump card is Tomoe herself.”
“M-Me?!” she squeaked.
I nodded firmly to Tomoe, whose eyes were darting about in bewilderment. “Even if the demons do have a will of their own, there needs to be some means of communication to negotiate with them. For instance, while the other countries are still searching for a way to negotiate with the demons, we can talk to them using Tomoe as a mediator. That is a huge advantage.”
I didn’t know how much our kingdom would be able to negotiate for on its own. However, by having our own independent line of communication, we could prevent a situation where another country monopolized the right to negotiate and refused us any opportunity for dialogue. In exchange, we would be taking a burden on ourselves, but that was far preferable to leaving our kingdom’s fate in the hands of another country.
“So, Tomoe, our country needs to do everything it can to protect you,” I said.
“P-Protect me...?!”
“Yes. It’s no exaggeration to say that, right now, you’re far more important than some guy like me. Honestly, if this information leaks out, the moment you get abducted, this country is ruined.”
“No way... you’re making that up... right?” Tomoe looked around restlessly, but no one denied it.
It was no exaggeration to say that Tomoe held this country’s fate in her hands. While I would never do it myself, another country might have pretended they had never heard any of this and “disposed of” her. That was just how important Tomoe’s existence was.
“So, in order to keep you under the highest level of guard we can, I want you to live here in the palace. If it comes down to it, we might not be able to protect you in the refugee camp.”
“Awoo...” Tomoe moaned.
“Hold on a moment,” Marx raised his hand. “If we have someone not of royal blood living at the palace, might that not draw unwanted scrutiny?”
“Hmm. Well, tell me how we can welcome her as royalty, then.”
“You say that like it’s so easy... There are a number of ways a common person can become royalty. One would be for you to adopt her, sire. However, as the wedding has not been held yet, this is not possible. Your wedding ceremony will take more than a year to prepare, after all.”
“You heard him, Liscia,” I said.
“Hey, don’t throw this over to me.” Liscia quickly looked away.
Living with Liscia as my wife and Tomoe, who’s already around ten, as my daughter, huh... Yeah, I just can’t imagine it.
“Anything else?” I asked.
“You could take her as a secondary wife, sire.”
“That’s... all kinds of messed up.”
She’s young enough to be in elementary school, pal. It brings to mind that image of Backbeard saying, “You damn lolicon.”
Marx cleared his throat. “She is just barely within the acceptable age range for a political marriage, I believe.”
“Souma... Ten years old is a little young...”
“Why are you blaming me, here?!”
Now Liscia’s looking at me coldly. I’m not into that stuff, okay?!
“Hey, wait, the former royal couple can just adopt her.”
“Hmm. I believe that would be acceptable.” Marx was snickering.
That bastard, he said all that stuff when he already knew that was possible!
“That sounds good! I’ve always wanted a little sister!” Liscia said.
“Whuwhuh!” Tomoe cr
ied in confusion.
Liscia hugged Tomoe tight, causing her to sputter and panic. As for Liscia herself, she had a more relaxed look than I had ever seen on her face before.
Come to think of it, since Liscia’s my fiancée, Tomoe’s going to be my sister-in-law. A wolf-eared loli sister-in-law... That’s too many character attributes.
“But, but... I have a family. My mom and little brother are waiting for me in the camp,” Tomoe said, breaking free from her (prospective) big sister’s excessively touchy-feely embrace.
“Ohh, the adoption is only for appearances’ sake, so you don’t have to worry about that. If you become my sister-in-law, your mother and brother will be family, too, so I don’t mind if they live at the palace, as well. We’ll provide some funds for them to live on, and if they want to work, we’ll give them something to do in the palace.”
“Well... in that case... okay,” Tomoe accepted somewhat timidly.
Good. That doesn’t quite wrap everything up nicely, but I think I’ve done what I can for the moment. I’ve somehow gained a sister-in-law in the process, but, hey, she’s cute, so it’s all good.
“Now then, let’s get back to the hall,” I said. “We’re keeping Madam Juna waiting.”
It’s been almost thirty minutes, after all. She probably can’t draw things out much longer.
“For now, we’ll only give Tomoe the prize money as her reward. If the former royal couple were to suddenly announce they were adopting her, that would be like telling everyone that something’s up. We’ll let some time pass and then announce it another day. I’d like you all to act with that in mind, got it?”
““““Yes, sir!””””
◇ ◇ ◇
Thirty minutes after King Souma called for a break, the award ceremony resumed. Right now, the mystic wolf girl was being praised.
As that scene unfolded, I stood with the other prize winners watching.
“Your gift is remarkable,” he told the wolf girl. “I hope you will put it to use for our country.”
“Y-Yesh! I undershtand!”
...She’s stuttering all over the place, I thought. How adorable.
What could that adorable little girl have said to alarm the king so badly that he had called for a break? What’s more, that little girl was the only one who had been called aside during the break. It was clear that it had been something important, but there was no way for me to know what it was at the moment.
From the time I came here, I had been observing the king in question. He looked ordinary. I had heard he’d been summoned as a hero, but he looked exactly like any of the common townsfolk. He didn’t wear a crown, carried no scepter, wore no cape, and though their design was unusual, when he stood there in those casual clothes, he didn’t look like a king even while standing in front of the throne.
If I looked for it, once in a while his eyes took on a statesman-like appearance. He was a very hard man to pin down. From the way he had acted so far, you might say he was a passable king, I suppose.
With the dark elf warrior’s direct appeal, he had shown magnanimity and, even without intending to, he’d found a solution to her problem. From what had happened with the mystic wolf girl, it seemed he could ad-lib where necessary, too. It had been a little awkward, but, well, I’d give it a passing grade.
However, his real trial would start here.
The fat man beside me was sweating profusely, though I couldn’t tell if it was cold sweat or greasy sweat. I turned to look at him. It was his turn to receive his award next.
On the way here, he had told me himself what his gift was. And, as far as I was concerned, his was “the gift this country needs most right now.”
When he sees him, what will that young king’s judgment be?
Will he look down on the man’s appearance (a big round belly and a pudgy face), which no one would call attractive, even as empty flattery?
Will he make a laughingstock of him in front of the entire country?
Even if he doesn’t go that far, will he miss the importance of the man’s gift?
If he does any of those things, I...
“Next, Poncho Panacotta of Potte Village, step forward!”
“Y-Yes, I’ll do that, yes!
When Prime Minister Marx called his name, the fat man named Poncho walked forward with heavy steps, his round belly wobbling. The comical way he walked drew laughs from all around. Even Princess Liscia was struggling to suppress a smile.
When I looked to see the king’s reaction, his face was serious. Not smiling, not displeased, just looking at Sir Poncho with a serious expression.
“This one’s gift, as you may have guessed from the look of him, is for eating,” Marx said. “During the application process, a number of people claimed to have the ‘gift of being a big eater,’ but none could defeat him. Furthermore, his stance towards his pursuit of food is unusual. He has traveled the world, eating the famous and bizarre dishes of each region. In his own words, ‘If it was edible, I ate it.’ However, it seems he has spent his entire fortune on traveling and eating, so he is not as well off as he might appear... Ahem. Regardless, it can be said that he has a gift that is unique in our country, so...”
“I’ve been waiting for you!” The king was moving before Marx could even finish reading the explanation. When he reached Poncho, he took his hand with both hands, not hiding his elation in the slightest. “I’m so glad you responded to my call! You’re the sort of person I’ve been waiting for!”
“Huh... uh... What?” Sir Poncho’s eyes darted around. His brain couldn’t keep up with the situation.
Eventually, his mind caught up, and his face stiffened.
“M-Me, Your Majesty?”
“Exactly! You’re the one this country has been waiting for! More than any of these other gifted people, I’m glad that you came! I always thought that if someone like you was among the civil officials, it would be worth recommending they apply!”
“D-Do you feel that strongly about me, yes?”
“Yeah. Your knowledge from wandering around eating famous and bizarre foods will be the key to saving this country!”
When the king said that, Sir Poncho cried a flood of tears. “I-I... Everyone’s always called me a fatty... An idiot wasting his money on food... As for me, I only went around eating because I wanted to eat, so I thought they were right... Can even my gluttony be of service to this country?”
The king tapped the crying Sir Poncho on the shoulder. “Let them say what they want about you. No matter how trivial something is, if you master it, it’s a gift. Be proud! The appetite you didn’t hesitate to spend your fortune on will save this country! Please, share your wisdom with me!”
Hearing his king’s earnest request, Poncho wiped away his tears with his sleeve. “Y-Yes! If my knowledge can be of help, please use it, yes!” he responded cheerfully.
When I looked around, most of the audience were standing there, mouths agape, unable to digest the situation. In the midst of that, King Souma returned to the throne, then turned to Marx and said, “In this country, there is a tradition of the king rewarding meritorious servants, or those for whom he has high hopes, with a new name, isn’t there?”
“...Ah, yes. That is correct, sire.”
“In that case, Poncho, I bestow upon you the name Ishizuka. In my homeland, this was the name of an ‘insatiable seeker and evangelist of food.’ Work hard, so as not to bring shame upon that name.”
“Ye... Yes, sir! Thank you, yes!”
This was the explosive moment in which Poncho Ishizuka Panacotta was born. The first person King Souma had personally welcomed as one of his retainers was the rotund man with the vigorous appetite, Sir Poncho.
I wanted to cry out for joy. Splendid! This was a king who had his priorities straight!
Whether he would hire Poncho or not had been a touchstone for this king. I had thought that if he failed to recognize the man’s value, but hired him on the potential he might someday be of us
e, that would be a pass. If he had chosen not to hire him solely based on his appearance, that would be a failure. I never dared to imagine he would welcome him so enthusiastically. This was a happy miscalculation for me.
This man may well save this country.
I felt something welling up from within me.
...It looks like I won’t be able to just watch any longer.
“King Souma, a word with you, if I may,” I said.
◇ ◇ ◇
“King Souma, a word with you, if I may.”
With the awards all handed out, just as I was about to declare an end to the ceremony, the young man in black robes, Hakuya Kwonmin, stepped forward and took a knee. Now his sleepy eyes were wide open. Just by doing that, he mysteriously had an entirely different air about him now.
Feeling something like a slight premonition, I turned to Hakuya and asked, “Do you have something to say?”
“Indeed. Though I stand here on the recommendation of another, it is now my wish to recommend myself.”
A self-recommendation. Does he want to sell me on his merits himself, then?
“Hmm... I’ve already promised you the position of librarian to the palace archives. If you want to make a self-recommendation, does that mean you’re dissatisfied with the post? What is it you seek?”
“Should it be at all possible, I wish to place myself in your service, Your Majesty.”
“But not as a librarian?”
“Correct. With my wisdom, I seek to support your supremacy.”
“M-My supremacy?”
Supremacy is a bold thing to claim, I thought. If he means to support that with his wisdom, what does he plan to become? A general, handling military and foreign affairs, or a prime minister handling internal affairs...?
I looked straight at Hakuya. “Amusing, but do you have a gift great enough to accomplish that?”