by Dojyomaru
As for me, it was a complicated feeling. Anger, exasperation, resignation, sadness... All those feelings got jumbled together in my chest, and I worked my hardest to keep them there.
I spoke in as calm and even a voice as I could manage, so as not to betray my feelings. “Now that you’ve told me that... what do you want me to do about it?”
“Nothing. I just wanted you to be aware, sire.”
“...It’s heavy.” I stood up, giving orders to Kaede and Halbert. “Forbidden Army Mage Kaede Foxia. This insight is too valuable, and dangerous, for me to leave you as a mere mage. I order you to serve under Ludwin of the Royal Guard as a staff officer.
“Huh? Y-Yes, sir!” she exclaimed.
“Army Officer Halbert Magna. I order you to transfer to the Forbidden Army.”
“Huh?! Me, join the Forbidden Army?!”
“That’s right. You will be Kaede’s second-in-command and report to her. Her rank effectively makes her Number 2 in the Forbidden Army. Because she is still a young woman, there is the risk that her subordinates won’t take her seriously. In the event that that happens, you are to make sure they do as she says. Understood?”
“...Yes, sir!”
Thus, a new, young officer joined the Forbidden Army.
However, I wasn’t feeling emotionally at ease enough to be happy a new ally had joined us. As I forced down my violent emotions, my true feeling seep out through my gritted teeth just once.
“Honestly, these people...”
Intermission 2: The Sighs of Duchess Excel Walter
Let’s talk about the system of nobility in this country.
Once you set aside royalty and the three dukes, the people can be divided into three groups: the nobles and knights, the commoners, and the slaves. (Refugees, as they are not citizens, do not fall into any of these groups.)
We will go into the institution of slavery on another occasion, but what divides the nobles and knights from the commoners is whether or not they hold land.
Because of that, the class of nobles and knights may also be referred to as lords, and the commoners who live on their lands may be referred to as their subjects. (Slaves are considered to be chattel, and thus are not included in this group.) Lords have a number of rights within their lands, and at the same time, they have military and other responsibilities to the country.
The titles and lands of the nobility and knighthood are generally hereditary, but commoners who distinguish themselves may be bestowed title and land by the country, raising them to knighthood (for those whose accomplishments are military) or nobility (for those whose accomplishments are in administration).
Furthermore, marrying into a noble or knightly family (in which case, the person provides their own land) is also possible. These people are referred to as new nobles or new knights.
This isn’t a distinction that formally exists, but certain hard-headed people who think of them as “upstarts who were not born to be nobles or knights” refer to them this way. New nobles and new knights may pass their titles hereditarily. (Generally, a house becomes accepted after around three generations.)
Conversely, even nobles and knights can, if their crimes are great enough, be dropped to the rank of commoner or slave. In these cases, their lands and title are seized by the country and, in the worst cases, the entire house may lose their status. This is known as “destruction.”
The reason that, as noted earlier, nobles and knights distinguish themselves from new nobles and new knights is that they take pride in having maintained the status of their house and having avoided this “destruction” for three generations.
There is no need for the nobility and knighthood to manage their lands personally. Particularly with knights, who must spend most of the year serving in the military, management of their lands is left to the members of their household. Royal Guard Captain Ludwin Arcs was one example.
Furthermore, among the nobility, there are those who leave management of their lands to the members of their house, residing in Parnam where they serve in important posts such as top positions in the bureaucracy or as speaker in the Congress of the People. These people are called capital nobles, with the former prime minister (and current chamberlain) Marx being one example.
However, at present, the number of capital nobles had fallen to nearly half of what it had been the year before. The ones who had gone missing were those whose wrongdoing had been uncovered in Souma’s government spending audit. Those under investigation had been dismissed from their posts in the capital, and were under house arrest in their own lands.
For those whose crimes were minor, if they repaid the money they embezzled, and relinquished the family headship to another member of the family, their house would be allowed to continue, but for those whose crimes were great, all of their assets were seized and their house would be destroyed.
Of course, the sort of people who would engage in such corruption could not be expected to quietly acquiesce to the destruction of their houses. They took their personal forces and assets and attempted to flee.
However, because Souma and Hakuya could easily see their intentions, the borders were sealed, and they could not carry their assets out into other countries.
Unable to remain in their lands or flee to another country, ultimately, they headed for the duchy of Duke Carmine. They went to Georg Carmine, who was hostile to the king, and waited for an opportunity to rebel.
The central city of that Carmine Duchy was Randel.
While not as great in scale as the royal capital Parnam, it was still large compared to other cities, with a large enough population to become a city-state on its own.
General of the Army Georg Carmine’s castle was here, and a castle town had grown up around it. However, past generals had been indifferent to the city’s management and so, unlike Parnam which could change greatly with the direction the king chose to take it, the town had a nostalgic feel to it, probably the same now as it had been 100 years ago.
On a street corner in that city of Randel, a single carriage was parked. Inside the carriage was a beauty in her mid-twenties. Any man who saw her would, almost certainly, have let out a sigh of admiration.
Even wrapped as it was in a kimono that was similar in style to the ones worn in Japan, her voluptuous figure was still apparent. However, the reptilian tail which stuck out from the buttocks of her kimono and the tiny antlers that sprouted out from beneath her blue hair made it clear that she wasn’t just an ordinary human.
From inside her carriage she was listening to the hustle and bustle of the town around her. There must have been a tavern nearby, because she could hear a group of drunkards grumbling quite clearly.
“Seriously, that new king... Just who does he think we are...? Hic!”
“Indeed. It is we who have supported this kingdom for so many long years.”
“But the king goes and ignores us, pushing forward policies on his own!”
“Why did King Albert leave the country to that whelp...?”
“His retainers are no better! They’re a bunch of inexperienced novices, too! What’s with that gloomy black-robed jerk?! What’s with that human pig?!”
“Heh heh heh, I’m sure he only values those’re good at flattering him.”
“The young are prone to such things! He throws out experienced people like us, only listening to people who’ll flatter him. A king like that won’t last long.”
“That’s right! Let’s take this country back with our own hands!”
“Yeah! For the kingdom we love!”
“““For the kingdom we love!”””
For the kingdom, is it...? My, how they do like to run their mouths. The woman in the carriage sighed. Even that sigh was alluring.
You people are the ones who betrayed the country with your illegal acts. When it came time for you to face the law, you fled, so it certainly takes some gall for you to say the king threw you out. And the king only values those who flatter him? Were you not watching
when he gathered personnel? That king would use even those who were dissatisfied with him so long as they were worth it. He uses Sir Hakuya and Sir Poncho because they are capable. The reason he doesn’t use you is because you are not.
Since they didn’t even understand that much, she couldn’t bring herself to even bother ridiculing them.
It’s been a few months since the crown was transferred to His Majesty, Souma, yet he hasn’t made any major policy blunders or lost the support of the people. To the contrary, he’s shown extraordinary ability in the way he’s steadily resolving the food crisis we feared. No matter how much they respected King Albert for his sagacity, it’s nonsense to ask, “Why did he choose that whelp?”
The woman rested her elbows on the windowsill, her chin in her hands.
To think the nobility has fallen so far from the proud and high-minded people who founded the country... Their ancestors must be turning in their graves.
Though she appeared to be in her mid-twenties, this woman recalled the dawning age of this kingdom more than 500 years ago. She thought back to her comrades, smiling sadly.
As a descendent of sea serpents, it would be more than another 500 years before she would be taken to their side.
“It’s times like this when belonging to a long-lived race is the hardest. I’ve gotten used to bidding farewell to the short-lived, but then I’m forced to see unpleasant things like this. I envy you people who have been able to die without a care for what would come after.”
With those words, Navy Admiral Excel Walter, one of the three dukes, gave a self-deprecating laugh.
“Sea Princess!”
When a voice addressed her from outside the carriage, Excel sat up straight. “...Yes?”
“Ma’am, a report has arrived from Canaria,” the voice said.
“Show it to me,” she commanded.
“Yes, ma’am. It is here.” The speaker pushed the documents through a gap in the carriage door.
Excel took the documents, opening them and perusing their contents. As she was reading through them, finally her face broke into a smile.
I see... So that’s how you’ve judged him. Yet still, you wish to be at his side, you say. Hmm... That’s all well and good, but I do think the loving praise dripping from your writing is going to give me heartburn. Really, now... I have to envy your youth.
Excel froze the documents with a sigh, then let them go. The documents fell, shattering into pieces when they struck the carriage floor.
Allow me to correct myself. When you live so long, there are times when you’ll find new light in the most unexpected of ways. This feeling is something you people who have died can never taste, isn’t it?
Serves you right.
Excel wore the smile of a young girl, not showing so much as a hint of her true age.
Chapter 5: The Legendary Old Man
In the audience chamber of Parnam Castle...
A large number of people were lined up in this place where the hero summoning and talent award ceremony had been held. These were the bureaucrats of the finance ministry.
Each wore an exhausted expression on his face.
Their cheeks were sunken, they had bags under their eyes, some wore dry smiles, while others looked to be on the verge of collapsing. Despite that, each and every one of them had a twinkle in his eye.
Theirs were the eyes of warriors who had survived a bloody battle.
Since I had become king and launched my reforms to save an economy that was on the brink of collapse, they had served as my hands and feet, working hard, like horses drawing a carriage. Anyone who had been working to enrich themselves had been dismissed, leaving only the serious ones behind. These were people who worked hard, reluctant to take time off even to sleep.
One of them might spend an entire day comparing the numbers between sets of documents, while another might spend most of the day on horseback, going around to ensure funds were being used correctly. They had been spending their days returning home only to sleep. No... many of them didn’t even return home, they just slept in the castle’s nap room, returning to work as soon as they woke.
Some had families.
Some had children.
Some were recently married.
However, the time they would have spent with their families... they cast aside, continuing to work.
The face of a wife dissatisfied that her husband put work before her, the face of a child lonely because his father wouldn’t play with him, the face of a newlywed wife sincerely concerned for her husband... They averted their eyes from these faces, telling themselves it was just for now, and worked diligently.
Earnestly trying to save this country from collapse.
Earnestly trying to protect those in this country whom they loved.
I looked down at them while sitting on the throne. I probably didn’t look much better than they did at this point. While I could rest unused parts of my consciousness in shifts, I was handling five times my regular workload and working round-the-clock. While my body might have been fine, I could feel my spirit being ground down.
“That’s a fine look you’ve all got on your faces, now.” I rose, speaking to them in a quiet voice. Then I went down to them, placing my hand on one thin man’s shoulder. “Your eyes are hollow and lifeless. You’ve got the face of a ghoul.”
They all said nothing.
“I know how it’s been,” I said. “These days of forgoing sleep, fighting with the numbers day in and day out, ignoring the pleas of your families that you stop coming to the castle. You people are my greatest treasure! Take pride in that! With every moment you’ve spent putting your souls to the grindstone, you’ve been saving the people of this country!”
“““Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”””
Pale and emaciated, anyone could see these men were the indoors-y type, yet now they roared like barbarians. They thrust their fists into the air, chanting, “Souma! Souma!” I waited a moment for their fervor to settle, then continued.
“Thanks to all of you, we’ve managed to secure the funds we need at present. Now, Project Venetinova can begin in earnest. When this project comes to fruition, this country’s food crisis will be completely resolved. It will be because of all of you fulfilling your duties, setting this struggling economy straight and finding the funds to make it happen! In place of the people, I thank you!”
“King Souma!”
“King Souma!”
“You have toiled hard in the shadows for this country! Unlike heroes, your names won’t be left in the history books. However, you have saved far more lives than any hero could save on the battlefield! I, Souma Kazuya, will remember that fact for all my life! You are the nameless heroes of this country!”
“Glory to our king!”
“Glory to King Souma and Elfrieden!”
“You’ve really outdone yourselves,” I continued. “Thus, I bestow upon you this gift. I grant you a five-day vacation, starting tomorrow! Return to your families, rest your bodies, and restore your spirits!”
“““Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”””
That’s the largest cheer yet today, I thought. I can understand how you feel. You’re all starved for rest. I’m sorry for running this place like a sweatshop.
“Truthfully, I want to pay you a bonus, but if I were to dip into the funds you’ve worked so hard to find in order to do so, it would defeat the purpose. I’m really sorry.”
They were silent.
“In place of that, after conferring with the prime minister, I’ve decided to give you each one expensive bottle from the castle’s wine cellar! Have a celebratory drink or sell it as you please!”
“““Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Your Majesty! King Souma!”””
As I looked at the cheering bureaucrats, I nodded, full of emotion myself.
However, Liscia, who was standing beside me watching, was clearly put off by this scene.
“Souma... you’re exhausted,” she said.
“...I won’t deny it,
” I answered.
As soon as we returned to the governmental affairs office, Liscia spoke to me, seemingly concerned.
Yeah, I shouldn’t have been that hyper. Looking back at it, I was acting a little loopy.
“It’s because I was up until almost dawn working. The lack of sleep was giving me a high,” I responded while lying down in the bed set up in the corner of the governmental affairs office, as I usually did.
“I won’t insist it be lavish, but please get your own room,” Hakuya had once said sourly to me. “If the ruler of the nation sleeps in the governmental affairs office, he’s not setting the proper example for his subjects.”
But I couldn’t give up the convenience of being able to work as soon as I woke up, so things had stayed as they were. I figured I would probably be sleeping in here until things settled down a little in the country.
Liscia went to sit down at the end of the bed. In that moment her small, shapely buttocks suddenly appeared in front of my eyes, so I turned and looked the other way despite myself. Liscia always wore that tight-fitting officer’s uniform, so I could easily make out the lines of her hips.
“But, Souma, you’re able to rest your consciousness in shifts, right?” she asked.
“Huh? Uh... Yeah, sorta. But we were almost at the point where we could afford the budget for a large-scale project, so I ended up working my full consciousness for that last push.”
When I said that, Liscia sighed a little. “I know you’re working hard, but... don’t make me worry. Because you’re irreplaceable, all right?”
“Ha ha, if it comes to it... you can just summon another hero, can’t you?” I asked.
“You dummy! If you say another word about that, I’ll slap you!”
I turned my face to look at Liscia. There was real anger in her eyes.
“Even if we summoned another hero, that person wouldn’t be you,” she snapped. “You’re the one I want, Souma.”
“R-Right...” I faltered.
“Never forget. You’re the one I want to be king, Souma. I’ll accept no substitutes. If my father were to demand the crown back, I’d fight him at your side.”