Chapter 4: A Day Off in Parnam (part 6)

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That's another world for you. You never know when you'll step on a landmine like

that, I thought.

As I was thinking that, the mystic fox girl was pleading. "I'm begging you, Hal. You

can't go to the Carmine Duchy right now! Army General Duke Georg Carmine is

hostile to the new king. There could be a civil war!"

"That's exactly why I'm going. If there's going to be fighting, that's a chance for

me to get promoted, isn't it?" The one called Hal, who seemed to be a young man of

about 18, gave her a dauntless smile.

The mystic fox girl, on the other hand, wore an expression clouded with anxiety.

"Hal, the way you think about war is too simple. Your father called you back home

because he was worried about you being like that!"

"It's none of my old man's business! He's served under Duke Carmine for years,

but now that things don't look so good, he's hiding in the capital, the coward! I don't

need to listen to him!"

"Your father understands what's happening. Duke Carmine is rebelling without

just cause."

The two kept quarreling.

As she was watching them, Liscia clapped her hands together in recognition. "I

thought I recognized him! The man is Officer Halbert Magna."

"Is he someone you know?" I asked.

"He's the eldest son of a distinguished family in the army clique. Since his

academy days, his combat abilities have put him well above the rest of his peers. He

entered the land forces after graduating, but... I guess he's returned home since

then."

"He sounds surprisingly well known," I mused. "Well, how about the girl, then?"

"I don't know... I've never seen her in the army..."

"That girl is Kaede Foxia," Juna answered on Liscia's behalf.

Huh? Why does she know? I wondered.

"Because she's a regular here," Juna said without my asking. "If I recall, she

mentioned she's a mage serving in the Forbidden Army."

"If she's in the Forbidden Army, is she an earth-type mage, then?" I asked.

This world's magic could be divided into six elements: fire, water, earth, wind,

light, and dark.

Fire, water, wind, and earth manipulated their respective elements for attack

spells, while light was generally healing-type magic. Dark was unique in that it

didn't, strictly speaking, manipulate darkness. All the unique spells that didn't fall

under the previous five elements were lumped together under the "dark-type"

categorization.

In terms of magic type, my Living Poltergeists would have been dark.

Every person in this world was aligned with one of these elements, and they

could use magic to some degree. As you would know from Liscia and Aisha's

training, people could imbue their weapons or attacks with magic of their element,

as well.

Those who could cause greater magical effects than ordinary people were called

mages. Mages could manipulate flames, cause whirlwinds, form craters in the

ground, and sink battleships with their incredible powers.

When mages joined the military, their type determined where they were sent.

Fire users went to the army, wind users to the air force, water users to the navy, and

earth and dark users (not that there were many of the latter) went to the Forbidden

Army, while light users were distributed equally and played a similar role to combat

medics.

Honestly, I was opposed to this inflexible way of distributing them, but the army,

navy and air force were under the control of the Three Dukedoms, so I couldn't mess

around with them.

Someday, I want to reform that system.

While I was thinking about all that, Kaede and Halbert kept arguing.

"Duke Carmine would never lose to that inexperienced king!"

"Duke Carmine's been acting strange lately! If we start fighting amongst

ourselves, only our neighbors stand to benefit! Amidonia wants to reclaim the lands

they lost to Elfrieden two kings ago. And as for the Turgis Republic, with more than

half their territory frozen, they want fertile land and a warm water port. If there's a

civil war, they're sure to intervene. Duke Carmine must know that..."

Huh, it sounds like Kaede has a good understanding of the situation in the

neighboring countries.

The country to the west of this one on the world map, the Principality of

Amidonia, had seen roughly half of their territory stolen from them under the

expansionist policies of Liscia's grandfather. That was close to 50 years ago, but they

were still eyeing this country for any opportunity to regain their lost land. For this

country, it was clearly an enemy state.

To the south of Amidonia, on the southern edge of this continent, was the Turgis

Republic, which, like Kaede said, was a frigid land that was mostly frozen.

When you looked at this world's map, the further south you went, the lower the

temperature dropped. I didn't know whether that was because (speaking from a

Japanese person's perspective) this continent was in the southern hemisphere, or if

their concept of north and south was reversed, or even if it was because of some

mysterious magical effect, but the further south you went in Elfrieden, the colder it

got, and the further north, the warmer it got.

Because of the kind of country they were, "Go north" was a national policy for the

Turgis Republic.

However, of the countries they bordered, the Gran Chaos Empire was massive, so

they could ill afford a conflict with them, while the mercenary state of Zem was their

ally, meaning they couldn't invade there, either. That narrowed their potential

targets for northward expansion to Amidonia or Elfrieden.

In other words, both Amidonia and Turgis were like ravenous wolves, ready to

pounce on this country at the soonest opportunity.

"What is Duke Carmine thinking when the neighboring countries have designs on

our territory?"

"...This is Duke Carmine you're talking about. I'm sure he has a plan."

"Aren't you going to think for yourself, Hal?!"

"The fact of the matter is, many nobles have given up on the king and they've

gone to serve under Duke Carmine, haven't they? His failure to keep them here is

proof of the king's ineptitude."

"I don't know if the new king is competent or not, but up to this point, I've seen

no misrule under him! Besides, most of those nobles gathering under Duke Carmine

are those who've lost rights under the new king's finance reforms, or who were

investigated for corruption and are discontented over having their assets seized, you

realize?! Even if you restored their rights, do you really think that would make this

country a better place?!"

When Kaede pressed him on it like that, Halbert's gaze wandered. "I'm sure Duke

Carmine is thinking this all through."

"There you go, talking about Duke Carmine, again. Don't you have an opinion of

your own, Hal?"

"J-Just shut up, okay! What, Kaede, do you think you can see the future?! Well, I

can!"

"I can!" Halbert lashed out defiantly, but Kaede answered him firmly. "I can see

what's coming! That man scares me. I'm sure that the new king will..."

"Okay, and stop," I cut Kaede off, inserting myself between the two of them.

Both of their eyes went wide at the sudden intrusion.

I ignored Halbert's surprised "Wh-Who do you think you are, buddy?!" with a

smile to the Kaede who was sitting there with her mouth agape.

"If you keep running your mouth, I'll use my authority to have you arrested, you

know?" I said.

"You're...!" Kaede seemed to have immediately realized who I was.

"Yes I am, so keep quiet, okay?" I said. "Honestly, I don't know how much you

understand, but if you talk so confidently about it in a place like this, it could harm

the country."

"I-I'm sorry," she stammered. "But... what are you doing here...? You're not here

to seize Hal for his rebelliousness, I hope?! It's not like that! Hal's just a little weak in

the head, he would never rebel..."

Kaede completely misunderstood what I was doing and started to make excuses.

Who knows where the analytic ability she'd displayed earlier went, but she was

desperately trying to defend Halbert.

"No, I don't care what one single soldier thinks," I said.

"Th-Then why are you here?" she stammered.

"Because I was suddenly given time off," I explained. "I was just checking out

Juna's place."

"I-I see..." Kaede was clearly relieved.

Halbert, on the other hand, had been glaring at me this whole time. "You punk,

who do you think you are, butting into our conversation and then threatening

Kaede?"

"U-Um, Hal? He wasn't threatening me, you see..."

"Shut up! You be quiet, Kaede!"

"Yipe!"

When Halbert slammed his hands on the table and stood up, it frightened Kaede.

"...What good is frightening her yourself going to do?" I asked.

"I said, shut up!" He reached out, trying to grab me by the collar, when...

"Urkh!"

...he stopped halfway. In an instant, Halbert was surrounded by the three women

who were with me.

Normally, being surrounded by three beauties would be a fantastic situation to

be in, but... I wasn't jealous of his position in the least. After all, Liscia had drawn the

rapier from her side and was pointing the tip of it at Halbert's neck, Aisha (who had

left her great sword behind because it was too bulky) was holding his face in a claw

hold, and Juna, still smiling, had a fruit knife pressed against his back.

Whoa... Their power levels are way too high...

"Wait, even you, Juna?" I asked, surprised.

"Violence is strictly prohibited in this establishment," she said with a grin.

"Uh, sure..."

Having found himself in that situation, even the assertive Halbert was sweating.

He couldn't move an inch, so he glared at me in frustration through the gap between

Aisha's fingers. "You punk... That was dirty! If you're a man, how can you hide behind

a bunch of women?!"

"Complain all you like, but it's kind of their job to protect me," I said. "Actually, if I

were to stand on the front line without bodyguards, I think that would be a bigger

problem."

When I said that, the girls nodded in agreement.

"If you understand that, I wish you wouldn't stick your neck into trouble like

this," Liscia scolded me.

Uh, sure, sorry, I'll be more careful.

Halbert's irritated gaze stabbed into me. "...You punk, just who are you?"

"Hm... Allow me to respond with that great line from a samurai period drama.

'Halbert, have you forgotten my face?'"

"Huh?"

"Why do you suddenly sound so full of yourself?" Liscia slapped me upside the

head.

Aw, come on, I've always wanted to say it.

Then Aisha raised her voice and spoke on my behalf. "On your knees! Who do you

take this man for?!"

Yeah, that's another line I wanted to use. Wait, Aisha's saying it?!

"You stand in the presence of the (provisional) 14th King of Elfrieden, His

Majesty Souma!" Aisha declared.

It felt like I could hear that show's theme music playing, but I'm sure I was

imagining it.

Regardless, I gave the disappointing dark elf a light bonk on the head. "You're too

loud. We're supposed to be incognito, remember?"

"Ah...! I-I'm sorry, sire!"

"'Sire'...? Don't tell me you're the king?!" Halbert acted surprised long after he

should have figured it out. He was the only one present who didn't know by this

point, so he seemed pretty slow-witted. Regardless, with him being menaced with a

rapier, a claw hold, and a knife, we couldn't have a calm discussion, so I had

everyone stand down.

Fixing my gaze on the relieved Halbert, I asked him a question. "Now then,

Halbert Magna, you were saying something about attacking me?"

"Th-That's..." Halbert averted his eyes.

Oh, come on, was your determination that weak?

"Should I take that to be the will of the House of Magna as a whole?" I asked.

"Wha?! My old man's got nothing to do with this!"

"Of course he does," I said. "While I might be able to overlook a soldier who was

just following orders, traitorous nobles must be tried under the law. They show a

clear intent to rebel, after all. In those cases, the charge will be 'treason against the

state,' you know... That's a serious crime. At the very least, those within three

degrees of consanguinity will be considered complicit in it."

"Wha...?!" Halbert was at a loss for words. All I was doing was forcing him to face

the facts, though.

"No... That's too harsh..." Kaede tried to intervene, but I raised a hand to stop her.

"Now, let me just say, I'm not doing this because I hold a personal grudge against

you," I said. "That's what the laws of this country dictate. Honestly, I know with longlived races, it's not unusual for them to have great-grandchildren and great-greatgrandchildren around, but, even so, the range of people implicated in the crime is

way too large. Personally, for a law like this which even punishes innocent young

children, I'd like to reform it right away, but I have so many things to do that I just

haven't gotten around to it yet."

He was speechless.

"Halbert Magna," I said formally. "You were born into the House of Magna, a

proper noble house. So, if you side with the Three Dukedoms, they rebel, and I win,

all of your kin within three degrees of consanguinity will be executed. That's what

the law says, so there's nothing I can do about it, right?"

It would be the law that judged him, not me. There would be no room for me to

use my own discretion.

"Now, let's consider what happens if the Three Dukedoms win," I continued.

"Hey! Y-Yeah, that's right! As long as we win, it's all good!"

"In the event that happens, what will happen to her?" I placed a hand on Kaede's

shoulder.

Halbert was clearly shaken. "No, you wouldn't dare take Kaede hostage!"

"Oh, I wouldn't do something like that. However, she's a member of the

Forbidden Army. If the Three Dukedoms rebel, she'll be sent to the front on 'our

side.' In other words, she would be your enemy." Here, I looked closely at Kaede. "By

the way, what is your relationship with Halbert?"

"W-We're childhood friends."

"Childhood friends... I see."

From the way they'd been talking and acting, I had seen signs of their affection

for each other, but... Well, there was no reason to point it out here.

"If you're childhood friends, you must care more for one another than you would

just any other person," I said. "And? If you join the Three Dukedoms, what do you

plan to do about her?"

"What do you mean, what will I do...? About what?"

"We're imagining that the Three Dukedoms win. In that case, I may have been

struck down, and you may even have been the one to take my severed head."

"Hah! I'd be guaranteed a promotion, then!"

"...I suppose you would," I said. "So, what of Kaede? A cute girl like her, in the

losing army. When they find out, what will the soldiers of the winning side do...? As a

soldier yourself, I think you can imagine, can't you?"

When I pointed that out, Halbert visibly turned pale. Most likely, he was

imagining "that sort" of scene. After the conclusion of a war, it wasn't uncommon to

see the defeated ravaged by the victors. Looting, arson, rape, slaughter... The

madness of war was in that it allowed these acts of barbarity to happen.