Ambitions Resumed

—Middle of the 5th month, 1552nd year, Continental Calendar—

On this day, I was holding a broadcast meeting with Nine-Headed

Dragon Queen Shabon. Kishun stood behind her, holding a newborn child

in his arms. Their second child and eldest son, Sharon.

Now to me, that felt like a girl's name. But in their country, it was the

custom to tie a short name to their short surname and use both at the same

time, so his name was actually Ron—or Sha Ron—which isn't so unusual

at all.

Shabon had inherited the heavy responsibility of ruling from her

predecessor, Sir Shana. She had struggled at first, but with Kishun as her

husband and prime minister, she'd definitely gained her footing by the time

she gave birth to her two infants. With the love and respect of her islanders,

she was now a female sovereign who was every bit as capable as Maria.

On the other side of the broadcast, Shabon said, "In regards to the items

you placed an order for the other day, we have already secured half of the

requested amount. However, as we will need to wait for the remaining half

to be produced, we must ask that you tolerate a slight delay."

"I know. It was an unreasonable request on my part," I replied.

"No, not at all," Shabon shook her head. "It was a large order. It will be

profitable for us, so we intend to handle the matter with all due sincerity."

"That helps. I'd like to ask you to send the half that you already have by

means of the bases we've exchanged."

"Understood. Um...Sir Souma." Switching into a more relaxed tone,

Shabon asked, "Why are we receiving such a large order?"

"Well, I've got a little something in mind..." I replied, changing over

from negotiation mode to friendly conversation mode.

"Have you heard that Fuuga has brought Mercenary State Zem under his

control?"

"Yes. I received reports."

Shabon nodded with a serious expression. I looked down at the map on

my desk.

"In total, this means that the Great Tiger Kingdom is now larger than the

Gran Chaos Empire. They're not as powerful overall, but in terms of just

their land forces, it's an even match. And he probably can't expand any

further into the Demon Lord's Domain."

"Why would that be? Does the acclaim for Sir Fuuga not come from his

liberation of the Demon Lord's Domain?"

"Fuuga's theory is that what we call the demon lord and the demons

only exist deep inside there. Maria and I happen to agree on that. And

Fuuga's expansion has been careful to avoid contact with those demons.

They were the ones who trounced the united forces of mankind led by the

Empire, after all. So if he tries to go any further north..."

"I see what you mean. He wishes to avoid the risk of coming into

contact then?"

"Precisely. That's why the Great Tiger Kingdom is unlikely to expand

any further to the north. Fuuga gathers fanatical support by making his

country bigger and stronger. I don't think he can stop that. Which brings us

to the question of what he does next... In Hakuya's view, he'll have to

attack either us or the Empire."

"Huh?! So suddenly?" Shabon's eyes widened in surprise. "You are the

heads of the Mankind Declaration and Maritime Alliance. It would lead to a

great war."

"Yeah... And there's something Fuuga wants from us and the Empire

that makes him prepared to accept that."

"And what is that?"

"Bureaucrats and lords for the territories he controls."

Clearing my throat, I then explained it exactly as Hakuya had told it to

me.

"Fuuga's retainers consist of commanders who served him well during

the unification of the Union of Eastern Nations and people who flocked to

him in the hopes of changing the current situation. That latter group is made

up of refugees and others who are being treated badly under the status quo.

Essentially, the vast majority of his people know nothing about how to

manage a state. That's why the Great Tiger Kingdom has lacked adequate

personnel to handle its domestic affairs and be entrusted lands to rule as

their personal domains."

Shabon furrowed her brow. "Normally, I would think he would have to

stop expanding and focus on developing members of his administration."

"Right, but the Great Tiger Kingdom's expansion has been too rapid for

him to be able to do that. There's also the problem that the moment Fuuga

stops walking the path to total conquest, there may be those who lose faith

in him and try to break away. He doesn't have room to focus on internal

politics."

"Which is why he would force either the Kingdom or the Empire to

submit? In order to gain a new group of retainers?"

"That is how Hakuya thinks it will go, yes. We've been recruiting far

and wide, and the Empire has a large population. If he can get his hands on

either, his shortage of administrators will be resolved. If he can't stop

advancing, then he might as well move in the direction of something he

wants... I'm sure Hashim will advise him as such."

The Republic was locked in snow and ice during the winter, so they

couldn't act, and the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago Kingdom was

surrounded by the sea, making them hard to rule and unrewarding to

conquer. The same went for the Spirit Kingdom now that they were a

smaller power. That left only us or the Empire.

"If Fuuga decides we're easier to conquer than the Empire...we'll need

to be prepared for war with the Great Tiger Kingdom. We have to do what

we can now to prepare for the worst."

"I see. And that is why you made such a large order from us."

"You got it."

The air in the room grew heavy.

After some time, Shabon said, "I do hope that your fears prove to be

unfounded."

"Tell me about it..." I agreed with her from the bottom of my heart.

◇ ◇ ◇

—The day of Zem's martial arts tournament—

Fuuga was looking down at Gimbal, the fallen King of Zem.

Gimbal's right hand and upper arm lay by his side, still clutching his

greatsword. The light mages who had been on standby rushed in. They

removed the sword from his hand, then rolled Gimbal onto his back and

pressed the limb against its stump to begin healing him. Light magic

worked on external wounds, so there was little doubt they could reattach the

severed arm.

However, while he may retain his hand, it was unlikely to ever be as

usable as before.

As they were treating him, Gimbal sensed he was finished as a fighter.

"Never in all my life did I expect anyone would want to be king of this

country... Challengers always desired wealth, armaments, and other

superficial prizes. Although, there was one strange individual who wanted

to know the truth about their father, who had been branded a rebel..."

Gimbal said to Fuuga. "Not one person desired to become king of a country

with so many restrictions."

"Sounds to me like they were satisfied with your rule then, wouldn't you

say?"

Gimbal chuckled. "King Souma said something like that too."

Fuuga narrowed his eyes slightly as if to respond, but he remained

silent.

"So, Sir Fuuga... Now that you've bested me, what will you do with the

country you've won?"

"Build a new world. That's what I need this country's mercenaries for,"

Fuuga said, returning Zanganto, his rock-rending blade, to its sheath. "But

what will you do? Your reign as the Mercenary King is over."

"Nothing... I started from nothing, and won until I rose to where I was.

Now that I've lost, I'm back to where I started."

"Doesn't that feel kind of...empty?"

"Not really, no. I'm free from the weight of being king—the

responsibility to stay the strongest. It's not a bad feeling."

Gimbal must have felt like a champion who'd failed to defend the title

he'd held for many long years. The greater the honor, the heavier the

responsibility of defending it. And for a title with national consequences,

the weight must have been great indeed. This defeat let him finally set

down that burden.

The frustration of losing, the humiliation of falling to the ground, the

sadness of knowing he was finished as a warrior, and the elation at being set

free from his heavy responsibility... All these emotions came over Gimbal

one after another.

"If you ever have the chance to live without the burdens of

ambition...you'll understand how I feel too."

"Heh. Maybe," Fuuga said with a laugh, seeing Gimbal's satisfaction.

Gimbal had lived by the might of his sword arm, and now lay defeated.

He had lived the ideal Fuuga aspired to. The only difference between the

two was whether they were satisfied to rule only one country, or had their

eyes set on something much higher and more distant. It would be a long

time still before Fuuga's ambitions began to feel like a burden to him.

Fuuga turned and left the arena.

Hashim was waiting for him in the corridor on the way to the changing

room.

"That was superb, Lord Fuuga."

"Sure was. And now Zem belongs to me," Fuuga said, clapping a hand

on Hashim's shoulder as his advisor bowed to him. "Now, how do we use

this country?"

"Let's keep the nation as it is while arranging things so that we can

make use of their powerful mercenaries. I believe it would be wise to

appoint Moumei, the tournament's runner-up, as your viceroy and have him

rule the country."

"Ah... So that's why you had Moumei participate too."

Moumei Ryoku was a mountain of a man who wielded a giant hammer

and rode a steppe yak into battle. He also led Fuuga's infantry. And in a

simple test of strength, no techniques or magic allowed, he rivaled Nata

Chima for the title of strongest.

Hashim nodded.

"There are those who view Sir Moumei as having nothing special

beyond his strength. But he is an earnest man who will follow any mission

he is given with simple honesty, and also possesses mental flexibility. I am

sure he'll be able to carry on ruling in the same style as Gimbal."

"And now I see why you didn't have Nata participate..."

"Indeed. We couldn't trust him with Zem."

Nata was always yearning to fight tough opponents, so of course he'd

wanted to join the tournament, but Hashim adamantly refused. It was true

that might makes right in Zem, but leaving the country to a man with might

and nothing else wasn't going to work.

Hashim raised his head and looked Fuuga directly in the eyes. "Now the

preparations are complete. I would like you to show me where your next

road leads."

"So to the Kingdom or to the Empire, huh?"

With the Lunarian Orthodox Papal State and Zem under his control, he'd

been advised he needed to attack either the Kingdom of Friedonia or the

Gran Chaos Empire. In order to secure his current gains and ensure he

didn't lose momentum, he required administrators with experience running

a large nation. For that, he had to force either of the two great powers to

submit. The Empire had a massive population, while the Kingdom of

Friedonia was allied with the Republic of Turgis and the Nine-Headed

Dragon Archipelago Kingdom. Neither would be an easy opponent.

However, Fuuga had no option to stop.

"Call up the commanders as soon as we return to the Great Tiger

Kingdom. We'll discuss what's to be done at a council of war."

"Understood."

◇ ◇ ◇

Upon returning home to his country, Fuuga gathered his retainers in the

meeting room in Haan Castle.

In attendance were his wife Mutsumi, the Wisdom of the Tiger; Shuukin

Tan, the Sword of the Tiger—now viceroy of the Father Island of the Spirit

Kingdom; Nata Chima, the Battle Ax of the Tiger; Gaifuku Kiin, the Shield

of the Tiger; Kasen Shuri, the Crossbow of the Tiger; and Gaten Bahr, the

Flag of the Tiger. Those present were commanders who'd distinguished

themselves in the unification of the Union of Eastern Nations, as well as in

the ongoing liberation of the Demon Lord's Domain.

Also here were Saint Anne of the Lunarian Orthodox Papal State and

Lombard Remus—once a king in his own right—now administrator of a

territory retaken from the Demon Lord's Domain and his wife Yomi Chima.

Aside from Moumei Ryoku, the Hammer of the Tiger, who was serving

as viceroy in Mercenary State Zem now, all the famous retainers were

gathered together.

Looking around at each of them, Fuuga said, "Mercenary State Zem is

now in our hands."

"Congratulations, Lord Fuuga," Mutsumi said. The assembled retainers

all congratulated him, and bowed their heads as well.

Fuuga raised his hand, signaling for silence.

"With this, our faction has gained enough land forces to fight anyone,

even the Empire. For the past few years, we've steadily retaken land from

the Demon Lord's Domain while stabilizing the situation inside the country

and amassing power. You could say this was the result of all that... So, that

being the case..."

Fuuga looked around the room once again.

"We are putting a temporary pause on retaking the Demon Lord's

Domain from here on out."

"What?!" shouted Kasen, the youngest commander in the room.

"Haven't we fought all this time with the goal of liberating the Demon

Lord's Domain?! Many of the people believe that you will be the one to

slay the Demon Lord and retake all the stolen lands! How can we stop

here...?"

"Now, now. Settle down, Kasen," said the easygoing commander Gaten,

who was sitting beside Kasen.

Fuuga continued on, undeterred by the interruption. "It's not that we're

stopping. We're just pausing temporarily. Hashim."

"Yes, sire."

Hashim rose and went to stand in front of the map of the world that was

behind him. Taking a pointer in hand, he traced the line of the Great Tiger

Kingdom's current northern frontier.

"We have worked all this time to liberate the Demon Lord's Domain.

Our efforts have led to the return of the refugees who fled south. It's a fact

that positive reception towards being able to return home is part of the vocal

support for Lord Fuuga."

"So then why?"

"The lands further north are desert, and not many people lived in them

to begin with. Maybe a few nomadic tribes, at best. That means that any

advance north will bring us more land, but not more people. Ultimately, this

would put a greater strain on our nation."

Hashim patted the palm of his hand with the pointer.

"Furthermore, if we continue north, we run the risk of making contact

with the demons that are said to have wiped out the combined forces of

mankind led by the Empire. I won't suggest that Lord Fuuga would lose,

but as they are an unfamiliar opponent, it would only delight our neighbors

to see us moored in conflict with them. That's the reason for this pause."

"Is that really okay?" Shuukin asked. "We've relied on inertia to expand

our country as far as we have. It's because we were actively liberating the

Demon Lord's Domain, people gathered to our cause, and the men were

motivated. Suddenly going on the defensive goes against all that. I feel like

it would be a bit of a shame."

As the second wisest man in the room after Hashim, the other

commanders listened to what Shuukin had to say. One of them, Lombard,

raised his hand.

"Sir Lombard," Hashim called on him.

"I agree with Sir Shuukin's opinion, but...I think it may still be fine. It

will take time to stabilize the territories we've taken, and if we were to keep

charging onwards as we have been, one incident could cause the whole

thing to fall apart."

"Yeah. I'm in charge of the Father Island now too. I can understand what

Sir Lombard is saying," Shuukin said, momentarily agreeing. "But..."

Shuukin trailed off. After collecting his thoughts, he continued.

"It's easy to keep pushing a spinning wheel. But once the wheel grinds

to a halt, it takes considerable power to restart movement. If we kill our

inertia, it will not be easy to begin retaking the Demon Lord's Domain

again."

"I'm sure you're right," Hashim agreed. "It's awkward to say this,

but...the reason people idolize Lord Fuuga is, of course, in part because of

his charisma. But it is also because they are fed up with the status quo. The

refugees wish to be set free from their present situation, and those who find

themselves disadvantaged inside the country want to become more

prosperous... Their desires are in line with Lord Fuuga's grand ambition,

and so they push him from behind. If we give them stability now, that will

weaken Fuuga's ability to gather people to his cause."

It was as if Hashim was saying they mustn't let the people have peace.

"I never meant to say that much though..."

"It seemed hard for you to say, so I said it for you."

Shuukin looked unhappy, but Hashim was unabashed. Hashim then

turned his cold eyes to each of the other commanders.

"Lord Fuuga has been undefeated since he first raised his flag in

Malmkhitan. We had a bitter stalemate against the Dragon Knight

Kingdom, but fighting to a draw with them actually served to enhance his

reputation. The people are in a frenzy. They believe that under Lord Fuuga,

their country can expand infinitely. That we may even unite the continent."

"Is that not...overconfident?" Mutsumi asked in a cautious tone.

It wasn't only the commanders who could grow overconfident and

arrogant. The people of the country were also starting to think victory was

assured. The soldiers and the general populace might become overconfident

due to Fuuga's successes.

"Lord Fuuga has the blessing of Lady Lunaria. It's only a natural

assumption," Saint Anne said as if it were obvious.

Her belief was everything to her, and the people's faith in Fuuga's

victory was similar in nature. Mutsumi looked at Saint Anne as if she

empathized with the state of mind the people must be in.

"Is it that you fear what may happen once we lose our inertia, Brother?"

Mutsumi asked.

"Precisely. We must keep winning, keep advancing, and keep leading

the people. But as I just said, taking any more land from the Demon Lord's

Domain would bring little benefit and only increase our burden. I believe it

is time for a change of direction."

"Then let's take the empty land between us and the Empire's border!"

Nata, who wasn't interested in difficult topics, said eagerly.

Hashim looked at him coldly.

"The vacant lands between our border and the Empire's are a buffer

zone to prevent conflict. If we declare them our territory, we'll have a direct

border with the Empire. That runs the risk of everything from skirmishes to

the outbreak of total war. Did you suggest that with this sentiment in

mind?"

"Of course I did! We've got the strength to take on the Empire now! I'm

not the only one who thinks so either! Everyone in this country from the

rank-and-file soldiers to the man on the street says so! The Empire has

stopped moving. They aren't the ones who should lead mankind now—it's

us, the Great Tiger Kingdom!"

Nata's words obviously came from a man with muscles for brains, but it

was also true that the soldiers and people wanted to supplant the Empire.

Shuukin raised his hand. "Hold on, Nata. If we pick a fight with the

Empire, it may not be just the Empire we end up fighting against. I hear that

King Souma of Friedonia and the Empire's Empress Maria have been on

friendly terms since the response to the Spirit King's Curse. It's conceivable

that they have some secret ties we don't know about. No matter how strong

we've gotten, it's not enough that we can take on both the Kingdom and

Empire at once."

"No. There's no worry regarding that," Hashim contradicted Shuukin.

"It's true that Souma and Maria seemed close during the summit in Balm.

But their personal regard for one another doesn't extend to their people. I

don't know if they have secret ties, but the Empire and the Kingdom are not

allies."

"Well, yes, but..."

"I have the House of Chima's spies investigating public sentiment

regarding the Kingdom and Empire in each nation. When Souma first

ascended the throne, the Empire was forcing the Kingdom to pay war

subsidies. Whether that money was used effectively is not at issue here. It's

something the people of the Kingdom were not happy about. As for the

people of the Empire, they take pride in being the greatest of mankind's

nations. If they had to form an alliance to counter a rising power like us, it

would deal a blow to their pride. Their soldiers worship Maria. They

wouldn't take it quietly."

"You're saying they can't help each other due to public sentiment?"

"Exactly. Not in the present moment, at least."

According to Hashim's understanding, if Fuuga's faction grew and the

Empire and Kingdom felt imperiled, the situation might change. However,

under current conditions, even if they attacked one of the two countries, the

other couldn't help them.

Hearing all this, Shuukin felt uneasy. "Sir Hashim, are you planning to

pick a fight with either the Kingdom or the Empire?"

"Yes... That is what I've advised Lord Fuuga to do."

Hashim's words drew an audible gulp from all present, and they turned

to look at Fuuga.

Fuuga nodded silently. Shuukin glared at Hashim.

"Have you grown overconfident yourself?"

"Hardly. My counsel is based in reality."

Hashim related what he'd told Fuuga about the domestic situation when

they were in Mercenary State Zem. How the lack of administrators capable

of running a large nation was holding them back, and that they could only

gain them by forcing either the Kingdom or Empire to submit.

"It goes without saying, we do not have to act right this moment. Both

countries will be troublesome opponents if their people are united. The

Empire is powerful in its own right, and the Kingdom can use its allies in

the Maritime Alliance. First, we should choose our target, find an opening

or create one, and prepare to strike hard and fast when the time is right."

Nata slapped his knee happily. "Then let's fight the Empire!"

Hashim's eyes narrowed. "Dare I ask your reasoning?"

"If we're gonna fight, I wanna fight the stronger one! I saw Souma in

the Duchy of Chima, and he looked weak."

"Rejected. It wasn't even worth listening to."

With a pained look on his face, Shuukin said, "Both countries helped us

with the Spirit King's Curse. We owe them a debt of gratitude, so I

just...can't get behind the idea of preparing to attack either of them..."

"I understand how you feel, but we must put Lord Fuuga's ambition first

and foremost," Hashim told the hesitant Shuukin. "Souma said it himself

back then. Disease isn't a problem for one nation. It's something the whole

world needs to cooperate on. It's not as though we received any favor he

didn't also benefit from either. Our cooperation prevented the disease from

spreading all across the continent. I'm sure our people see it that way too."

"I question that argument..."

"Shuukin," Fuuga interjected. "I get where you're coming from. It's true

we couldn't have contained the disease that quickly on our own. You might

not have survived without their help."

Shuukin stayed silent, recalling his own battle with the Spirit King's

Curse.

"But if we follow our sense of gratitude, we'll have nowhere to go.

Those sorts of obligations are what tied up the Union of Eastern Nations,

making it impossible for them to flourish. We were only able to come this

far because we didn't have that stuff getting in our way. Don't forget that."

Hearing Fuuga's response, Shuukin had no choice but to back down.

"Okay..."

In an effort to change the heavy atmosphere in the room, Kasen asked

Fuuga, "So, Lord Fuuga, which of the two do you think it'll be easier to

topple?"

"Yes. I'd like to hear your assessment too," Mutsumi added. "Of Sir

Souma and Madam Maria."

"Hmm..." Fuuga stroked his chin. "Maria is a firebird. She charms

people with her almost blinding radiance, and keeps her enemies at bay

with scorching heat. But...the light she emits comes at the expense of

herself. Maria must be exhausted. If she keeps pushing herself to shine,

eventually she'll burn out, and all that will be left is ashes."

"I see. And Sir Souma?"

"Right. He's...a turtle, I guess?"

"Huh? A turtle?" Mutsumi was nonplussed. Fuuga nodded.

"The guy lacks ambition. He has no desire to attack anyone. He just

wants to protect himself from the sparks that come falling his way. Souma

doesn't have the beauty Maria has that allows her to charm people. He's

plain and grows slowly."

"That makes him sound...awfully easy to beat, doesn't it?" Kasen said,

but Fuuga laughed.

"You think so, Kasen? If he's a turtle, he's easy to beat?"

"Uh, yes. If he's a turtle, then—"

"What if I told you he's a turtle that's bigger than a mountain?"

"Wha?"

For a moment Kasen thought this might be a joke, but Fuuga's face was

totally serious.

"Souma's a turtle of enormous stature—bigger than a mountain. He's

slow going and lacks style, but once he starts to move, he can crush

mountains and change the terrain itself. He has a bunch of snakes for tails

too. Those snakes will whip out and attack anyone who means the turtle

harm—whether he wants them to or not."

"He sounds like a monster..."

"Damn straight he is. If we take on Souma, that's the kind of monster

we'll be facing," Fuuga said in a matter-of-fact way. "If he sets his mind to

it, he can mobilize the Republic and the Archipelago Kingdom. His

subordinates are all complicated and clever too. They take action for their

country without Souma meaning for them to. Even Yuriga, who's lived

there for years now, says she can't make heads or tails of the place. For my

part...I'd rather he not start moving."

The assembled commanders listened to Fuuga's evaluation in silence.

Souma was a man that Fuuga himself was hesitant to fight. That alone made

him worthy of caution.

After some time, Mutsumi asked, "So you're saying it's the Empire we

should make submit?"

"Sounds about right. If we can just make them give in, Souma'll

probably do what we say. If we can show him an overwhelming difference

in power, he'll bend the knee without any pointless resistance. He's the type

who'd put the safety of the people around him before his pride as a king."

Fuuga's words here decided the Great Tiger Kingdom policy. Treating

the Empire as a hypothetical enemy, the Great Tiger Kingdom would work

to stabilize the country, prepare their military, and watch like a hawk for

any opening to attack.

◇ ◇ ◇

—In the 6th month of the 1552nd year, Continental Calendar—

Fuuga sent forces into the unoccupied territory between them and the

Gran Chaos Empire. It was clear to all that he was trying to claim the region

as his own, and that he was prepared to accept having a direct border with

the Empire.

This report disturbed the higher-ups in the Empire. Empress Maria's

policy had been to ensure their defenses against monster incursions from

the Demon Lord's Domain were ready, but she had never broken her

cautious stance when it came to retaking land. Her Mankind Declaration

was in line with that policy, and focused primarily on giving support to

states bordering the Demon Lord's Domain to prevent its expansion.

However, at the same time, Fuuga's Great Tiger Kingdom grew massively

by liberating land from the Demon Lord's Domain, taking on the mantle of

protector of mankind's nations against the Demon Lord.

Maria's Mankind Declaration was seen as having already outlived its

purpose.

If Fuuga's forces occupied the buffer zone now, the Empire would be

completely blocked off from expanding to the north. Many of the Empire's

citizens felt threatened by that fact. They were firmly rooted in the belief

that it had been their country's efforts that had defended the nations of

mankind up until now—that theirs was the greatest country of all mankind.

It was a source of pride...and of arrogance. Such people could not accept the

current situation, where Saint Maria's presence faded as Fuuga won all the

accolades. That was why members of both the military and bureaucracy

began to voice the sentiment that they should send troops into the buffer

zone. Those voices grew larger by the day.

In the audience hall of Valois Castle in Imperial capital Valois, a

conversation was taking place...

"Your Imperial Majesty! Please, give us the order! To retake the

northern lands from the Demon Lord's Domain before Fuuga Haan! I speak

on behalf of all our griffon riders!"

"Krahe..."

At the bottom of the stairs to the throne, pleading with his empress, was

General Krahe, the commander of the Empire's air force, the griffon

squadrons. As a devotee of Saint Maria, he couldn't bear to see Fuuga

getting all the glory.

"Restrain yourself, General Krahe!" shouted Jeanne, the Little Sister

General, who was standing by Maria's side. "Her Imperial Majesty has

already made her will known! We will not be expanding north, she says! Do

not trouble her by asking the same thing time and again!"

"No, I cannot remain silent! More and more, the knights and nobility are

dissatisfied with the way Fuuga runs wild across the northern lands! You

are losing your authority as a saint! I—no, we want to fight for Her Imperial

Majesty's glory! I would gladly be buried in the Demon Lord's Domain if I

could fall in a battle to retake those lands as a sword of the Saint of the

Empire!"

"It would be unthinkable to move our forces to satisfy your intoxication

with my sister! Why can you not understand her desire not to involve the

soldiers and people in such a battle?!"

Krahe and Jeanne's argument continued back and forth. Maria watched

impassively.

It wasn't that she was uninterested, but she was endeavoring, as

empress, not to display any emotion.

"Krahe," Maria addressed him in a quiet voice. Krahe bowed low before

her.

"Yes, ma'am!"

"I...do not desire to expand the Empire any further."

"B-But you can't mean that!"

"There is nothing to be gained from the abandoned lands to the north.

They would only tax the treasury with the cost of revitalizing them. For

those in the forces of Fuuga Haan, with nothing to lose but their lives, I am

sure a meager lifestyle in the liberated lands will prove more than satisfying

enough. But that does not hold true for our country. Whoever was appointed

lord of those lands would request financial support, and I am sure they

would resent us for it if they were not given enough."

"Then please, entrust the liberated lands to us! Those of the same mind

as myself would rule them for you without a word of complaint!"

"I do not mean to say that they would request support out of their own

greed. If they are truly considering the needs of the people who would be

resettling those lands, it is only natural they would seek our aid. Even if the

lord chooses to act stoic when he should not be, it does no good if the

people are still facing hardship."

"Yes... But..."

With this well-reasoned explanation from Maria, not even the

loquacious Krahe had any counterargument. Because Maria was the saint he

worshiped, with the people always in her thoughts, he had no words with

which to deny her.

The woman standing at Krahe's side spoke up. "A word, if I may..."

She had a bit of a baby face, but was the sort of intellectual beauty who

would have looked good in glasses. Although she was maybe a little over

twenty years old, she stood upright with dignity and confidence.

"Lumi..." Jeanne murmured to herself.

The woman's name was Lumiere Marcoux. Despite her youth, she was

one of the top bureaucrats of this country.

Maria turned her head to face the woman. "What is it, Lumiere?"

"With all due respect, given the power of our country, we could take

possession of all the land between us and the Great Tiger Kingdom, and

support it with ease. If the people of the liberated territories have a hard life,

then we can simply give them aid. It would only heighten your own fame as

a saint. I'm in agreement with General Krahe on this."

"Lumi, not you too..." Jeanne was about to say something, but Lumiere

held up a hand to stop her.

"Jeanne. General Krahe and I are giving our opinions for the sake of this

country. I know you're my friend, but please don't interrupt me."

"Ngh..." This time it was Jeanne's turn to be silenced.

Maria looked at Lumiere with a pained expression on her face.

"It's true... My country has strength left to spare, but that doesn't mean

we always will. If we expand to take as much land and people as we can,

we may not be able to respond in a crisis. That could very well set off the

chain reaction that causes it all to fall apart."

"It is our duty as your retainers to do everything within our power to

prevent that from happening."

"It is my job as empress as well. And it is also my duty not to make

choices which can result in such risks unless I absolutely have to."

"But ma'am—"

"I'm sorry, Lumiere. We'll have to end it there for today." Maria brought

the conversation to a close and dismissed the two of them.

Once they had left the audience chamber, Jeanne's shoulders slumped.

"Darn it, Lumi... She's totally become part of the hawkish faction inside

the bureaucracy."

Maria set aside her persona as empress and was talking to Jeanne as her

elder sister.

"You two were friends, right?"

"Yes, we've known each other since the military academy. But Lumi's

shoulder was shattered in a training accident, and the lingering aftereffects

of that disqualified her from becoming an officer. The surgeons we have

now might have been able to do something for her, but medicine wasn't so

developed back then. Before Sir Souma came to this world..."

"I see... And that's why she joined the bureaucracy?"

"She's a hard worker by nature. Once her path to becoming a military

officer was cut off, she couldn't simply sit around powerless and

unmotivated. She did everything she could to make the transition to the

bureaucracy, and made her way up to the top."

"She sounds wonderful."

"I respect her. Even now, I'm proud to call her a friend. But...maybe

because she was originally a military person, she's hawkish even now that

she's become a bureaucrat. She's become something like the leader to the

bureaucrats upset with your passive strategy."

Jeanne looked like she had bitten into something unpleasant.

"She's serious and honest to a fault. It's hard to watch... I've asked her

several times, as a friend, to try to understand your feelings...but it's just

never worked..."

"I see..." Maria murmured sadly before rising from the throne.

Turning around, she looked up to the Imperial flag hanging behind it.

"For all this time, I've worked to unite the people of this country. And at

some point, they started holding me up as the 'Saint of the Empire.' I never

liked the name, but if it brings our hearts together... I thought I could live

with it."

"Sister..." Jeanne choked, a pained look on her face.

With a sad smile, Maria responded, "But now our hearts seem to be

drifting apart."

Jeanne could say nothing in response.