How a Realist Hero Rebuilt The Kingdom

Book 14: Chapter 9

In the royal capital of Parnam...

“Your Majesty. We just received word. It seems they will be coming,” Hakuya said as he entered the governmental affairs office.

“Oh! So they’re coming, huh?” I said, rising from my chair. I had been waiting for this report.

It had been ten days since they’d received news of a skirmish between Fuuga’s forces and the dragon knights of Nothung near the border between the Kingdom of Lastania and the Dragon Knight Kingdom.

Under guard by a force of dragon knights led by Queen Sill herself, the Lastanian refugees, including Julius and Jirukoma, set down in the courtyard of Parnam Castle.

Having received advance word of their arrival, I met their representatives, Queen Sill and Pai for the Dragon Knight Kingdom, and Julius and Jirukoma for the Kingdom of Lastania, in the audience chamber. With me were Prime Minister Hakuya, my bodyguard Aisha, and Roroa and Naden who had ties to our guests.

“Whoa, Pai?! What happened to your eye?!” Naden cried out when she saw Pai standing next to Madam Sill.

Pai had an androgynous-looking face in his human form, but the area around his left eye was covered with a mask now. It was very stylish, looking almost like a Venetian mask.

“A-Ah ha ha...” Pai laughed awkwardly, pointing to the mask. “The tiger got me during our fight with Fuuga.”

“Durga did...? Are you okay?”

“Yeah. I got to a healer quickly, so I didn’t go blind. The scar won’t go away though.”

“A warrior’s wounds are badges of honor. As your wife, I couldn’t be more proud,” Madam Sill said, throwing her arm around Pai’s shoulder.

He blushed and thought, Madam Sill calls herself the wife, but she sure is manly.

At the same time, Julius and Roroa were meeting again for the first time in a while.

“Big brother...”

“Roroa... I don’t think we’ve met since the demon wave.”

Taking note of her swollen belly, Julius said, “It sure has grown. Are you due before Tia?”

“Yeah, I reckon I am. Looks like big sis’s kid is gonna be the little sis.”

“Oh... How has Tia been, by the way?”

“She’s been doin’ great, aside from bein’ worried sick about you.”

“Thank goodness...”

Once everyone had the chance to check that their friends and family were doing all right, I cleared my throat loudly.

“All right... I’m sure you all have loads to talk about, but I’d like to handle the formalities first. Welcome to the Kingdom of Friedonia, Queen Sill and Sir Pai of the Nothung Dragon Knight Kingdom.”

“Thank you for greeting us, Your Majesty.”

“Th-Thank you.”

Queen Sill and Pai bowed their heads in unison. I nodded.

“And I’m glad you could make it, Sir Julius and Sir Jirukoma. You are welcome here.”

“Thank you. You have my gratitude for taking in the members of Lastania’s royal family.”

“This is a greater honor than we deserve.”

Julius and Jirukoma bowed their heads too.

With that, I clapped my hands. “Okay, I think that’s enough of me in king mode. Julius, I’m sure you must be tired from the long trip, but could you explain what’s happened?”

“Very well.”

Julius explained all the details of what had happened inside the Union of Eastern Nations. The vast majority of it matched what our agents had reported, but having been there himself, Julius knew more about the general atmosphere inside the Union of Eastern Nation. It was a shock that the people of Lastania welcomed Fuuga becoming their new ruler.

I had sensed that the people of the Kingdom of Lastania felt especially close to their royal family. I thought they loved and respected them. And yet, only a small number chose to flee the country with Julius. Everyone puts their own family first. After experiencing the demon wave, the people of the Union of Eastern Nations must have felt safer under the umbrella of a powerful figure like Fuuga.

Hakuya let out a sigh as he listened to the story. “We knew it would be like this, but the man certainly is trouble, isn’t he?”

“Yeah... And now he’s got a schemer like Hashim with him. He’ll do things that aren’t like him if he has to, which is going to make predicting what they’ll do even harder...”

“I’m sure you’re right.” Julius nodded. “The Union of Eastern Nations is Fuuga’s country now. They’ll be able to launch a major expansion into the Demon Lord’s Domain. With the Empire’s more subdued approach, he may be able to become the largest nation by landmass on the continent.”

“However, while he can expand his territory, he cannot grow his population with the same speed. There will still be a large difference in power between us...” Hakuya added in response to Julius’s bitter words.

“And yet, the current atmosphere in the world is giving Fuuga the momentum to overturn that difference.”

“I learned just how strong that man is by fighting him,” Sill said, crossing her arms. “He’s a monster on a scale like no other.”

Even if it was just a skirmish, I was impressed that Madam Sill had fought Fuuga and lived to tell the tale. Still, it was terrifying that Fuuga could make a dragon knight talk about him that way.

“I couldn’t do anything...” Julius said, lowering his eyes. “I was right there, and could only watch as Tia’s country was stolen from us.”

“Julius...”

“But I am alive; Tia as well, along with her parents. The old royal family’s survival will be an eyesore to Fuuga’s camp. Even if he doesn’t care much himself, Hashim will.”

“You could be right...”

From what the Black Cats told me, Hashim would not hesitate to employ cruelties in service to his goals. He might be a naturally Machiavellian (in the sense that word is used by people who didn’t really understand Machiavelli’s The Prince) actor. If so, he wouldn’t be able to overlook the existence of the old royal family when it threatened Fuuga’s rule.

“Fuuga may send a demand that you turn us over to him,” Julius said, looking me straight in the eyes. “What will you do? If you refuse, it may harm your relations with Fuuga’s camp. Will you still let the Lastanian royal family stay in this country?”

His eyes were serious. That’s why I returned his gaze without looking away.

“I will. And I’ll be rejecting any requests to turn you over, of course. I’ll use your position as my brother-in-law to soften the blow. I don’t think Fuuga will push the issue. Hashim may not like it, but Fuuga won’t want to do anything to stir up hostility with us yet either.”

I was trying to comfort him, but Julius shook his head.

“You may be right about Fuuga, but Hashim will probably send assassins, at the very least.”

“I intend to give you bodyguards, you know?”

“That’s not enough to assuage my concerns.”

Then Julius dropped to one knee. Ignoring our surprised reactions, he bowed his head with his right hand on the floor.

“Sir Souma A. Elfrieden, King of Friedonia. I wish to offer you my services.”

Offer his services... He’s gonna work for me?! As proud a person as Julius is?!

“You don’t need to push yourself... I’ll welcome you as a guest either way.”

“I told you. I’m worried.”

Julius looked up. I could see a shadow hanging over his face.

“A royal family with no country has no place. Depending on how things develop going forward, Tia may find herself in a dangerous predicament. That being the case, I want to give my all to serve this country, and carve out a position for us that makes it harder to be disposed of.”

“I understand where you’re coming from, but...” I crossed my arms and groaned. “I’m the man who killed your father...”

“He was Roroa’s father too. I chose to let old grudges go during the demon wave.”

“We’re former enemies. You left a bad impression on some people in the Kingdom and Principality. You’ll struggle to gain their trust. You’re starting with less than none.”

“I’ll work hard enough to convince the people of this country.”

“Brother...” Roroa murmured, looking concerned.

I didn’t know what to do, so I looked at Hakuya and asked, “What do you think, Hakuya...?”

“I believe it would be acceptable,” Hakuya replied bluntly. “I expressed my formal opposition to taking them in at all. However, sire, you made the decision to do so. At this point, I see little difference between accepting him as a guest and accepting him as a retainer.”

“Oh... That’s what you meant.”

“Sir Julius is most certainly gifted. I have confidence in my ability to make preparations in advance and come up with a larger strategy, but taking tactical control on the battlefield is beyond me. Our reports suggest that Fuuga’s advisor, Hashim, can do just that. I worry that the difference in our ability to head out to the field of battle may someday prove the difference between victory and defeat.”

In regards to taking tactical control, we had advisors out in the field like Kaede. However, she was a mage and mainly operated as rear line support, so she wasn’t suited to leading on the front line. In contrast, Julius could put his strategic aptitude to use in the middle of the fray. He had the martial prowess to lead troops while fighting himself too. It wouldn’t be a stretch to call him a field commander.

If Hakuya handled strategy and Julius took care of the smaller tactical decisions, it would be possible to operate the National Defense Force more efficiently.

I looked at Julius. “Even if you enter my service, I can’t give you the Amidonia region as your domain, you know?”

“I am already Julius Lastania. If I am to return anywhere, it will be there.”

“I want to do everything I can to avoid a confrontation with Fuuga. Do you understand that there may not be a home for you to return to?”

“So long as Tia is fine, I can live with that. But if someday war with Fuuga comes, I will devote all my strength to the battle.”

“I see.” Sensing his determination, I made up my mind too. “Serve me, Julius.”

“I will. Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Hearing him call me “Your Majesty” feels...weird. Well, considering he was the elder brother of my third primary queen, and a former enemy too, we probably had to keep a certain professional distance. I was just going to have to get used to it.

“But when we’re not in public, I want you to treat me the same as always. It’s too awkward otherwise,” I said, taking his hand, and Julius smiled wryly.

“Heh heh, understood. Now then, Souma, I know this is sudden, but I’d like to propose a plan for how to deal with the Union of Eastern Nations going forward...”

Julius was eager to put his cunning to work for me, but...

“You idiot!”

“Wha?!”

Roroa walked up and suddenly slapped him across the face. He looked at her in shock as she pointed at him.

“You’ve got somethin’ else to do before you start offerin’ suggestions! Have you got any idea how worried big sis has been about ya?!”

“But...” Julius started to argue as he rubbed his cheek, but...he must have decided Roroa had a point, because he relented. “Sorry, Roroa...”

“As long as you get it,” Roroa said, crossing her arms and snorting.

Julius showed honest contrition, while Roroa demonstrated her dignity as a soon-to-be mother.

I couldn’t help but laugh at the contrast.

◇ ◇ ◇

A few days later, it appeared that not only the Lastanians had drifted to our land as a result of losing their own to Fuuga and his forces. The third daughter and fourth son of the House of Chima, Sami and Nike, had arrived at the royal castle.

As far as these two were concerned, they had actually submitted an application to enter the country to the border guards before Julius arrived. I gave my permission immediately, but because they were traveling overland, Julius and the others who were coming by air beat them here.

When I received word they had arrived at Parnam Castle, I met them in the audience chamber with Hakuya, Aisha, and their little brother Ichiha. They weren’t acquainted with me like Julius, and didn’t have a position of importance like Queen Sill, so I sat on the throne during the audience while I tried to discern their intentions.

“Madam Sami, Sir Nike. Welcome to the Kingdom of Friedonia,” I said to them in king mode, and Nike was the one to bow his head and respond.

“Thank you for meeting us on such short notice.”

Sami on the other hand, with a vacant expression on her face, said nothing. She just bowed her head at the same time as Nike. It didn’t feel like that was out of disrespect, or because she was plotting something. If anything, she had no plans at all. She felt lifeless, lethargic, like an empty shell.

While that concerned me, I moved the conversation along.

“Think nothing of it. Ichiha offered his services to me. If you’re his siblings, you are welcome here too.”

“You are too kind.”

“So...what exactly happened?” I asked, looking at Sami, and Nike raised his head.

“Sir Souma... Are you aware of the present situation in the union of Eastern Nations?”

“I’ve received reports, yes. Fuuga has taken total control, correct? I heard that your father Mathew was struck down in the war.”

“Yes. If you know, then that makes things quicker.” Nike placed a hand on Sami’s shoulder. “During the conflict, my sister Sami’s adoptive father was murdered in a plot by our elder brother Hashim, and she was driven out of the country.”

Nike went on to explain the events that led to their coming here.

Sami had been adopted by King Heinrant of the Kingdom of Roth. He had loved her like a father, but because he was part of the neutral faction he was killed in a plot by Hashim. Sami had been attempting to fight back and avenge him, but Nike stopped her. I already knew how Fuuga had seized power from Julius’s report. But it felt heavier hearing about it from an actual victim than it did just reading words on paper.

I’m sure...when they write the history books, all it will say is, “Fuuga won the Battle of the Sebal Plains and took control of the Union of Eastern Nations.” I think there was a commentator in the world I came from that said what is left once you remove all interpretation from the facts is history. There was likely more bloodshed than I imagine, and more tragedy.

A purge of those with uncertain loyalties... I had done the same thing. Convincing myself to do it with the justification of rebuilding the country. But while I had that pretext, I’d still struggled with it. Fuuga... How about you? For the dream he races blindly towards. For the dreams others had entrusted to him.

What did that great man think when blood and tears flowed? Did he struggle with it? Did he not care? Was he too dense to notice? Was he prepared for it? Or even drunk on the blood? He was too different for me to even hazard a guess.

But... No matter how he feels about it, I feel like he’ll stand there, facing it head-on.

I was weak, so I needed others to help me. When the guilt of the cruelties I had stained my hands with was about to crush me, Liscia and the others supported and consoled me. That was how I was able to just barely stay on my feet. Fuuga was so strong he wouldn’t need Madam Mutsumi to support him.

That was what I was thinking about while Nike told the story.

Once most of the details were made clear, I asked him, “And? What are you doing here in my country?”

“I wanted to leave Big Sister Sami here, where Ichiha is.”

“Madam Sami?”

“Right. If I leave her in the Union of Eastern Nations now, she’ll spark conflict. Big Brother Hashim isn’t one to let that happen. Which is why Big Sister Mutsumi asked me to get her out of there in order to keep our family from spilling any more of our own blood.”

“This was at Madam Mutsumi’s direction...?”

“Yes. I have a letter from her here.”

Aisha took the letter Nike pulled out of his pocket and brought it to me. It spoke of Mutsumi’s feelings, unable to stop Fuuga because she was his wife, but wanting her sister Sami to be well. It ended saying, “Please take care of her and Ichiha.”

When I finished reading, I passed it to Hakuya and Ichiha to look through.

“Big Sister Mutsumi...”

Ichiha seemed especially pained by what he read there.

I guess Fuuga won’t be demanding that she be handed over, then... I thought.

If he tried, Madam Mutsumi would push back with everything she had. Fuuga wasn’t the type to disregard Madam Mutsumi’s feelings like that. Hashim would probably scowl, but unlike Julius, he wouldn’t go so far as to make an enemy of Mutsumi in order to get his hands on Sami.

I faced Nike and Sami. “We have no intention of stirring trouble with Sir Fuuga’s country. If you’re looking for us to help you with your vengeance, we can’t do it, okay?”

“That is fine. I think what Big Sister Sami needs now is time.”

“Fair enough... And you’re all right with that too, Madam Sami?”

Sami nodded, no emotion showing on her face.

Yeah... The emotional scars are going to take some time to heal, I thought. Then I turned and said, “Ichiha, would you show Madam Sami your room?”

“Okay! Come on, Big Sister Sami.” Ichiha called out to Sami hesitantly, and her eyes widened.

Then, as she looked at his face, massive tears began to stream down her face.

“Ichiha... Ichihaaaa.” She hugged him tight, bawling. “My father... Hein... Hashim, he... he... Wahhh!”

“Yes. I’m listening. You can tell me all about it.”

“Wahhhhhh!”

Sami wailed as she clung to Ichiha. He gently stroked her back, like you would a crying baby. For the rest of us present, all we could do was watch.

Some time after that, when she had settled down a little, Sami left the room with Ichiha. It hurt to see her go, leaning on his shoulder like that.

“We probably shouldn’t let her meet Yuriga for a while...”

“A good point,” Hakuya replied. “I’ll tell Madam Yuriga to be careful not to run into her too.”

Looking at Nike, I said, “You can trust us with Madam Sami. So? What will you be doing from here on, Sir Nike?”

“I wonder that myself... I’m pretty sure I can’t return to the Union of Eastern Nations anymore.”

He was talking a little more casually now, probably out of relief that he had been able to hand Sami off to us. This was probably what he was normally like.

“Will you live here in this country? It’s not much different to me, sheltering two of you instead of just one.”

“Ah ha ha... I appreciate the thought, but this place is too close to the Union of Eastern Nations. Even if you have no intention of instigating anything, we can’t be sure Sir Fuuga won’t start a war with you... If I placed myself in your care, I might end up having to fight against Big Sister Mutsumi. That’s...the one thing I want to avoid.”

“I see...”

He must have really loved his sister. He’d brought Sami here, even at the cost of not being able to return himself, all at Mutsumi’s request.

As I thought, Guess I can’t get him to stay... a familiar voice spoke out.

“Ookyakya! Then how about you come to my place?” Kuu said as he entered the audience chamber. I looked at him with exasperation.

“Kuu. You were listening?”

“Only to what you were saying just now. When I saw Ichiha leaving the audience chamber, I figured you guys were done.”

With that said, Kuu crouched down in front of Nike.

“I remember you from the demon wave. The third or fourth son of the Chimas, right?”

“The fourth. And you are...?”josei

“I’m Kuu Taisei, future head of the Republic.”

“The Republic of...Turgis?”

“Yeah. On the southern tip of the continent.” Kuu slapped Nike vigorously on the shoulder. “It’s out of the way, and damn cold, so even the Empire hesitated to invade us back in the day. If Fuuga’s gonna expand south, we’ll probably be left until last. That makes us a pretty good fit for you, don’t you think?”

“It does, but...I hate the cold.”

“Ookyakya! It might be a bit tough on a human like you, but you’ll do just fine if you bundle up. Although, even the traveling merchants stop coming in the winter.”

“Whaa...”

“It’s not like you’ve got anywhere else to go, right?” Kuu grabbed Nike by the lapels and pulled him to his feet. “So come to my place. You seem tough, so you’re more than welcome.”

“Aah... It’s already decided?”

“Sure is. You heard that, bro? I’m taking this guy.”

“Hey, wait, Kuu.”

Before I could stop him, Kuu dragged a still-reluctant Nike out of the room... Is this really okay?

“If he has no intention to offer us his services, I believe this is acceptable,” Hakuya said, unfazed. “Sir Nike is an accomplished warrior and a sharp-minded commander, so it’s preferable to him returning to the Union of Eastern Nations to serve Sir Fuuga.”

Oh, that makes sense. I could see Hakuya had a point.