第４９１堀：攻めてきた理由 (Part1)
**Chapter 491: Reasons for the Invasion**
**Side: Yuki**
Well, now that we’ve both taken our seats, where should I even begin?
"Although we received forgiveness for yesterday’s events, in all honesty, we bear responsibility for the fact that you, Yuki-sama, and the people of Weed were summoned and abducted. We are truly sorry."
With those words, the Prince and George bowed their heads once again.
Ah, that’s right. The reason I was called here in the first place was because this Empire had launched an attack.
"Please, raise your heads. I don’t intend to hold the Empire responsible for the summoning. I don’t even believe such a thing truly exists."
"Indeed. I never imagined that Haiden would cling to the summoning of fairy tales."
"However, fairy tales shouldn't be underestimated. After all, you people of Weed have arrived here just like that. Well, I suppose it is Haiden’s fault for failing to understand the aspect of kidnapping, isn't it?"
"Yes. As George-dono says. I intend to pursue that matter with Haiden, but could you tell me the reason why you decided to attack Haiden in the first place? To be honest, we haven't even been here for a few days. I’m completely in the dark regarding the relationships between the surrounding countries. In that sense, I couldn't just strike down the enemies who came at us without knowing the context."
If Haiden was already under a blockade, it would be problematic for us to become their allies.
No matter how you look at it, our goals are at the opposite end of the spectrum.
It’s not a question of who is good or evil; simply being on Haiden’s side would mean making enemies of many nations.
The same applies to the Empire. If their reason for invading Haiden was to unify the surrounding region, then their hypothetical enemies would be everyone in the vicinity.
In that case, I’d be stuck dealing with the hassle of fighting enemies regardless of which side I chose.
To avoid such complications, I first need to grasp the political situation in this area.
"I see. That is reasonable. However, I’m not sure where to start explaining..."
"Indeed. When it comes to the state of these nations, no matter how we look at it, our explanation will inevitably be from the Empire’s perspective."
"If you're asking where to start, well... perhaps with the surrounding countries and their relationships. Please keep the history lessons to a minimum. And I understand that it will be from the Empire’s viewpoint."
"Understood. We cannot show you a map, but we can briefly describe the surrounding countries..."
And so, the explanation began.
There are about 27 countries in this vicinity, both large and small.
Thinking that’s a lot is probably just my modern Earth perspective—or perhaps because I live in Japan.
In Europe, there are still about that many countries today.
With this many nations divided on a continuous landmass, in a world with a lower level of civilization than modern Earth, this number is actually quite normal—or perhaps even small.
Well, the population is likely overwhelmingly smaller, too.
Among those 27 countries, the ones that stand out are the Findall Empire we are speaking with, the Haiden Kingdom that performed the summoning, and two other major powers.
I’ll omit the others as they aren't very relevant right now.
The reason no one has managed to conquer the continent is because of the other small nations.
If one moves recklessly, they become an enemy to all four directions, so they maintain a status quo by keeping relations with the smaller states.
I’ve heard this story in history books before.
It’s the classic tale of how, whenever a hegemonic power tries to rise, the others cooperate to stop it.
In other words, the nail that sticks out gets hammered down.
That is precisely why it’s easier to build something new elsewhere. Our own history proves that. Rather than reforming the inside, it’s better to establish a new nation on new land—even if that comes with its own set of problems, it’s still better than a country bound by old traditions. After all, the very premise of our group is that we gathered because we disliked those kinds of things.
That was the situation in this region.
There were other details, like how one of the major powers faces the sea and has an advantage in marine products.
Hmm, unlike the continent we were on or the New Continent, the fact that a major power possesses the sea was a first for me and quite interesting, but I had other things to ask about, so those took priority.
"I see. I generally understand the situation with the surrounding countries. Now, why the military expedition to Haiden? Wouldn't that provoke the other countries?"
Yes, that is the current problem.
From what I’ve heard, the Empire hasn't been in what you could call a "war" with anyone else so far, despite some minor skirmishes.
They themselves admitted that if they tried to take down Haiden, other countries might move against them.
So, it’s become even more mysterious why they decided to attack Haiden in the first place.
"We have no concrete proof, but according to His Majesty, Haiden’s movements have been unsettling since the current generation took over."
"Unsettling?"
"Yes. The change in leadership happened about 15 years ago, I believe. Since then, diplomatic pressure has intensified, border violations have occurred one after another, and people sent to study magic have ended up settling in Haiden—and this isn't just happening occasionally, but frequently. Not just to the Empire, but to other countries as well. We have protested repeatedly, but we cannot even contact the individuals who supposedly wished to emigrate."
...That would certainly be worrying.
I mean, I have no idea what the Haiden Kingdom is thinking.
"Have you conducted any investigations?"
"We sent people, but it seems there was no useful information. Regardless, if this diplomatic pressure and border violation continues, it will be a problem for both the Empire and the surrounding countries, so we decided to take action and send troops."
"I see..."
However, hearing this from the Empire, it’s definitely their subjective view.
It sounds like Haiden is nothing but a villain.
"But why send troops? Did you decide that a peaceful resolution was impossible?"
"...I am not His Majesty, so I cannot say for sure, but I suspect it is because they are a nation of magic. If they are allowed to prepare, the damage from their magic units will be catastrophic. Even this time, we struggled more than expected against the student unit. Perhaps they believe that unless they are dealt a painful blow, they won't be willing to talk. We wanted the Bide trading city, Princess Carrie, and the daughter of Duke Kamishiro as bargaining chips."
"So that’s how it is."
Indeed, if they have the trading city, the princess, and the daughter of one of the Three Houses, Haiden wouldn't be able to ignore their demands.
"In that case, is it a problem that we have secured Bide, Princess Carrie, and Kamishiro-dono?"
"It would be a problem if you said you were going to side with Haiden, but I don't think you would do such a thing at this point. There have even been proposals for your stationing there. For us, that actually helps reduce our risks."
"That is true. We no longer need to leave troops behind to defend Bide. In a sense, it’s a relief that we no longer have to deal with the VIPs ourselves. Well, for us, we need them for the negotiations with Haiden, so as long as we can meet with them then, it will be fine."
Hmm, I see. So it looks like we’ve taken the trouble off their hands.
Indeed, the Imperial army lost, but they are mostly unscathed, and it’s safe to say that the peace and reconciliation with Weed are mostly settled.
We’ve agreed to the stationing in Bide, and we share the same desire to have a seat at the table with Haiden.
Actually, I want to avoid teaming up with Haiden myself.
From what I’ve heard, it seems impossible to negotiate with Haiden through normal channels.
There is too much unsettling information. It would be premature to judge here, but there is no reason for us to side with Haiden.
As for the Empire, since Bide wasn't occupied by them, but by Weed—who is now in a cooperative relationship with them—it’s an ideal situation if they consider it a buffer zone.
"After all, if we were to cross swords with Weed, our country would likely be destroyed."
"In that sense, we should be glad that our Empire has joined hands with such a wonderful nation."