第５２９堀：本当に忙しい半日 夜明之部 (Part1)
**Chapter 529: A Truly Busy Half-Day – Dawn Section**
**Side: Yuki**
Princess Carrie, who had been wearing a look of genuine surprise after falling for my trap, quickly returned to a stoic expression. After a moment of contemplation, she opened her mouth to speak.
“...I see. So you heard it from General Georgein.”
“That’s right.”
“I never imagined you would have already unearthed what could be called the greatest failure of our nation.”
“We’ve had our own share of complications, you see.”
The cause, of course, was showing off the monsters in Weed. If things had gone differently, I might have been branded an enemy by this very princess—it was a close call. It just goes to show you never know where the landmines are buried in this world. In some anime, a white flag doesn't mean surrender, but rather a declaration to fight with everything one has. It’s a reminder that proper information gathering and clear communication are paramount.
“Then we can skip the pleasantries. At the time of the kidnapping of the Second Princess, Her Highness Arju, which occurred in the Empire, we were visiting the Imperial capital. No, I witnessed the scene with my own eyes. I could only flee, leaving behind Her Highness Arju, who was a dear friend.”
“I see. So, personal resentment and national duty have become intertwined.”
“Yes. Since that day, Haiden’s distrust of the Empire has deepened because they endangered royalty. The appearance of monsters—the stuff of legends—and the subsequent wars began, and the fools in Haiden started clamoring for the annexation of neighboring countries. Because of that, they sought to use my mother—the Queen and wife of the late King—to force a choice upon my uncle, the current King. They wanted him to either abdicate the throne to my mother or recreate the legendary Three Houses that once drove the demons from this land.”
“Hmm, hmm. From what I heard, it sounded like the King himself was leading the preparations to annex neighboring countries, but you’re saying it’s actually the opposite?”
“Yes. Though, to be precise, it is about half and half. It is a fact that the kidnapping incident in the Empire occurred, and it is only natural to reinforce the borders against them—and against countries with strong ties to the Empire. If we didn't, we would be called incompetent, foolish rulers. That, in turn, would jeopardize the throne. As for the talk of annexing neighbors, that is a reaction to the appearance of monsters; for a nation that holds the legend of our First Ancestor, it is, in a sense, a natural response.”
“So, denying it outright would have been a disaster that could have shaken the very foundations of the country. You took the stance of fulfilling the subjects' wishes while waiting for things to calm down, but there were agitators working from within, and you were investigating them?”
“Exactly. My uncle pretends to agree with the annexation of neighboring countries on the surface, while my mother coordinates with the top anti-war factions to strive for domestic stability. It is split between the current Royalist faction and the Old Royalist faction—hence, half and half.”
So, she was a greater strategist than I had anticipated. Then again, this happens in reality, too. Balancing the scales to prevent them from tipping too far in either direction and causing extremism is a common occurrence in the modern world as well.
“I have caused Lady Catherine a great deal of trouble because of this, and with this latest incident... I have done something truly regrettable. I had hoped to contain this within the palace, but in addition to the Empire’s invasion of Bide, the elite magic corps that our nation prides itself on publicly declared rebellion against one of the Three Houses, Duke Kamishiro. And then, the summoning of monsters. The roots were deeper than I thought. Well, considering the remnants of the Lira Kingdom are mixed in, I suppose that is only to be expected.”
Princess Carrie smiled as she said this. It was a smile that didn't reach her eyes—a smile of absolute zero. She was clearly pleased to be able to settle her personal grudge, but the hatred for those who killed her friend had also doubled.
“My prediction was that by reducing the troops facing the Empire and showing that we could safely exist without annexing our neighbors, things would settle down, but...”
“And then the Findall Empire made its move, causing the current Royalist faction to regain momentum all at once?”
“Yes. However, the situation was worse than I thought. My uncle’s policy was essentially to stockpile strength in preparation for emergencies, which kept the current Royalist faction satisfied. It was clear to everyone that we lacked the physical numbers to govern the vast surrounding lands. But the summoning of monsters changes everything.”
“It means you can overcome sheer numbers. Regardless of administrative talent, you’ve gained a means to summon as many troops as you like.”
“Exactly. When that happens, governance becomes secondary. The martial faction, which doesn't think deeply about such things, will lean toward the current Royalist faction—that is, toward the annexation of neighboring countries. They even have a justification: the fact of the Empire’s invasion of Bide.”
“I see. But what about the movements of the Haiden army, which seemed to foresee the enemy attacking Bide? Surely, from your perspective, you would have preferred nothing to happen?”
“Ah, that. My uncle had also grasped that the Empire was making moves, so he gathered the army under the guise of an exercise, just in case. Since we had been claiming to be ‘stockpiling strength,’ he used that as an excuse to show off the results.”
“So that’s what that meant.”
“Yes. Well, in the end, there were more enemies than expected, they moved faster, and thanks to you, Yuki-sama, the reinforcements did not arrive in time. Tarklam, who came as a reinforcement, must have been deeply frustrated. He is the one who controls the logistics for the current Royalist faction, so he must have wanted the trading city of Bide at all costs. Well, the true purpose of the Bide raid was made clear by Clay’s rebellion.”
“To secure the magical power needed to summon monsters.”
“Precisely. As someone with high magical capacity, I—and Kagura—would be prime targets for such a ritual. They likely thought they could use the results to persuade the Old Royalist faction, and kill anyone who still opposed them. Clay was surprised by our presence, so he likely intended to kill the Duke and tell Kagura and her sister that the Duke had been killed by the Empire. That way, he could gain their cooperation and turn one of the Three Houses into his pawn.”
“How could they...”
Well, it’s a classic trope. But Kagura seemed stunned, unable to believe that such a storybook event was happening to her.
“Kagura. I know it is hard to believe, but it is the truth. The reason I acted like a fool in front of you and Yuki-sama until now was because I had no idea who the enemy was. However, I am truly sorry for involving you in this. Please forgive me. This is undoubtedly a failure of the Royal Family, who are meant to lead the Three Houses. My apologies to you as well, Duke.”
Princess Carrie bowed her head to Kagura and Duke Kamishiro.
“P-Princess, p-please raise your head!! I-I mean, a lot has happened, but I don't mind at all!?”
“Hmm. I shall accept your apology. However, this is no longer just a problem for the Royal Family. It is a crisis for the Three Houses, and in another sense, a recreation of the legend is occurring...”
The Duke looked at me and said...
“The summoning of monsters—in a sense, the worst possible recreation of Haiden’s legend is about to occur. No, that is not quite right. It is truly a recreation of the legend.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Exactly what I said. It is identical to the legend of the First Ancestors passed down in Haiden. A crisis for the nation, a summoning, and the appearance of monsters.”
“...Now that you mention it, you’re right. ...Yuki-sama.”
Princess Carrie turned to face me, staring with a serious expression as she opened her mouth.
“At the time you were summoned, I myself did not believe it, but having seen the process up to this point, I can believe it now. Would you be willing to lend us your power? Of course, once everything is over, we will search for a way to return you to your original world. I would stake my life on it.”
...Hm?
Something feels off, doesn't it?
Everyone tilted their heads. But since we didn't quite understand what was off, no one could bring themselves to say it.