第５７３堀：忘れられたモノたち (Part1)
Chapter 573: The Forgotten Ones
Side: Yuki
"It was surprisingly calm and laid-back, wasn't it?"
"I agree."
"I honestly thought things would go south when August made that statement."
The ones having this conversation were Seraria, Rurua, and Shera—the former princess trio who have had significant involvement in politics.
The first day of the grand conference in Betan had just concluded. We were gathered to discuss the schedule moving forward, but everyone was surprised that the meeting had ended without things spiraling into chaos.
"……It’s baffling. Why did the other nations only impose such light sanctions on August after he made such an idiotic statement?"
The one who posed this was Cleena. She had been officially recognized as an adopted princess by King August, and for all intents and purposes, she served as a diplomat to Weed.
Well, given her strong ties to me and Seraria, she wasn't just a diplomat; she was a high-ranking official appointed through nepotism. While that might be unthinkable in modern Earth, it’s only natural given the civilization level of this world.
Anyone could see that it was easier to use Cleena than to send a new envoy. Since she could speak directly to me or Seraria, there was no need to wait for a formal audience.
Conversely, for us, Cleena’s status as an adopted princess made it easier to arrange an audience with King August. Or rather, we could just say we were coming to visit our "father-in-law."
Using such positions to simplify connections is common even in the modern era. Even if it isn't official, being able to meet informally is a given.
For Cleena herself, there might be some lingering annoyance that her promises were broken, but the benefits far outweighed that.
The concern that Weed was being looked down upon was also quickly crushed during that conference. I had countered by saying, "If you find it troublesome, there is no need to force an exchange," which likely sent them into a panic. They never expected to be told that intercontinental exchange wasn't strictly necessary.
I had expected them to be stubborn, so I tested the waters, and Weed simply backed away. August was then left to be thoroughly beaten down by the others.
However, after I left, they shifted to damage control, which showed that the folks on the If Continent were more shrewd than I’d given them credit for.
As I was pondering this, Samantha answered Cleena’s mutterings.
"……In all likelihood, the reason the sanctions are so light is that Weed is an unknown entity to them."
"Weed?"
"Yes. We have already married into Weed, so we know the internal situation and Yuki-sama’s true objectives, leaving us with no doubts. But to the nations of the If Continent, Weed is just another country from a different continent that they don't fully understand. Given that, Yuki-sama’s statement—that there is no need to force an exchange—could be interpreted as a precursor to total conquest."
Well, that’s a plausible theory. You can't serve as a king without taking such possibilities into account.
"Conquest? There’s no way I’d do something so wasteful."
"Indeed. But that is only because we know Yuki-sama. The people of the If Continent, however, don't know Yuki-sama, nor do they understand the standing of a country like Weed. The kings of these nations feared that August’s outburst could lead to a war."
"……I understand the logic. But that still doesn't explain why they’d go easy on August for criticizing Yuki. He’s just dragging everyone else down."
"Even so, if they continue to condemn King August, the relationship between August and the other nations will deteriorate. You understand that this could trigger a large-scale war on the If Continent, right?"
"Hmm. I get that. But in that case, it should be a quick settlement between August and the multiple other nations. Is there any point in protecting August?"
"There is. War requires money, manpower, and resources. Even if they managed to defeat August, the nations would then be left with the headache of governing the territory afterward. Furthermore, any delay in intercontinental exchange would be disastrous, and some kings likely suspect that Weed is aiming for exactly that."
"What do you mean?"
"They fear that if chaos breaks out on the If Continent, it will deplete the forces needed to counter the Rogali Continent."
"……Ah, so they thought Yuki intentionally stirred the pot to make it easier for the Rogali Alliance to conquer the If Continent?"
Cleena clapped her hands in realization.
That’s right. The final, amicable atmosphere of the meeting had been colored by that very background. There was a fear that if August were isolated and a war broke out, it would play right into the hands of Weed and the Rogali Continent. That was why they had solidified their stance on keeping the major powers on good terms.
"We should say they considered such a possibility. In reality, we don't have the time to waste on conquering the If Continent."
"Hmm. That’s true. It’s a fact that we are busy with the New Continent, just as Yuki mentioned at the conference."
"Yes. But Zilba and Enaria, who have felt Yuki-sama’s true power firsthand, cannot simply take that at face value. If they show an opening and carelessly cross Yuki-sama, they would expect Zilba and Enaria, being closest to Betan, to be the first to be crushed."
"I see. That’s terrifying. So, to ensure they don't give such an opening, they are trying to strengthen their ties within the If Continent?"
"That is what I believe. But since they are kings of their respective nations, they may have other motives we haven't even imagined."
"I understand the situation. But is Yuki really okay with this? It’s as if August made a fool of you. You only received an apology, and the promise I made with Princess Inis to protect me was broken. This could be seen as dishonorable and disadvantageous for Weed."
Cleena, having understood the general flow and intent through Samantha’s explanation, turned to me, the one who had supposedly suffered the disadvantage.
However, I answered without any concern.
"Eh? It’s true I accepted an apology for this incident, but the debts from the Hifie Holy Kingdom, the Dragon Knight Amanda, and my visit to August haven't been wiped clean, you know."
" " "……" " "
Everyone stared at me in silence.
"……I understand. King August criticized Yuki precisely because he has a mountain of debts to him."
"……That must be it. He wanted to seize upon this lapse to make all his past debts disappear."
"Ah, that’s right. I had completely forgotten about that. We did do things in August, didn't we? Unlike Zilba, Enaria, or Roday, we were only there as Amanda’s companions, and the only fact on record is that we were paid for our mercenary work. If it came out that we were actually a consort of a king and his entourage... well."
"That would require a different level of consideration. Perhaps Cleena-san becoming a princess was also a way to account for that. You can't just end it by saying you didn't know he was a king's consort and that you paid the wages."