第６９６堀：受け入れてきた歪み (Part1)
Chapter 696: The Accumulated Distortion
Side: Tori
"Hey!! You! Don't you dare speak out of turn! Especially not to our guests!"
With that shout of rage, the captain struck his subordinate, sending him flying.
"Look closely!! Those aren't slave collars! They’re accessories, you fool!"
We stood there, troubled by the sudden turn of events. What was the right way to handle this? Should we wait for Yuki-san to explain, or should we step in ourselves? But then again, this was the home of the Beast God...
As I was lost in thought, the Beast God finally spoke.
『Too noisy. Silence.』
"..."
Naturally, the soldiers fell silent at the Beast God’s command. Seeing one of them speak out of turn like that, he must still be quite green. If he were one of our subordinates, we’d have to train him from scratch—or rather, someone like that wouldn't even make it into the Royal Guard in the first place. Quar-san is far too strict for that.
As I held that thought, the Beast God glanced at the soldier, then turned back to King Wild...
『...Boy, I know not what choices your nation will make, but I strictly forbid any harm to these guests.』
"Understood."
『Furthermore, they are acquaintances of my grandparents. From this point on, I grant them permission to visit this place. See to it that they are not stopped.』
"Understood."
Having finished with King Wild, he looked back at the soldier...
『And you, noisy child. I know not what grudges you hold against humans, but humans have always come and gone in this country. Do not forget that fact.』
"That is because the Beast God protects us!! That is why no problems have ever..."
"I told you to be silent!!"
The soldier was struck again and fell silent.
Hmm. I don't know, but that man feels... off, even for a soldier.
『...You are under a misunderstanding. I only protect this place. The affairs of the nation are for that boy over there and you citizens to consider. Besides, my mother was human. There is no reason for me to dislike them.』
"Th-that cannot be..."
"Do not talk back!! Take this fool away!!"
The soldier was dragged outside. Once he was gone, the captain turned back to us with a haggard expression.
"Your Majesty, honored guests, I am truly, truly sorry..."
"I cannot let this go unpunished. However, that soldier's reaction was abnormal. I will interview him personally. You will be present, Captain. We will decide the details of your own punishment at that time as well."
"Understood."
"Very well. For now, see to the security around this residence. I cannot have you remaining here any longer."
"As you command."
With that reply, the soldiers immediately exited. I suppose soldiers are held to collective responsibility, after all.
"...Hey. Old man. That was a bit much, wasn't it?"
"...My apologies. To everyone, and to the Beast God, I am truly sorry."
"No, if that is the current situation, I understand why King Wild would hesitate. Besides, we were wearing chokers, which could be seen as a misunderstanding..."
Queen Miyabi complained bluntly, and King Wild apologized honestly. Well, there was no room for excuses.
And then, there was kind Yuki-san, offering a difficult follow-up. Well, he couldn't exactly come here to explain things and then badmouth the King, could he?
『I can see why the boy was troubled seeing that appearance, but why did it come to this? Are there many like him? In this country?』
The Beast God asked the core question.
"...For a long time, we have operated this nation with Beastmen at the center. We have often used humans as a scapegoat for the misfortunes, accidents, and incidents within our borders."
"You were pretending it wasn't your own country's responsibility?"
"...Yes."
"Are you an idiot, old man? You’ve received no small amount of benefits from the outside world; how could you carry on with such a shameless policy?"
"No, that has only been the case recently. Anyone who has been here for a long time knows that the Beast God was saved and raised by the Saintess Litea. The people who are shouting these things are those who flowed in after the recent war between the great powers caused such devastation. In the past, time would have solved it on its own. Everyone has the shock of losing something precious in a war, after all. But this time, the rhetoric emerged before those wounds could heal. That is the situation."
Ah... so that’s it. Many victims of that war have gathered here.
"...I see. If you had admitted it was your own country's responsibility, there was a risk the refugees would riot, then?"
"Yes. Well, there was no actual harm done, so it didn't matter. But this incident has shown that it was a poor method. It was a good way to strengthen unity, though..."
"Creating an enemy outside to unify the country is a standard tactic. But didn't that lead to hot-headed fools screaming for war?"
"It’s a country where war victims have gathered. If they wanted to fight, they would have gone to a country that could fight."
"...So only the spineless ones are left? Is that soldier’s behavior a result of trauma, then?"
"Likely. But I cannot rest easy. Because of recent events, the Rogari Alliance was formed, and the places to fight have dwindled drastically. I don't even know what will happen to our country as a result."
"So there is a possibility of internal agitators... This is quite difficult."
"I wish it were like your sister's place, where the gates are completely closed and no humans enter or leave..."
...Is this our fault? Because of us, the Beast God's country is in turmoil...
As that foolish thought crossed my mind, Yuki-san suddenly placed a hand on my head and patted it.
"Calm down. We just did what we could. This country ending up this way isn't anyone's fault."
"Yuki-san..."
That made me realize. Yuki-san is the one most hurt by hearing this. He’s the one who worked so hard, planning so many things to try and end the wars. It’s wrong for me to think in a way that denies all of that. I need to have more confidence.
"Exactly. It is not something for Tori-dono to worry about. It is strange to regret achieving a great feat that reduces war."
『Indeed. It is what my mother, Litea, aimed for. You did not start a war for that purpose; you should be praised, not feel responsible.』
"The Demon King is to blame. And regardless of the reason, this old man is to blame for using a virtual enemy to unify the country. This situation is the result of that."
『I do not understand the complexities, but one should handle their own affairs. Though, it is not my place to say that while having my house rebuilt.』
"...*Sigh*, as you say. It is ironic that peace might lead to the country's collapse. Yuki-dono, I apologize, but for that reason, I would like some time. I must investigate the sentiments of the citizens..."
"Yes. As I said before, this is a major issue that changes the very nature of the nation. I am not asking for an answer immediately, nor do I intend to throw your country into chaos, so please discuss it thoroughly."
Yuki-san didn't bring up the soldier from earlier, simply accepting King Wild's request. Well, that makes sense. He isn't the type to let the words of a single soldier ruin the entire discussion. Since this isn't just a problem for the Beast God's country alone, he wouldn't pursue it in a way that would cause further trouble.