第７０３堀：悪いがシリアスは…… (Part1)
**Chapter 703: Sorry, but Serious is...**
**Side: Yuki**
After finishing the meetings in Haiden, we returned to Weed.
The reason wasn't that our work was done, but rather that after receiving confirmation from King Haiden and Princess Carrie regarding their willingness to participate in the intercontinental exchange and the establishment of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we needed to ask Findal about their participation as well.
Catherine had already sent a fast horse to the Findal Imperial Capital, but since that would take too long, we decided to ask Princess Stasia to guide us there, and...
"So, I’d like to ask you to guide us to Findal..."
"Please, leave it to me."
I couldn't even finish the sentence asking if she would be willing.
Princess Stasia responded with the speed of a spinal reflex.
"His Majesty has long wished to invite you, Yuki-sama, to the Imperial Capital. I believe this is a perfect opportunity, including the matter of the intercontinental exchange conference."
Well, it was a convincing response.
"Besides, while Weed has had a relationship with Haiden that developed rather haphazardly, it wouldn't be fair if it were only Haiden. I would like to take this opportunity to build a good relationship with Findal as well."
That, too, was a matter of course.
Looking at the current relationship between Haiden and Weed, it’s somewhat bizarre.
Originally, Haiden committed an unprecedented blunder by kidnapping the consort of Weed’s ruler and throwing him onto the battlefield.
Kidnapping the royalty of another country and using them as a military asset—that might be tactically effective against a hostile nation, but it’s unthinkable when dealing with a third party that has no involvement.
No matter how you look at it, that third party is bound to become an enemy. There is no reason to go out of your way to increase your enemies; it only leads to a slow decline.
Well, in this case, it was a force majeure of sorts. At the time, Princess Carrie and Kagura, who were fighting a defensive battle in Baide, had no choice but to use summoning. They couldn't have known that the person they pulled from another world would be able to contact their home country and call for reinforcements.
After that came the forced ceasefire due to Weed’s overwhelming power.
Then, to secure Weed’s position in the New Continent, we focused primarily on activities within Haiden—the source of the trouble—such as the peaceful transfer of the occupied Baide and investigating why war had broken out between Haiden and Findal, who had been allies for 500 years.
We had been providing periodic reports to Findal, so it’s not as if we had ignored them, but if you asked which side we were prioritizing, it was clearly Haiden.
There are various reasons for this, but from an outsider's perspective, we were on friendly terms with someone who had picked a fight with us, without even seeking retribution. Meanwhile, Findal, who had been picked on in the same way, was left in a state of near-neglect.
In Earth terms, one might be praised for taking a mild, generous approach, but at this level of civilization—roughly equivalent to medieval Europe—this treatment is clearly too soft.
The compensation for the trouble caused was limited to the trading city backed by the massive lake of Baide. Such a lukewarm result against an opponent with an overwhelming difference in national power is impossible.
Complete subjugation is usually what’s expected. You destroy the enemy nation. Or, if you don't destroy them, you demand overwhelming results to maintain the nation's face. If you don't, the entire country will be looked down upon.
However, Weed ignored those outdated customs and focused thoroughly on reality and efficiency.
As a result, the compensation for Haiden looked minimal from the outside, and Findal—who should have been the "enemy of my enemy"—had been neglected until now.
"I apologize. I should have visited there sooner."
I said that to apologize.
Regardless of the circumstances, the general consensus is that Findal’s standing is currently lower than Haiden’s.
From the perspective of national interest, that is a major problem.
Although the Haire religion originally instigated it, the truth of the Haiden vs. Findal conflict is that the idiots in Haiden stirred up Findal and the other nations.
Findal had started that war at the request of other countries to resolve issues caused by Haiden—such as students studying at the Magic Academy who never returned and Haiden's coercive diplomacy—but they still hadn't achieved any decent results.
That is enough for people to say that Findal is pathetic.
"No, I am aware of what happened within Haiden, and I understand it couldn't be helped. But from now on..."
"Yes. Let us pour our efforts into exchanges with Findal as well."
"Thank you. And, I have a small request regarding this visit..."
"What might that be?"
"I would like to take Arge back with me."
"..."
I couldn't immediately answer Princess Stasia’s request.
Princess Arge, Princess Stasia’s younger sister.
She is already deceased, having been resurrected as an undead by followers of the Mad God.
However, she possesses her own ego and, by her own will, has been keeping quiet in Weed to prevent chaos.
No, she has actually been working hard for the sake of intercontinental exchange.
Personally, I think it would be fine to let her go back, but in the New Continent, the resurrection of the dead is an impossibility.
Moreover, Arge was resurrected by followers of the Mad God—the very ones who plunged Haiden, Findal, and the Haire religion into chaos—with the intent of causing further disorder.
Knowing those circumstances, there is no way she could just quietly return to Findal.
At worst, she could even be cast out by the nation.
Conversely, there is a possibility she would be welcomed with open arms, but there is no need to bank on a happy ending; it is only natural to prepare for the worst-case scenario.
However, perhaps Princess Stasia understood this concern, as she continued immediately.
"Ah, I don’t mean to welcome Arge back officially. If we did that, it would clearly lead to turmoil. It would expose the resurrection of the dead to the public eye."
Yes, in addition to the political reasons, as Princess Stasia said, what would people think if they saw that the dead could be resurrected, even if it were as an undead?
It is only human to desire the revival of a loved one.
Even if it cannot be called a complete resurrection.
Well, since she seems to understand that, I have nothing particular to add.
"I see. So, it would be a secret visit."
"Yes. At the very least, I want her to show her face to His Majesty, our father and mother, and George one more time."
"In that case, it depends on her own wishes."
That’s right. I don’t have anything to say, but whether Arge herself wants to return is a different story.
So, I immediately went with Stasia to tell Arge about the visit to Findal...
"...Hmm. That is a happy offer, but I must decline."
That was her response.
"W-why, Arge? Is there something you are dissatisfied with?"
"No, I have no complaints... Is Findal as comfortable to live in as Weed?"
"...No, that is..."
Stasia fell silent when asked that by Arge.
No, Arge. That’s asking too much.
Weed uses technology without reservation, modeling itself after modern-day Japan on Earth.
Findal is at the level of medieval Europe.
The difference is like heaven and earth.
"Then, please tell Father, Mother, and my brother that that is the reason."
"Do you not want to go home?"
"...I want to go home."
"Then—"
"But I cannot. I am a person who has died. Moreover, I was resurrected as a pawn of a heretical cult."
"That is all in the past now!!"