第７０５堀：騎士の未来 (Part1)
Chapter 705: The Knight’s Future
Side: Stasia Findall, First Princess of the Findall Empire
"How are our guests from Weed faring?"
"Yes, Your Highness. They are already relaxing in their chambers."
"Good. We cannot afford any mishaps. Even if they are resting, do not let your guard down."
"Understood. I shall tighten security even further."
With that, the captain in charge of royal palace security bowed and exited. Once he was gone, His Majesty—no, my father—turned his gaze toward us.
"First, let me thank you again, George, Stasia, and Georgin. You have done well."
" " "Yes, Your Majesty!" " "
"Inviting our guests from Weed, including the Prince Consort, Yuki-dono, to our nation is a monumental achievement. You managed to halt the inexplicable war with Haiden, uncover the truth behind the Lira Kingdom, and expose and resolve the threat of the mad god cultists lurking within the Haire Church. These are feats no ordinary nation could accomplish. Friendship with that country is indispensable for the survival of Findall, Haiden, and the Haire Church."
Father took a breath.
"I had heard the rumors, but to think such a young man is the Prince Consort of a great power like Weed. And to think he is entrusted with the management of this continent—it is staggering. Having spoken with him, I see that his outward appearance does not match his inner self. We have only spoken during casual meals, so I cannot say for certain, but I received the same impression as Georgin. You might think it strange, but he is cunning and shrewd. That is what I felt. Tell me, do the three of you agree with my assessment?"
At his question, George responded first.
"Yes, Father. Yuki-dono possesses exceptional ability in judgment, command, and political maneuvering."
He was right. As a leader, Yuki-dono’s capabilities were beyond reproach. However, that was not to say there were no issues. Then, Georgin spoke up.
"Well, his way of thinking is so advanced that there are many aspects I cannot grasp. It took me a long time just to understand his explanations. I was initially surprised that he limited the occupation to just Baide. And while he may seem to lack dignity, I suspect that is a trap—a way to discern friend from foe. Or rather, to see who is a fool and who is not."
Indeed, I, too, had not expected the conflict to end with the occupation of Baide alone. After all, this was not just a kidnapping of a royal, but of a current Prince Consort. It was more than enough cause for war; the moral high ground belonged to Weed. Yet, looking far into the future, he chose not to engage in a war of aggression. I agreed with Georgin that the lack of perceived dignity was a calculated trap. He possessed the presence of mind and the magnanimity to utilize such tactics. But more importantly…
"Father, the point we must be most mindful of is that he possesses the power to execute those thoughts. No matter how brilliant a talent one may have, it is meaningless without the power to act upon it."
"Indeed. You are correct, Stasia. In fact, the Haiden soldiers holed up in Baide and our own Findall soldiers who attacked were defeated in an instant. We cannot underestimate the power of Weed."
As Father said this, everyone nodded. If one underestimated Weed, they would be crushed in the blink of an eye—even if they were a god. I knew this to be true. This incident—no, the conflict that had been brewing for five hundred years—had already been decided. The mad god, Aqueenok, had been defeated effortlessly by Yuki-dono and Luna-sama, even after the resurrection of the Goddess Hairen. It was a total victory.
"However, fortunately, I see no ambition in Yuki-dono. I had suspected as much, but seeing him in person has finally put me at ease. He has endured much."
"Indeed. He seems to be active not only in our country and the Haiden Kingdom but also on the Rogari and If continents."
"Yes. And regarding this matter, seeing the letter from the King of Haiden, while it seemed sudden, I can understand it. It is vital that we use this opportunity to strengthen the ties between Findall, Haiden, and the Haire Church."
I then voiced a question that had been bothering me.
"Father. It is good that we are proactive regarding the Intercontinental Exchange Conference, but is the surrounding situation still dire?"
"Ah, you have been in Weed for so long, Stasia, that you are unfamiliar with the current state of Findall. Keep this in mind for tomorrow's conference. It is not as bad as you might think."
"Is that so? Despite attacking Baide at the request of various nations, we achieved no results and were effectively defeated by Weed."
"But that defeat turned into a reconciliation thanks to the consideration of Yuki-dono of Weed. It may look as though we are being neglected while focus is placed on Haiden, but in the half-year since Weed became involved, things have moved rapidly. We have received reports from various nations that students who studied abroad in Haiden have returned, and the diplomatic pressure has eased. One could say the initial objectives have been achieved. In the first place, our attack on Baide was intended to force a dialogue. The evaluation from other nations is by no means poor. Compared to the last few years where nothing was accomplished, this is a tremendous achievement."
The movements over the last six months had indeed been staggering. Perhaps I had been too concerned with the fact that Findall had "lost."
"I see. That is surprising. I thought we were being called incompetent..."
"If we had suffered massive casualties, perhaps, but while there were losses, it was not enough to tilt the nation. Considering the alternative of a prolonged war with Haiden, the damage was minor. The evaluation of George and Stasia, who brought about this result, is quite high both domestically and among the nations that sought our help."
"Then, what of our influence as a great power going forward?"
"No, a decline is inevitable. Other nations will likely point out that we were manipulated by the mad god cultists into destroying the Lira Kingdom. Especially the other great powers. To suppress that, we must hold firm discussions with Haiden and the Haire Church to strengthen our alliance. I do not expect anything to happen immediately, but something will likely occur within ten years—or perhaps as soon as two or three. To prepare for that, we must participate in the Intercontinental Exchange Conference mediated by Weed. Of course, I also hope to acquire Weed’s technology."
I see. His fundamental thinking was the same as Carrie’s and the King of Haiden’s.
"So, there is no reason to punish Stasia or George, nor is there any reason to clash with Weed. Above all, the parfait was delicious. Isn't that right, Ana?"
"Yes, my dear. The parfait was truly delicious. I wish to maintain a good relationship with Weed so that we may continue to enjoy them."
I was relieved that Father and Mother did not have a negative impression of Yuki-dono or Weed. If they had spoken of fighting, I would have had to stop them at all costs.
"Now, I believe you understand Findall’s policy and situation. Next, Stasia, explain the intercontinental exchange you have been working on with Age in Weed. I want to have all the information in these documents you received from Yuki-dono memorized for tomorrow’s conference."
"Yes, leave it to me. I worked on the translations of these documents with Age, Bishop-proxy Enora, and Kagura-dono. I have everything memorized."
And so, following the points that Age had insisted I absolutely must teach and memorize, I began to explain the details of the Intercontinental Exchange and the establishment of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to my father and the others. The veil of night had already fallen, and the common folk were long asleep, but I remained awake, explaining the details for the sake of tomorrow’s conference.
"...And that concludes the contents of the Intercontinental Exchange Conference for the Rogari and If continents."
Fortunately, thanks to the magic lamp provided by Yuki-dono, the room was brightly lit, and I had no trouble reading the documents.