第７８６堀：おにもつはこび (Part1)
Chapter 786: Carrying the Load
Side: Firia
"Heave, ho... heave, ho..."
"Ugh, hnnngh..."
*Rumble, rumble...*
Firia and the others were making such sounds as they pulled the cargo wagons.
"I thought it would be inconvenient not being able to use my Item Box, but it’s not so bad, is it?"
"That’s right. It turns out wagons are surprisingly useful. It’s a victory for ingenuity."
"True. They say automobiles were based on things like this, so when you think about it, it’s quite a grand invention."
"Indeed. Accumulating these kinds of efforts is important."
While chatting like that, the four of us continued to pull the wagon. As for the older brothers...
"I mean, doesn't this feel like something slaves should be doing?"
"No, no. Honestly, a wagon fully loaded with supplies is too heavy for slaves to pull."
"But, look, they do things like hauling stones, don't they?"
"They do, but that’s not a wagon. Do you even understand the definition? A 'wagon' is a vehicle pulled by a horse. It’s not something meant for humans to pull."
"And yet, here we are, two of us pulling one wagon just fine."
That’s how the older brothers were handling it. To be honest, they could easily pull three wagons each, but since it would be a disaster if we dropped the cargo, we were sticking to two people per wagon.
Then there was Princess Carrie and her group...
"Come now, let’s keep moving! The people of Weed, and even young girls like Aslin and her friends, are carrying such heavy loads. Do you not feel ashamed as soldiers of Haiden? Even I, and even Kagura’s group, are pulling them!"
She was saying this while pulling a wagon just like us. Her objective was...
"Princess, please, restrain yourself! The citizens are watching!"
"Restrain myself from what? Since no one else would help, we have received assistance from the people of Weed, Findarl, and Haile. It is unthinkable for me to do nothing while they work. Princess Stasia and Bishop Enora are pulling them as well, are they not?"
"W-well, that may be true, but..."
"Knowing that, and still failing to show up at this morning’s assembly—what exactly is that Count thinking? There are many others who haven't shown up, too."
She said this loudly and deliberately in the middle of the street...
"Whoa. That Count is making women and children do that kind of work? And he has so many soldiers, too."
"Even if he doesn't acknowledge women, that’s Princess Carrie, isn't it?"
"And aren't the other women and children from foreign countries? To make the Priestess of the Spirits and Princess Stasia of a neighboring country pull wagons... is he going to be okay?"
"I can't believe a noble would be so terrible as to not even show his face here."
Just like that, the reputation of the Count and the other nobles who broke their promises to help was plummeting. Princess Carrie is quite cunning. She was effectively ruining the standing of those who tried to get in her way.
Just then, the Count in question arrived. "I... I had unavoidable circumstances."
"Did something happen in the Count’s territory?"
"Y-yes, it did."
"Then why have you come here now? I asked for your cooperation yesterday. If it were an emergency, it would have been better to return with your soldiers. And for the assistance you owed me, couldn't you have simply sent a substitute?"
Princess Carrie was absolutely right. If something had happened in his territory, it made no sense for him to be here. And as for Firia and the others, he could have just sent a substitute to help.
"T-that is, suddenly..."
"Please explain the reasons for your inability to help to His Majesty later. We are currently busy preparing to welcome the reconstruction support army from the Kingdom of Seasiph. Since you are so busy yourself, why don't you head back to your territory without worrying about us?"
With that, Princess Carrie ignored the promise-breaking Count and began pulling her wagon again. As Firia and the others followed suit, Labyris and Shera began to talk.
"Hehehe... she has quite the personality, doesn't she? Princess Carrie."
"Indeed. I imagine the Count and those other fellows who look down on women never expected her to go this far."
"Normally, one would have no choice but to beg for help. That’s what they were aiming for, wasn't it?"
"Exactly. They probably thought that no matter how many promises they made beforehand, they could just wait for Princess Carrie to come crying to them. They intended to ignore the promises they made in front of us, Findarl, and Haile, and then attach conditions to their 'help' once she begged."
To think they intended to break their word—that’s terrible. It’s what bad people do.
"But it’s strange that they thought they could get away with breaking a promise made in front of Weed, Findarl, and Haile."
"To them, it wasn't a formal contract. They probably thought they could just pass it off as a misunderstanding, a mistake, or a 'trouble.' Besides, they never expected dignitaries from other countries to personally lend a hand just to help with the preparations."
"Well, that’s true. Usually, it’s expected that a country handles its own affairs. They probably thought they could just report the results later."
"Yes. They likely planned to say, after everything was finished, that the burden was too heavy for Princess Carrie and that it only worked out because they were there. They didn't technically ignore the King's request, and if the preparations were ready, there would be no problem."
"But our help solved the problem."
"Yes. Once we started helping, there was no problem at all. Right, Aslin, Firia?"
"Yeah. As long as we help, it’ll be fine."
"That’s right. If we help, it’ll be finished in no time."
I don't understand the complicated stuff, but if we help, it’ll be over in less than a few days. We could have asked Brother to handle the supplies in an instant, but since it was supposed to be Haiden’s responsibility, we were going through the trouble of hauling them ourselves.
"Oh, it seems the Count realized he’s in a bad spot."
Following Labyris’s gaze, I saw soldiers surrounding Princess Carrie’s wagon. It seemed the foolish Count had resorted to strong-arm tactics.
"Oh no! We have to save Princess Carrie and the others!"
"Let’s blow them all away!"
"Wait."
"Wha—!?"
Just as we were about to rush to their aid, Labyris grabbed us by the collars and stopped us.
"Princess Carrie and the others are a little distance away from the wagons, so they’re fine."
Looking where she pointed, Princess Carrie and her group were indeed safe, calmly watching the soldiers.
"Huh? You're right. What are they doing?"
"Nyu? Are they trying to move the wagon?"
"It seems so."
Looking closely, the soldiers surrounding the wagon were indeed trying to move it. But it wasn't budging an inch.
"Are they thieves?"
"Are there such strange thieves?"
"No, surely not."
"Oh, Brother."
"Brother."
Before I knew it, the older brothers had arrived nearby.
"Oh? Why are you over here... ah, I see..."