第７９７堀：海洋問題 (Part2)
As I was pondering this, Ratz, who had been listening to the conversation, spoke up.
"Come to think of it, why is it only the Seasypho Kingdom that’s crying out about the threat of monsters? It’s not like they’re the only nation facing the sea, right?"
"I had the same question, so I asked. The answer was..."
"And?"
"It seems that the other nations bordering the sea are essentially vassal states, with the Seasypho Kingdom acting as their suzerain and leader."
"Ah, so in practice, the entire coastal region is basically Seasypho territory?"
"Exactly. That’s precisely why they couldn't keep up with the situation."
That was it. This was the root cause of why the Seasypho Kingdom had gone out of its way to seek support from inland.
"Trying to police the vast ocean surrounding the continent is reckless. They don't have nearly enough ships to cover that kind of distance."
As Dressa pointed out, they had expanded their security net at the request of their vassal states, which stretched their manpower thin and caused the damage to escalate.
"But it’s strange, isn't it? If that’s the case, they should have just asked their neighboring countries for help."
"Senior, that won't work because no one believes them when they say it's 'monsters.'"
"Oh, right."
"Actually, that’s a surprisingly sharp observation. As Mikos said, asking neighbors would have been the logical step, but can you guess why they went out of their way to bring this matter to Haiden instead?"
When I asked Kagura that, she thought for a moment...
"Perhaps it’s because the Seasypho Kingdom didn't want to show weakness to their neighbors?"
"Correct. Besides, they rarely rely on other nations to begin with. It invites demands for concessions during subsequent negotiations, and at worst, it could be perceived as a decline in national power. It’s a perfect pretext for an invasion."
"Ah, so that’s why they came to Haiden, where Mikos-chan and the others are?"
"...That’s right. Between the war with Findar and the conspiracies of the Akenoki hidden behind the Haire religion, while our casualties were low, our national strength was significantly sapped. As you all know, Kagura-dono, we’ve been struggling just to get back on our feet."
"That’s true. The Haire religion has been incredibly busy, too. They’re still dealing with the aftermath. So, maybe they thought it was safe to share their situation with us—or rather, with Haiden."
"Enora’s assessment aligns with my own. They likely judged that Haiden wouldn't have the capacity to attack them even if we knew their situation. And if you include what Solo mentioned earlier about no one believing the monster claims..."
"Does that mean there was no country more suitable for the Seasypho Kingdom to seek help from than Haiden?"
I nodded at Princess Stacia’s conclusion.
People don't go into negotiations without a reason. There is always an underlying intent.
"Moreover, hearing that we’ve had our own battles with monsters makes us a godsend for the Seasypho Kingdom. Well, if they leave things as they are, their primary industry could be wiped out."
Losing access to the sea is a massive blow. It would certainly impact their national defense as well. That must be why a figure as renowned as General Lake has stepped forward.
"So, Yuki. Since Haiden is the one that introduced them, I want to know how Weed intends to move regarding the Seasypho Kingdom."
"Weed definitely needs to investigate the expansion of these marine monsters, both for the sake of magical research and our own interests."
I answered Kagura’s question honestly. Even setting aside intercontinental exchange, this is a case I’d very much like to study from a magical research perspective, but...
"That said, we can't just go charging in without knowing what to do. First, we need to clarify what the Seasypho Kingdom’s original purpose was in visiting Haiden."
"Eh? Yuki-sensei, I thought it was already about the monsters..."
"Solo, that was just talk over an informal banquet. We haven't received an official request yet. It’s a hassle, but those procedures are necessary. Besides, Haiden will need personnel and protocols to act as intermediaries with the Seasypho Kingdom. The bureaucracy alone is a headache."
International relations don't work by just saying, "Please come," and "Okay, we're coming."
"So, first thing tomorrow morning, we will hear the official account from General Lake and then move forward in response to the Seasypho Kingdom’s request. Understood?"
"Yes!"
*Sigh.* It’s not a war, but now I have to deal with monsters that don't speak my language? I feel like I’m cursed.
Wait, that’s right. I *was* cursed by that useless goddess.
"What? I properly listed the sweets as expenses. I just remembered! I bought them at a delicious cake shop and ate them all by myself. I even filed the receipts properly!"
"..."
The moment I turned my gaze toward her, Hairen confessed to embezzling funds.
...I made a firm vow to do everything in my power to ensure she isn't invited to Seasypho. Whether Hairen is truly "ignorant" of this maritime issue or not, bringing her along would be nothing more than a walking disaster.
And so, Yuki and his group would officially move forward in response to the Seasypho Kingdom’s request.
But what about a marine expert? Should they really leave it entirely to Dressa? And what exactly are these monsters?