第８２１堀：なんで連れてきたのか (Part1)
**Chapter 821: Why Did You Bring Them?**
**Side: Aquamarine, Chancellor of the Seasypho Kingdom**
I finally returned to my office after a long day of meetings that had lasted from dawn until dusk, only to face the mountain of paperwork that had accumulated in my absence.
My grandfather used to say that even if the country is in crisis—no, *especially* because the country is in crisis—this kind of administrative work never disappears, and it is precisely at such times that one must perform these duties with the utmost diligence.
*"If we slack off, many of our citizens will suffer. That is why we must never stop working. Well, one does need a proper break now and then, of course."*
He would say that with a gentle smile, emphasizing the importance of rest, but I haven't had the luxury of such leisure for quite some time.
After all, monsters have emerged from the sea—the very ocean that serves as the primary industry supporting Seasypho. This grave situation is the greatest crisis our kingdom has faced since its founding. We have already lost one-tenth of our total naval strength. That alone should tell you how much of a threat these sea monsters are.
However, even more painful than the monsters' sheer power was our delayed initial response. Despite receiving reports of their appearance, we were initially skeptical, and our reaction was sluggish. By the time we realized the gravity of the situation, we had already lost control of the offshore waters and were forced to retreat.
Honestly, I would have preferred to be fighting a country or a group of people, no matter how powerful. At least then, we could negotiate. But our current opponents are monsters that do not understand language. They attack as if they’ve simply found prey. Not only have many of our warships been sunk, but even civilian fishing boats have been targeted, and rumors of these creatures are already spreading among the common folk.
If things continue this way, our kingdom will lose the sea, our very lifeline.
That is why, as a desperate, last-ditch gamble, I proposed sending a request for aid to Haiden—or rather, a request for reconstruction support—with the intention of bringing back their mages. But then...
"…General Rake. What, truly, is the meaning of this?"
General Rake returned much earlier than scheduled, but the group he brought back consisted of women and children. It is only natural that I would want to interrogate him. Our country is on the verge of being forced into a war on the mainland, yet he returns with a group of women and children. I couldn't help but complain, but since the person in question is General Rake, I decided to first hear his excuse for why he brought such people.
"Even if you say that, I have simply provided what I judged to be the best means to save this country."
To my question—no, my accusation—General Rake merely replied that he had done his job properly.
"In what way are those people the 'best means' to save the country? The only person you managed to bring from Haiden is a young girl. Oh, and there were a few extras, but they are mostly students and children. The only ones slightly more capable are Princess Stasia of the Findar Empire and Bishop Enora. Even so, I doubt they have ever engaged in naval warfare, so the likelihood of them being useful is slim. You are looking down on our country, aren't you? Is that not the case?"
If this is the lineup for a serious military reinforcement, then Haiden, Findar, and the Haire Church have truly fallen. Well, if that’s the case, perhaps this is a blessing in disguise. If we lose our lifeline to the sea, we will have no choice but to seek resources inland, and it would be easier to fight against idiots.
"The icing on the cake is the Prince Consort of Weed, a small country no one has ever heard of. What use is it for the Prince Consort of such a place to bring a few attendants? Because of this, the glares from the elders are stinging. I am certain I will be hearing a mountain of complaints later."
I barely managed to restrain myself from reprimanding General Rake in front of our guests. If those children the Prince Consort brought had caused a scene, I would have had them thrown out.
"Well, that misunderstanding will likely be resolved by tomorrow."
"Resolved by tomorrow, you say... Ah, you did mention that Weed had things they wanted to show us. Not that I care to see some common trade goods..."
The Seasypho Kingdom reaps enormous profits not only from marine products but also by providing rich, high-quality salt harvested from the sea, which differs from the rock salt found inland. In exchange for these resources, we gather many trade goods from various countries, which enriches our nation. Therefore, even if some small country brought a few trade goods, it wouldn't amount to much.
"I understand Chancellor Aquamarine's feelings well. I, too, thought it was some kind of joke at first."
"Ah, come to think of it, you said you were introduced to Weed by the King of Haiden, didn't you?"
"Yes. Even when I heard the story, I felt the same as you, Chancellor, wondering what on earth the King of Haiden was talking about. But after visiting Weed, those thoughts were completely blown away."
"Huh? You visited Weed? Is Weed some kind of autonomous district within Haiden?"
I had no idea what General Rake was talking about. He went to Haiden to negotiate and returned earlier than expected, so why on earth would he go to Weed as well?
"That, too, is very difficult to explain."
"…General Rake. Your answers have been evasive from the start. Please, tell me what you mean. Based on what you just said, if things go poorly, it sounds as if you abandoned your duties to visit a foreign country, Weed?"
"I did not abandon my duties, but it is true that I visited Weed. I could not refuse, given the introduction and recommendation from the King of Haiden."
"…Come to think of it, that is true. *Sigh.* Well, I can see you have no intention of talking right now. I will ask you again after I see what Weed has prepared tomorrow."
"Yes. I would appreciate it if you could do that."
With that, General Rake left my office.
"Good grief. Why is the brilliant General Rake giving such vague answers? ...Regardless, I have to rethink the magic acquisition plan from the ground up."
Just looking at the documents on the desk regarding the acquisition of Haiden's magical technology gives me a stomachache.
"I cannot imagine that a young girl who was intimidated by a mere greeting could instruct our naval officers, nor do I believe she has any real skill in magic. That would mean the arrangement is just for show... In that case, I should try to extract as much as possible from them—no, they must have brought some teaching materials, so I will just take those and handle it ourselves..."
However, stomachache or not, there is no doubt that this must be done. It was a mistake to seek aid from countries exhausted by war. But if the fleets find out about this result, it will be troublesome...
With that in mind, I spent the rest of the day working late into the night, eventually reaching the next day—the day General Rake claimed my doubts would be resolved.
"You want to borrow the sea?"
The first request made by Yuki, the Prince Consort of Weed, was completely nonsensical.
"Yes. There is something I would like to show you."
"Um... something in the sea?"
"Ah, I apologize. I suppose you wouldn't understand without me stating the purpose. I would like to float a ship on the sea, so I was hoping you could lend me a corner of a deep-water, spacious port, such as a naval base."
"..."
I will be honest.