第９１６堀：海の意図と目の前の現実 (Part1)
Chapter 916: The Intentions of the Sea and the Reality Before Us
Side: Enora
"...And that’s how it went."
"...Seriously, I feel like I’m going to die, Mikos-chan."
"Ahaha... But honestly, I am exhausted."
My friends—Kagura, Mikos, and Solo, members of the Haiden Magic Academy—said this with faces that truly looked worn out. Ah, wait, were they "Magic Instructors dispatched to the Kingdom of Sea-Cyph" now?
"Well, look on the bright side. At least the documents you worked so hard to create didn't go to waste."
"That’s true. More than anything, I think it’s a relief that we were spared the trouble of explaining everything from scratch."
Princess Stasia and I offered them some comfort.
"Still, to do this right before the wedding... Honestly, the Kingdom of Sea-Cyph has no patience."
I grumbled that if Sea-Cyph had just waited a little longer, they might have been able to proceed safely. Princess Stasia nodded, though only up to a point.
"Indeed. They could have delayed the dispatch of the liaison ship, but... no, considering it is still uncertain whether they can join the Intercontinental Exchange Alliance, we must view it as a move they felt they had to make."
"Ah, I see. Since Sea-Cyph isn't guaranteed support through the Alliance yet, they wanted to secure trade with the Kingdom of Gusdo at all costs, right?"
Princess Stasia had been about to agree, but she read the situation and deduced their reasoning. It’s true; they don’t know if they’ll be accepted into the Alliance. That’s precisely why they couldn't just sit around and wait.
"But even so, isn't asking for reinforcements now counterproductive? It just means they’ve brought another problem to the table, and if things go poorly, this could even become the reason they aren't allowed to join the Alliance."
By doing this, Sea-Cyph is essentially declaring that they cannot handle their own affairs. If that’s the case, one has to wonder if it’s wise to let such a country into the Alliance.
"True. However, Sea-Cyph likely sees this as an opportunity to suppress the opposition and cautious factions within their own country by dragging Weed and Haiden along to the Kingdom of Gusdo. It’s a gamble, certainly, but it also serves as a test to see how well the Intercontinental Exchange Alliance functions and how much they are truly willing to help."
"So, if they get cast aside here, it means there’s no point in joining the Alliance anyway."
And from the other perspective, if this proposal isn't accepted, Sea-Cyph will have to act on its own. It’s hard to call it a "just cause" for being abandoned by the Alliance, but it’s up to each country to decide what to believe. If it comes to that, Sea-Cyph will likely turn into an enemy.
Still, there’s no reason to say such things here.
"Yes. If the incident in the Kingdom of Gusdo turns out to be nothing more than a communication delay or a simple accident, then mediating with the Kingdom of Gusdo will be the end of it. But if it is a genuine crisis, they would have lost their envoy fleet. If they were to exhaust their navy even further just to confirm that fact..."
As Princess Stasia said, they are terrified of losing more of their main naval force. And that loss...
"Exactly. As Princess Stasia says, the Sea-Cyph navy cannot afford any more losses. Any further damage is unacceptable for national defense. If things go wrong, it could even lead to the country fracturing."
"According to Menou-san, the fact that they’ve already lost about a quarter of their navy could lead the border lords to switch allegiances if they find out. And if it leaks that they’ve lost even more strength... well, I get it. There’s no reason to follow a country that lacks the power to protect you."
As Mikos said, there is no reason for local lords to follow a country that cannot protect them. It’s only natural for them to rely on other nations to survive. In other words, losing any more military strength is a matter of life and death for Sea-Cyph.
Well, to prevent that...
"They asked for the cooperation of Weed and Haiden. Though, the real target is clearly Weed."
"That’s obvious to anyone. Mikos-chan and the others are just the garnish."
"On paper, they invited Haiden’s mages, and Weed just happened to come along. They couldn't exactly ignore Haiden. Besides, it was Haiden, Findall, and the Haiden Church that announced the intent to accept them into the Alliance. In that sense, they couldn't be ignored."
Thinking about it again, their judgment regarding the Kingdom of Gusdo is a matter of course. Use what you can use. If it’s useless, it becomes an enemy. It’s that simple. Though, they probably also assume that Yuki would never make such a cold-hearted judgment. After all, I don't think Sea-Cyph could survive for a second if they made an enemy of Weed. One aircraft carrier alone would be the end of them.
"So, what are Yuki and the others planning to do? You aren't saying they’ll postpone the wedding, are you?"
"That is absolutely impossible. Dignitaries from every continent have already gathered; we can’t postpone it now. Yuki intends to proceed with the Intercontinental Exchange Conference and our important wedding as planned."
"Exactly. Yuki-sensei said he’d deal with the Sea-Cyph issue afterward. Menou-san didn't complain either; she thought it was only natural."
"Yes. The matter was settled quite smoothly."
Well, that’s to be expected. Postponing the wedding with us would not only tarnish Weed’s reputation, but it could also cause the entire Intercontinental Exchange Alliance to fall apart.
"Well, we are proceeding as planned, but the aircraft carrier *Lilishe* has already begun moving toward the Kingdom of Gusdo. Consequently, the aircraft carrier *Luna* has left the waters of the Sea-Cyph royal capital and begun moving toward the Blue Hole."
"Timing-wise, it sounds like they’ll arrive at the Kingdom of Gusdo by the time the wedding is over. It looks like Mikos-chan and the others will be having their honeymoon across the sea, beyond the Great Mountain Range."
It seems our future schedule is set.
"Well, I doubt that honeymoon will be particularly relaxing. For now, our primary goal is to successfully navigate the Intercontinental Exchange Conference and the wedding, which are only a week away. While marrying Yuki-sama is heart-fluttering, everything else is incredibly demanding."
As Princess Stasia said this with a wry smile, we were pulled back to the reality before us.
"Ah... Princess Stasia, please don't say that. I had managed to forget, but I have meetings with my father, mother, and sister tomorrow. They’re going to be so stiff and formal again..."