第９６５堀：どう対応しましょうか？ (Part1)
Chapter 965: How Should We Respond?
Yes. Do you remember?
It’s the continuation of that "Ugh, kill me" scene!
It really gets the heart racing, doesn't it!
How should we respond?
Side: Yuki
"Ugh, I will not yield to the likes of you! The Emperor, and our country, will never lose to demons like you! And this is the end for you lot, too! The righteous Hein fleet will be arriving at this port any moment now! Mwahahaha!"
A kind enemy A, who proudly tells me all of that.
It’s one of those tropes—a "good guy" who acts like an enemy but ends up leaking information.
It’s common in RPGs.
Well, that aside, so the main Hein fleet really was heading this way.
First, I have to deal with that.
"Alright. Thanks for the interesting information. Now, get some sleep."
As I said that, the goblin standing by the side pressed a cloth against the man’s mouth, and the one who called himself a messenger of Hein immediately lost consciousness.
"What was that just now? It didn't look like you used any magic."
Shou, also known as the Blood-Stained Demon, asked about the nature of the cloth.
"That is a secret."
It was just a standard item soaked in chloroform.
Well, to Shou, who doesn't know about such chemical substances, it must have looked like another one of Weed’s mysterious technologies.
"A pity. But rather than digging into that secret, we must first verify if what this man said is true."
"Yes. Let's send out scouts immediately."
With that decided, I contacted Dressa and the others on the aircraft carrier, and Shera-chan and her team headed out for reconnaissance.
Next, it was time to discuss our future policy in the conference room.
"Now, we haven't spotted the Hein fleet yet, but assuming there were no lies in that man's words, how shall we handle this?"
"We must resist firmly. If we don't, the residents living in Aurelia Port will surely suffer a terrible fate!"
Princess Palfil, who had been arguing for total resistance since my question, spoke up immediately.
She seems to still be fuming from the unreasonable demands made by that Hein messenger.
That said, I have no evidence to refute her.
Seeing how he behaved earlier, anyone would be worried.
Shou seemed to agree, as he didn't utter any words that would directly contradict the Princess.
"Indeed. Handing over Aurelia Port would not be favorable for Zurable either. However, this port is already Weed territory. We require your judgment, Yuki-sama."
As Shou said that, all eyes turned to me.
Well, that makes sense.
I can't just go around acting on my own in someone else's territory.
That’s why permission is needed.
Even so, I can't just decide things on my own whim either.
If it comes to a fight, expenses will pile up.
I’ll need to have a serious meeting with Seraria, Ratz, and Eris, who are present as my guards.
"I understand the situation. However, we shouldn't just open hostilities lightly. If it’s possible to speak with the Hein fleet, we should hold a parley first. They aren't our enemies yet."
"Even after what they did to us!"
"Please calm down, Princess Palfil. Yuki-sama is saying that we shouldn't fight blindly without knowing the enemy's numbers or strength. By holding a dialogue, we can gauge their military power. It is also to avoid unnecessary damage to Aurelia Port."
"……I see. That is what you meant. My apologies."
Perhaps Shou’s words helped cool her head, as Princess Palfil seemed convinced.
As Shou said, it’s foolish to pick a fight without knowing the enemy's strength.
If we can investigate or talk, that’s always better.
"But, if they behave like that man who claimed to be a Hein messenger, wouldn't it be dangerous for you, Yuki-sama?"
"That is true. There is danger in that, but if it comes to that, it will give us a reason to fight. We must avoid sliding into a war before even attempting to talk. Innocent people get caught up in those conflicts."
"……That is true. Why did my father choose to side with Zurable……"
At my reply, she seemed to be wondering, perhaps for the first time, why her own father had chosen to fight the Zurable Empire.
Indeed, Emperor Eupia had issued a request for surrender.
Despite that, why did the Gusdo Kingdom choose to fight in the end?
"Shou-dono. By the way, were the terms of that surrender request harsh?"
"No. It was only the cession of Aurelia Port, with the rest of their territory guaranteed, and the acceptance of our country's ambassadors and military."
In the mindset of modern Earth, having another country's military stationed there involves quite a lot of troublesome procedures.
It’s likely the same in this world, or perhaps they are even more wary of it.
Still, it’s better than being conquered and destroyed.
Guaranteeing their territory aside from Aurelia Port should have been a very favorable condition for the losing side in an invasion war in this world.
As I thought that far, I suddenly realized something.
"……Ah, I see. It’s because they had already requested reinforcements from the Hein Empire, isn't it?"
"「「「Ah」」」"
It seems the others realized the reason at my words.
"In other words, because my father had already asked Hein for help, he couldn't surrender?"
"That is certainly a possibility. If Hein arrived to help after they had already surrendered, it wouldn't just be Hein that falls into chaos. The Zurable Empire would be thrown into confusion as well."
That’s true.
If they thought they had occupied the place only for the Hein fleet to show up, they would think the Gusdo Kingdom had betrayed them.
"Even if they reported to us that they had requested help from Hein, doing so would be like a sneak attack on Hein. Zurable’s reputation is already at rock bottom due to the actions of the old Imperial faction. Because of that, we are very careful about how we fight. If we don't, the people in the occupied lands won't follow us. ……Besides, if they were the type to betray their allies like that, I wouldn't want to accept them as allies either."
Indeed.
That would be an act of selling out the allies who came to their rescue.
You wouldn't want to bring people like that into your inner circle.
"In other words, my father was already past the point of no return?"
"Likely. Though, they probably also believed that the Hein Empire would make it in time. Furthermore, Zurable’s reputation abroad is at the very bottom. They probably didn't believe the conditions we offered, like the guarantee of their territory, at all."
That is certainly possible.
"……In the end, isn't it the fault of the Emperors who fabricated Zurable’s reputation!"
"Yes, yes. Calm down, Princess Palfil."
Is the Princess turning into a "rage character"?
Well, I understand the feeling.
I thought about it, and it really does come back to the old Imperial faction being the cause.
"M-my apologies. Regardless, I still think it is very dangerous to talk with the people from Hein."