第９７２堀：本当の意味での中立 (Part1)
Chapter 972: True Neutrality
Side: Yuki
"My, Princess Parphil. I appreciate you handling Hein with such composure."
"……It is only natural. I was only incensed because that envoy lacked the most basic common sense. I shall return courtesy to those who observe it."
We had successfully sent back the foolish vanguard, and I was now in the conference room with Princess Parphil, discussing our earlier meeting with Fleet Commander Wave of the Hein Empire.
What surprised me was that Princess Parphil had engaged with Hein in a reasonable, diplomatic manner. I had fully expected her to snap and for the talks to fall apart entirely. I had even been prepared to use that as a pretext to cancel the conference and refuse their visit to Aurelia Port. After all, there’s no reasoning with someone who gets attacked by their own supposed allies.
"However, with this, we—or rather, Weed—have ended up in a position of neutrality. Are you truly satisfied with this?"
"It is fine. Rather than a binary choice of friend or foe, it is better for Weed to be able to calmly verify both sides' positions clearly."
"I understand your reasoning, but the conflict between Zurabul and Hein is bound to intensify from here on out. In that case, won't Aurelia Port face immense pressure from both nations?"
It wasn't me who answered that question.
"That is a delicate matter. No, in fact, the possibility of that happening is extremely low."
"Lord Shou."
Indeed, it was Shou, the man hailed as the Great Strategist, Great Tactician, and Great Imperial Advisor of the Zurabul Great Empire. He seemed to understand the situation perfectly, even without me prompting him, and continued his explanation.
"From the perspective of the Hein Empire, Aurelia Port is a remote enclave far from their borders. And from the perspective of our Zurabul Great Empire, it is merely a backwater at the edge of the continent."
"……"
Perhaps stung by being called a backwater, Princess Parphil’s expression turned overtly sorrowful. Seeing that, I couldn't help but think that Princess Parphil’s personality was one that wore its heart on its sleeve. It wasn't just that she was prone to snapping; her emotions were simply too transparent to others. To put it uncharitably, she was dramatic.
Shou immediately realized his words had wounded her.
"Ah, my apologies. I called it a backwater, but I did not mean it in the sense of a rural village. I was speaking in strategic terms—regarding the difficulty of maintaining it and the actual benefits it provides."
"I see. So, Aurelia Port is a troublesome piece of land for both sides to secure and maintain."
"Exactly. The Gusdo Kingdom is already surrounded by the territory of the Zurabul Great Empire, and for the Hein Empire, it has become a region where reinforcements can only be sent by sea. On the other hand, for us in Zurabul, it could never serve as a foothold against Hein. Though, in reality, Aurelia Port has become an indispensable location for the Zurabul Great Empire."
He was right. Originally, the Zurabul Great Empire invaded Aurelia Port to secure a stable supply of Magic Gears. It wasn't just about securing their rear flank. And the reason we, Weed, were able to avoid pressure from either side was...
"Is that what this is about? Even if we remain neutral, as long as Weed is in Aurelia Port, the Hein Empire has no need to send reinforcements to the Gusdo Kingdom."
"Precisely. Since the Hein Empire no longer has a request for reinforcements from the Gusdo Kingdom, there is no reason for them to go out of their way to deploy troops. While it is true their vanguard was dealt with, they only lost two merchant ships, and the personnel losses were negligible. I doubt they would go to the trouble of creating an unnecessary enemy and diverting resources to Aurelia Port, especially while leaving the Zurabul Great Empire unchecked."
As Shou said, from Hein's perspective, the request for reinforcements from Gusdo was gone, and the port wasn't exactly being occupied by some hostile foreign power. In such a situation, there was no reason to dispatch a military force. Certainly, the possibility of them trying to protect Aurelia Port as the leader of the Imperial faction wasn't zero, but it was extremely low.
"Besides, we, Weed, have made our presence known."
"Yes. As Lord Yuki says. If Weed were not here and Aurelia Port were left alone, it would have become a race between our Zurabul Great Empire and the Hein Empire to see who could seize it..."
"And because a third nation with the power of Weed is here to protect our Gusdo Kingdom, neither side needs to interfere anymore?"
"Exactly. With Weed here, the Gusdo Kingdom will not fall, and the Zurabul Great Empire will not be able to push out to the sea from Aurelia Port. In other words..."
"The Hein Empire has lost any reason to send soldiers. If anything, if they act recklessly, we might withdraw, which would only lead to more trouble for them."
"So, for the Hein Empire, this is a very convenient situation, and there is no point in applying pressure in the first place?"
"Yes. That is correct."
By our presence, Weed had created a pseudo-neutral zone. It wasn't a neutral zone based on mere promises between untrustworthy parties, but one based on the existence of a third party with enough power to satisfy both sides' interests. There was no reason for anyone to break it.
"Well, if the Hein Empire ever discovers the true value of Aurelia Port, they will be the first to try and crush us."
"Naturally. In that case, the Zurabul Great Empire will provide full support."
"……I do not know what pacts have been made between the two of you, but you both have very wicked looks on your faces."
"That is because adults are wicked creatures."
"Indeed. But, Princess Parphil, are you truly satisfied with this? You had the option of seeking help from the Hein Empire. Aside from that first fool, I hear the Hein fleet commander was a reasonable man."
Now that he mentioned it, that was true. Princess Parphil had the option of relying on the Hein Empire. Even if they hadn't arrived in time to save the Gusdo Kingdom from collapse, they had at least sent reinforcements. There was a sense of duty there to honor that commitment. One might think they could be trusted, at least to some extent.
"No. I have decided to trust the Zurabul Great Empire and the people of Weed. I can no longer trust the Hein Empire itself. It is true that Commander Wave was a man of integrity. But that means nothing now that the Gusdo Kingdom has fallen."
"……"
Once she said that, there was nothing left to say. In this world, the result is what matters, not the process. Perhaps those who witnessed the process up close would disagree, but ultimately, the process is only visible to those nearby. To the outside world, only the result remains.
The defense of the Gusdo Kingdom. It didn't happen in time. That is the truth.