第９８８堀：これが始まりである (Part2)
"Lord Show, I apologize for the surprise. However, I have heard from Lake and Menou regarding the events at Aurelia Port. The fact that your Zurable Great Empire destroyed the Gusdo Kingdom, and that my diplomatic fleet was captured only to be rescued by Weed... honestly, I am at a loss as to how to proceed. That is precisely why I wished to hold this meeting with King Haiden and the others."
Well, that makes sense. Menou, who was standing behind me, had come storming in just the other day, shouting about how we were going to clean up this mess. It’s understandable that they would want to consult with Haiden, with whom they share a cooperative relationship.
Show seemed to feel the same way, wearing a slightly troubled expression.
"...I understand. We were also at a loss as to how to respond at first."
"I am glad to have your understanding. In that case, would you be willing to hold a formal discussion right now?"
"Yes. Please, let us proceed."
And so, a conference was held between the Sea-Saifo Kingdom, the Haiden Kingdom, and the Zurable Great Empire. The meeting concluded before sunset—quite brief compared to typical international summits. It was simple, really, as it only amounted to an agreement to get along from here on out. Detailed negotiations and the drafting of treaties were deferred until the Emperor of the Zurable Great Empire could be involved. For now, the agreement was limited to the Zurable Great Empire taking over trade in place of the fallen Gusdo Kingdom, along with a mutual non-aggression pact.
We were currently enjoying a relaxed meal, featuring an abundance of Sea-Saifo’s local seafood.
"Lord Show, you are heading to Weed next, aren't you?"
"Yes. First, I must pay my respects to the Haire Church for providing such valuable supplies, and I intend to visit the Haiden Kingdom again as well. But I also plan to visit Weed to express my gratitude for the immense trouble Yuki-sama and your people went through regarding this incident."
"In that case, why not also visit our ally, Findar? Since you are planning to visit Weed, are you not also considering joining the Intercontinental Exchange Alliance?"
"Intercontinental... Exchange Alliance?"
Show tilted his head at the unfamiliar term. Princess Carrie, seeing his reaction, cast a suspicious glance in my direction. Meanwhile, King Haiden was grinning, clearly having had that objective in mind all along. It’s a sign of his years of experience, I suppose.
"Yuki-sama, given this reaction, what about the proposal for the alliance?"
"Not yet. Too much information at once would only cause confusion."
"I see. Was it alright for me to bring it up?"
"It’s a good opportunity. I believe Lord Show is a person capable of grasping and understanding our circumstances."
"What exactly is this about? I understand from your conversation that it pertains to an alliance, but..."
Realizing he was completely out of the loop, Show tried to get a handle on the situation. Well, I suppose it’s necessary to talk about it now. Deryu and Rurua had said it was a good opportunity, and since he was coming to Weed anyway, he would need an explanation of the background beforehand.
However...
"Yes, Lord Show. It is indeed about the alliance, but it requires quite a bit of preliminary explanation for you to fully understand."
"That is certainly true. An alliance is a grave matter. Unless I hear in detail which countries are participating and what the objective is, I cannot judge whether or not to join."
A perfectly sound opinion. You can't make a decision without hearing the facts. It’s common sense. But precisely because of that...
"Understood. Well, the objective is exactly as it sounds. It is an alliance meant to facilitate exchange between nations. It’s the kind of thing where we use mutual exchange to revitalize our respective economies."
"I see. That sounds truly wonderful. And which countries are participating in this alliance?"
"Many. There isn't a single country on the scale of the Zurable Great Empire, but if you combine all the major powers participating, they hold... four to six times the landmass of the Zurable Great Empire."
"What?"
Show froze, his mouth hanging open at my words. Unbelievable, right? I get it. First, the five major powers of the Logari Continent make up about 1.5 Zurables, then the six major powers of the If Continent add another 2.5, and this New Continent adds one more. If you add in their vassal states and nations under their influence, the total is easily ten times that. Though, that’s just landmass; actual military strength is another matter entirely.
"Well, I understand your surprise. And your disbelief. But please, bear with us after the meal. Queen Emerald, may we borrow a room?"
"Hmph. I don't mind. But I guarantee you, you won't be coming out until morning."
As Queen Emerald said that, everyone except Show nodded.
...So, an all-nighter it is. I should have started talking from the morning, I realized with a pang of regret.
But this is how we hook the Zurable Great Empire. It’s also true that they wouldn't trust us if we weren't prepared. And so, as the title suggests, this is the beginning. Regardless of the fact that the Zurable Great Empire is currently embroiled in war, Yuki and his companions' true objective remains the investigation of the magical power depletion phenomenon.