第１０１９堀：進軍ルートとこれまでの戦い (Part2)
"It certainly sounds like a strange tale, but one wouldn't expect the second-ranked nation in the region to fall in a mere year. This isn't some war on Earth, after all.
...Actually, when I hear the history of the conflict, isn't it a mistake to say the Hein Empire was slow to act? It seems more likely that they simply felt safe watching from the sidelines because there was a rival power—the second-strongest nation—standing between them and the Zuraburu Great Empire.
The fact that the Zuraburu Great Empire's envoys were rejected also makes sense; in such a state of affairs, one wouldn't expect them to treat an envoy from a distant rebel army with any seriousness. Even as the leader of a great power, there was no reason for the distant Hein Empire to go out of its way to interfere in local squabbles. It would be blatant interference in another country's internal affairs, after all.
That said, it is a fact that the Zuraburu Great Empire rose precisely because the nations aligned with the Hein Empire were practicing such oppressive governance. It was a mistake for the Hein Empire to turn a deaf ear to those cries.
...But my thoughts have drifted to matters that are irrelevant for now. What matters is the reason for the current situation.
'I see. I understand the situation. And what of the royalty of the conquered Nodal Kingdom? Would it not be possible to negotiate with the Hein Empire through them?'
'...'
At my question, Show, Vol, and Mirabelle all wore bitter expressions.
'I see. So they escaped, then.'
Even if the territory was secured, having the royalty escape gives the enemy a banner under which to reclaim the former Nodal Kingdom. In other words, it was a failure. I assumed that was why the three of them looked so bitter, but...
'It is useless. As for those wretches, I personally severed the heads of every single one of them.'
Emperor Eupia stated this with a strangely expressionless face.
'You did it yourself, Emperor Eupia?'
'Indeed. ...They had said that if only the Nodal Kingdom could be settled through negotiation, it would be fine, so I suppose they believed there was room for such a thing.'
Emperor Eupia looked apologetic for a fleeting moment, but immediately returned to her blank expression.
'There was no room for negotiation with them. The envoys we sent were cut down, their heads delivered back to us. ...Well, that much is fine. We are rebels. Those I entrusted with the role of envoy went with that resolve.'
Her voice had been devoid of inflection until then, but suddenly, it gained strength.
'However, however! They dragged their own country's impoverished citizens to the border where we were stationed and burned them alive. Because we were under the mistaken impression that they were people we could talk to, innocent lives were consumed by the very hands that should have protected them. No, they did not even see them as people. They were merely livestock. They could not comprehend why we would help those who simply multiply on their own!'
By the end, her voice had turned into a shout. I was so stunned I couldn't say a word. I had heard the kingdom was in its death throes. I had heard they rose up to build a country where they could survive. I hadn't understood the true meaning of those words. My, my, it seems my assumptions were still far too naive. They were simply scum.
'So, leaving behind only the bare minimum of defenses, we combined our three armies and invaded the Nodal Kingdom all at once. We struck them, and struck them, and crushed them completely. What we saw inside the Nodal Kingdom was so horrific that the word "horrible" doesn't even begin to cover it. Well, thanks to that, the majority of the populace—centered on the impoverished—and even the local lords all sided with us, which is why we were able to conquer it in just one year.'
'I see. I apologize for making you speak of such painful things.'
'It is fine. We had only ever said that the Hein Empire side was "horrible." Perhaps we were hesitant, fearing that if we told Weed of that folly, the miserable state of affairs would be revealed. We only feared being thought of as people from the same land as those who would commit such madness. ...Ah, it is terrifying. Just the thought that Aslin and the others might hate us, that they might think we are the same as those people—it was terrifying.'
As she said this with a face on the verge of tears, Aslin and Firia immediately rushed over and hugged her.
'It's okay. We would never, ever hate you.'
'That is right. Firia and the others are your friends!'
'Indeed! I have been blessed with good friends!'
What wonderful friendship. Though, while this is a moving scene...
'Your Majesty, while it is true that Lady Aslin and the others are good friends, we must decide on our marching route.'
'Oh, that is right. And so, I personally took the heads of everyone from the Nodal Kingdom, so negotiation is impossible. Also, Mirabelle is currently stationed at a fort on the edge of the former Nodal Kingdom, so it would be best to avoid that area.'
She returned to the continuation of the discussion.
Still, the story of the Nodal Kingdom is quite shocking. It's not just the part about burning citizens; it makes it clear that there was no room for discussion in the first place.
...It seems I need to have Kirika verify this. The Nodal Kingdom is too far gone; it's already finished. What of the Hein Empire that stands behind them?
Determining these things is difficult, isn't it? How far one can negotiate, and how to define that line."