第１３７２堀：意外と余裕はありそうでない (Part2)
"It is, quite literally, the word of a Goddess."
"I see. So, you have become an envoy for Litea. You have certainly acquired a great deal of power. I recall you once saying that you were turned away at the gates in the past."
"That’s right~. That was quite heartbreaking, so I worked hard to get where I am now~. Oh, but of course, the primary prerequisite is that you must join the Intercontinental Exchange Alliance~. This is a special exception because Litea begged for it~. Normally, the military of a non-allied nation entering another country is a massive diplomatic incident, you know~?"
Ah, right. I remember her mentioning that she once went to the Holy City to protest Litea’s tyranny, only to be turned away at the door. I heard that when Alstaire and Rurua heard that, they turned pale. Well, I suppose that’s only natural when you find out the Goddess you worship treated someone like that.
"That, I understand. Given the emergency, I will permit the entry of the Intercontinental Exchange Alliance forces. I shall prepare the documents immediately. You may have them. As for joining the Alliance, I do not foresee any issues, though I must reserve my final answer until after the council meets. Are there any other conditions?"
"As for other conditions~, we can discuss those later~. Well, for starters, I want permission to maintain the Alliance fortress established in Suurus, as well as permission to conduct surveys~."
"That is a necessary measure for the protection of our nation; I hardly think that qualifies as a token of gratitude, does it?"
"I did say 'hopes' at the beginning, didn't I~? As for the gratitude, that is a matter for further consultation~. Honestly, I don't think I’ll ask for anything unreasonable. If I did, other nations wouldn't be able to join, either."
"That is true, I suppose. Nevertheless, we cannot offer nothing. It is a matter of our nation's pride."
"That may be, but if you push yourselves to offer something you cannot afford, the Alliance’s reputation will suffer~. We will avoid such things, so let’s just say it’s under consultation~."
Right. Gratitude for their help is essential, but it would be a disaster if Suurus collapsed because they gave away too much. I imagine there will be a meeting to determine the optimal balance. Yuki and Seraria are going to have their hands full with this one.
"Oh, and one more thing. I would like to visit the Spring of Spirits, but as for Weed..."
"Hm? Ah, you mean the matter of the Weed consort’s visit? I have already granted permission for that, so there is no issue."
"I see. I’m glad to hear the message was received properly. I was worried because it seems no messengers or carrier pigeons from the northern town have arrived~."
"..."
Lilishe-sama, you just said that so casually. What on earth is going on with their intelligence network? I had been agonizing over how to break the news, but I never expected her to go for a direct, straight-shot approach. Thanks to that, the previously bright atmosphere froze over in an instant.
"Did you not find it strange? As we explained, this military action could have easily led to hostilities with Suurus, could it not~? That is why we contacted the northern town, and we even informed them in advance that the Intercontinental Exchange Alliance was mobilizing its forces from Litea~? Did you really think we would neglect such basic procedures~?"
"...You are correct. We have been so preoccupied with the encroaching war that we let it slip our minds. In other words, that is what has happened, isn't it?"
"Mm~, I think it’s possible it was just a mistake~. Now that I’ve brought it up here, I’m sure some will pretend they knew nothing, but there is no doubt that the flow of information has been severed~. I think it would be best to get that sorted out properly~."
"Understood. It seems we no longer have the luxury of taking our time. I will convene the council immediately. In the meantime, I shall have rooms prepared for you, Priestess Lilishe, so that you may rest from your journey."
"Thank you~."
With that reply, our conversation came to an end, but I wonder if this will lead to a massive upheaval later? What will they do about the two nations currently preparing their armies? I wish I could learn more about the situation there... but I have no idea where the people connected to the envoys might be.
For now, I need to contact Yuki. I decided on that, and without lowering my guard, I headed toward my room. It is a classic trope: the moment you convince yourself you have breathing room, a little thing happens to strip it all away. And it is always in those moments that trouble decides to strike.