第１３８４堀：交渉決裂からの開戦準備 (Part1)
Chapter 1384: Breakdown of Negotiations and Preparations for War
Side: Yuki
"I suppose you’ve heard, haven't you? It’s turned into a war. My apologies~."
A voice drifted through, sounding as if it were caught somewhere between a genuine apology and a mockery. I suppose I should at least admire that attitude, even in a situation like this. No, no—first, I have to respond.
"It can’t be helped. It’s not as if we didn’t anticipate this. I just thought the probability was low."
"But still, was the Kinauf Kingdom really pushed that far into a corner?"
"Who knows? I don’t have information on matters outside the alliance. What about you, Alstaire?"
I turned to Alstaire, who was confirming the situation beside me, but she simply gave a quiet shake of her head.
"No, I have heard nothing of the sort. It is true that there were requests from the Kinauf Kingdom via Litea for food supplies and increased production, but no reports have surfaced suggesting they were in such dire straits."
"…I don’t think they’re lying, but we’ll need to investigate that thoroughly. Or perhaps the upper echelons of the Kinauf Kingdom are deliberately manipulating the narrative."
"Manipulating the narrative, you say?"
"They’re planting the idea that Litea, Weed, Swuls, and the Intercontinental Alliance are the villains for refusing to help them. If they cut off supplies to the lower ranks, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, even if they aren't actually in trouble."
"What reason would they have to do that? Even by any stretch of the imagination, they can’t possibly defeat the alliance. They aren't trying to commit suicide, are they?"
"…It’s not an impossible scenario. If they are crushed by the alliance's brute force, it sends a message to other neutral nations watching from the sidelines. We will, of course, offer our own justifications, but they will certainly spin their own convenient version of the truth."
That’s the reality of it. No matter how much information we disseminate, the burden of belief lies with the recipient. While our ability to spread information is superior, making it difficult for them to succeed, it still provides a rallying point for those who were already suspicious of us.
"Would they really sacrifice their own country for that? The general I spoke with seemed convinced that we lacked both strength and justice."
Agil joined the conversation at that point.
"Well, if you’re the side that wants to incite a war, you have to feed them that line, don't you? No general would lead their troops into a battle that is essentially a guaranteed, futile death. Especially when there isn't even a shred of righteous cause to be found."
"In other words, the Kinauf general truly believes that starting this war is the righteous path?"
Jessica asked, sounding as if she still couldn't quite wrap her head around it.
"If he didn't, he wouldn't be able to fight. Well, there are those who do it while knowing the truth, but would they be the ones standing on the front lines?"
"Indeed, those who weave such schemes typically remain in the rear. It is not impossible for a general to be incompetent, but it is rare."
Stasia followed up on my opinion. Knowing the truth makes one hesitate, especially when your own life is on the line. But if you believe with absolute conviction that your actions are just and your opponent is evil, there are those who will hold onto their pride even in the face of death.
"Well, we won't know the details until we talk. In any case, the fortunate thing is that there hasn't been much damage to the eastern town. Shall we just deal with the forces currently spreading out before us?"
"We need to be careful about the degree of force we use. As I said before, if we strike too harshly and cause significant casualties, they’ll use it to tarnish our reputation. I’d prefer we avoid killing if possible—capturing everyone is the recommended course of action."
"Asking for the impossible again... Steve, can you handle that?"
"Hmm, it’s not impossible, I suppose. It’s tricky when the army is on the move, but if we scatter them beforehand and make them realize they can’t win, that should do it. Though, it’ll be dangerous for those charging in."
"We’ll have Kirika and the Royal Guard handle that. If we use the monster units too overtly, they’ll claim we were the ones controlling the Great Outbreak. Besides, the real problem is that the messenger’s report hasn't reached them yet; once it does, things should settle down."
"““Understood.””"
Everyone agreed with my final assessment. That’s right—the envoys from the two nations who were in Swuls are already frantically trying to contact their homelands. They know that if things continue, the Intercontinental Alliance will become their enemy. The general on the ground may be swayed by whatever he’s been fed, but there’s a chance he’ll listen if the word comes from his own people.
"Regardless, if we just stand here glaring at each other, people might start doubting the strength of the alliance. We need the concrete fact that we’ve suppressed the opposition."
"That’s true. We were asked to handle the invaders at the request of Swuls, an alliance member, so it’s important we fulfill that duty properly."
Seraria agreed. Unlike some other worlds, we haven't created treaties that prevent intervention in civil wars or conflicts. We have a clear, justifiable cause to act in order to protect the interests of our allies. Of course, we must also strictly regulate our own side's aggressive actions.
In the end, border disputes are almost always based on pretexts. The question is how much the parties involved will actually move. Furthermore, this is a critical time where the prestige of the Intercontinental Alliance is at stake. We must hold those who break the rules accountable.
But we must not go too far. It is truly a tedious affair.
"I understand that we need to scatter them for the sake of our reputation, but that we’ll invite backlash if we go too far. It’s all a bit greedy, isn't it?"
"But conversely, it also demonstrates that we have the power to do so. So, I’m counting on you all. My wives, don't push yourselves. Micos, you can come back. Actually, all of you—the danger level has just skyrocketed."
Yes, the battle is now a certainty. And this time, we cannot rely on the power of the dungeon. This will be a clash of soldier against soldier.