第１７２９堀：新大陸の軽い情勢説明 (Part2)
"As I mentioned earlier, they seem to view us as nothing more than a shield against the monsters. Even though there is no treaty or formal agreement of any kind."
"Even so, does the other side truly believe that the Ohe Kingdom is failing to act as a shield, despite the fact that they tolerate our existence? That seems contradictory."
"Indeed. And while I am not privy to the exact sequence of events, rumors began to spread that the Demon Lord had been resurrected. Because the Ohe Kingdom allows monsters to pass through our lands, we were branded as allies of the monsters, and thus, we have been served with a formal declaration of war."
I see. The reasoning is utter nonsense, but at least the pretext for the war is clear.
Well, war in this world is rarely a rational affair, so I suppose this is par for the course. Still...
"I understand that the Ohe Kingdom was viewed with disdain, but you mentioned that their forces lack coordination. If the leadership decided on this war, wouldn't they simply be marching forward in an organized fashion?"
Exactly as my brother says; if they’ve committed to a war, the lack of cohesion is baffling. The Ohe Kingdom representatives seem to grasp this as well, and after a moment of troubled deliberation, they continue.
"We found it strange as well, so we conducted an investigation. Please understand that this is not yet confirmed, but..."
Martin explained that the primary reason for the disarray is that the human nations to the north are not a unified front.
One might ask why they are attacking at all, then. But when we speak of the "northern nations," we aren't talking about a single superpower spanning that vast territory. Instead, it is a collection of many different countries, much like here. Many of them do not border the southern regions plagued by monsters—in fact, those who don't are in the majority.
Considering the sheer scale of this continent, that is only natural.
In short, most of them are unaware of the surge in monster activity. Yet, they are being told to commit their forces, to crush the demi-human nations, and to defeat a Demon Lord. Naturally, they aren't exactly jumping at the chance.
Moreover, these human nations are constantly vying with one another for territorial expansion. It’s only logical that instead of cooperating, some would prefer to ignore the conflict and wait for their rivals to weaken themselves.
Furthermore, there is the question of who would foot the bill for the budget and manpower required for post-war defense against the monsters, the Demon Lord’s subjugation, and the subsequent southern invasion.
Oh, look at that. It seems some of them actually have the foresight to look ahead.
If it were true that the Ohe Kingdom was collaborating with the Demon Lord, then destroying us would be a matter of survival. But they must consider the possibility that it isn't true. If they are wrong, they will have destroyed the very barrier—the Ohe Kingdom—that was holding the tide back, only to find themselves facing an even greater burden.
Given that, even with their prejudice against demi-humans, they can't afford to act recklessly. That is why they cannot unite.
The existence of a "Demon Lord" that no one has actually seen, and the claim that the Ohe Kingdom is responsible for the increase in monsters—these are likely the result of a few extremists running wild.
Nevertheless, because demi-humans are generally despised, the opinion that the Ohe Kingdom is siding with the Demon Lord is emotionally accepted by the public.
Ugh, how foolish. That is the only thought that comes to mind.
Well, the Ohe Kingdom is just as much to blame. If they had put more effort into diplomacy, they might have found a way to push back the monsters advancing from the north together.
"Because of all this, the nations that have gathered are merely those who believe that destroying the Ohe Kingdom will solve everything. They are neither well-supplied nor well-manned."
"I see. So that is why there is no coordination. And if they manage to take the kingdom, they hope to claim the glory for themselves."
"That appears to be the case. And that is the situation we are currently facing as we hold them off."
They are certainly on the edge of a cliff, but it isn't entirely hopeless. I suppose that is why they have the luxury of trying to raise the people they’ve summoned. Whether that is a cause for celebration, I cannot say.
"For our part, we hope to push them back before their full strength can be mustered, and then seek a path toward reconciliation."
"That would be the ideal outcome. So, what operations are currently underway to achieve that?"
Yuki asks the question, knowing they must be exploring other avenues for peace alongside the war, and the conversation continues...
"Hmm, isn't this becoming a rather troublesome affair?"
"It certainly is. At the very least, it’s a two-front war. The fact that they can engage in subversive activities isn't exactly favorable for Weed."
"You're telling me."
For Weed, it would be far more economical to simply crush the enemy. I whisper to Eris, feeling a sense of unease about how this will unfold.
From Weed’s perspective, the shortest path is to pulverize them with overwhelming force, shatter their lines, and be done with it. Forget about the post-war governance or the long-term fallout.
Negotiations and the like are just a drain on personnel—a total headache.
Ugh, it’s all just a grueling ordeal.