第１８４９堀：どこから動くべきか (Part1)
Chapter 1849: Where to Begin
Side: Yuki
"A pleasure to meet you, King Giadana, and Chancellor. I am Yuki, consort to the King of Weed, currently collaborating with Oue to resolve these matters."
I offered this greeting to the King of Giadana and his Chancellor, who appeared on the other side of the screen. While I had instructed our intelligence agents to brief them on our technology, they were blinking in utter bewilderment. Well, I suppose that’s to be expected; their primary means of communication are still swift horses and handwritten letters. The concept of a device that allows for instantaneous, face-to-face communication must be entirely beyond their imagination.
"Uh, Ena? Baroness Siana? Can you hear me on your end? I can’t tell from here."
"Yes, Yuki-sama. We hear you clearly."
"Indeed, there is no problem, Yuki-sama. It is simply that King Giadana and the others are quite taken aback by this device."
"I see. In that case, do you have any of the items we sent over? Drinks, or perhaps the sweets? Go ahead and offer them one."
"Understood. If you would, please."
As Ena produced a cake from her item box, the two men, who had been frozen in place, finally seemed to regain their composure. I could hear King Giadana’s voice through the transmission.
"O-oh, what is this? Does Lady Ena possess an item box?"
"Yes, I do. And this is a cake, a confection commonly sold in Weed. Please, have your food taster inspect it before you partake."
At Ena’s instruction, a soldier standing nearby stepped forward to sample the cake. His eyes widened instantly, and he blurted out, "It’s sweet!"
I suppose sweets are considered a luxury item over there as well. Seeing his reaction, both King Giadana and the Chancellor followed suit, eating the cake with wide-eyed delight. Once the tea and cake were finished...
"My apologies for my earlier lack of decorum. I am King Giadana, Peraada."
"And I am the Chancellor, Daeda."
"Once again, I am Yuki, consort to the King of Weed. And here with me is Nadoa, King of Oue."
It goes without saying that the leaders of Oue were by my side, eager to observe the state of the Giadana Kingdom. It was precisely because of the King of Giadana’s recent statements—and the dire situation of his kingdom—that King Nadoa had requested this summit. I found the prospect quite intriguing myself.
"A pleasure to meet you, King Giadana. I am Nadoa, King of Oue."
He had shed his usual casual demeanor, standing tall and sharp, embodying the dignity of a monarch.
"I am the superior of Ena, and I have been monitoring the situation on the ground through this device. After hearing the reports, I felt it would be more efficient to speak with you directly. I hope you don't mind?"
"Not at all. I was startled at first, but if such a tool exists, there is no reason not to utilize it."
"Indeed. With a tool that allows for such instantaneous communication, Marquis Toruru never stood a chance. The Clearstream Church was foolish to think otherwise."
Chancellor Daeda seemed to have realized the futility of their struggle simply by witnessing our communication technology. While I certainly didn't intend to lose, I found his assessment sound, even if it was perhaps a bit defeatist for a Chancellor.
"Now, to discuss the matter at hand: Weed, in cooperation with Oue, has defeated the coalition forces led by Marquis Toruru, which centered on the Giadana Kingdom. We have since returned those who surrendered—such as Baroness Siana and the people of the Budeaku Kingdom—back to your lands to assess the true state of affairs. From what I heard earlier, it seems you do not hold the Clearstream Church in high regard?"
"Indeed. That is certain. Their claims are not merely strange; they are utterly preposterous. While it is true that the northern human tribes are exclusive toward demi-humans, the idea of total exclusion—let alone execution—is extreme. There are many demi-humans living ordinary lives among us. To purge or execute them would inevitably cripple our national strength and invite nothing but chaos."
I see. I had heard they were exclusive, so it stood to reason that a fair number of demi-humans lived in the north. In other words, they were contributing to the economy, production, and military strength of the region. People are assets, after all. The notion of discarding them based on the Church’s rhetoric is, under normal circumstances, unthinkable.
"We have heard similar reports from neighboring countries. The Clearstream Church’s crusade against demi-humans is viewed as an anomaly. That said, it is a fact that there are humans who harbor prejudice against demi-humans, and there are those who exploit that sentiment for their own gain."
"I see. So, it is a matter of vested interests."
"Precisely. There is a lingering fear among the nobility that long-lived races might usurp their positions or seize control of their lands. Such concerns have been voiced for generations, and we have historically kept them in check by limiting their territories. However, since the previous generation—about forty years ago—that radical rhetoric began to intensify, leading to the state we see today."
"And you believe the Clearstream Church is the catalyst for this?"
"They have been very vocal in claiming credit for driving out the demi-humans."
So, the root of the problem—the source—is indeed the Clearstream Church. Still, their lack of response is concerning.
"I have a question. It seems strange that you would allow this to escalate to such a degree. Was there no attempt to intervene?"
"Of course there was. But in the beginning, we honestly believed it was merely a standard reaction born of fear."
"Indeed. Demi-humans possess superior physical abilities and, in many cases, high magical aptitude. The nobility often viewed them as a threat, and complaints were frequent."
"Ah, so you dismissed it as typical grievances at first."
"Exactly. But forty years ago, we realized something was wrong. That was when the Clearstream Church began to rise to prominence. They claimed to have driven out 'monsters.' They issued proclamations to every nation."
"They claimed they had saved towns by driving out demi-humans who were 'controlling monsters.' Since it happened in other countries, the truth was difficult to verify, but given the current state of the Giadana Kingdom, I suspect it was all a fabrication."
So, the underlying prejudice against demi-humans caused them to delay their response, and because the initial incidents occurred in other lands, they were powerless to act. After all, if the Giadana Kingdom was protecting demi-humans, they were, in a sense, an ally to them.
Perhaps that was why they were the final target—or why they had been avoided until now. The Church likely knew Giadana was a sanctuary for demi-humans; by crushing Giadana, they would not only inflict massive damage on the demi-human population but also deal a devastating blow to the Giadana military.
"Since our operation succeeded in preventing the total collapse of Oue, I suppose we can count that as a victory in itself."