第１８９０堀：こっちも同じような悩み事 (Part1)
Chapter 1890: Similar Troubles of My Own
Side: Kagura
"Phew..."
I gathered the documents and tucked them into an envelope.
It was a routine task, yet the weight of it sat heavy on my chest. These were reports on the cooperation of the various nations in the southern part of the New Continent, centered around Ohe.
This was information so sensitive that a single mistake could lead to catastrophic damage—or even the total collapse—of those nations. I had to compile it accurately for Seraria and Yuki, of course, and then distill it down for the Princess—Princess Carrie of Haiden.
Even though it’s my job, Princess Carrie has become even more demanding since she dropped her "airheaded" act, which makes things quite difficult.
I looked outside at the clear, sunny sky, but it felt entirely irrelevant to my current mood.
Actually, I knew exactly why.
"...Well, if it were just that, it would be fine. But lately, the nagging... though I suppose it’s only natural..."
I winced, recalling my last meeting—or rather, my last report.
*"Kagura. I mentioned this to Mikos as well, but have you not conceived a child yet?"*
From her perspective, she was merely inquiring about a matter of national importance, the ties between our countries. But for me, it was immense pressure. It’s not that I don’t want children, but I’ve always assumed that if two people love each other, it happens naturally. Even when I’m told that, I still share a perfectly healthy relationship with Yuki...
It makes me wonder if there’s something wrong with me as a woman.
Above all else...
"And she’s not even married herself," I muttered.
The words slipped out before I could stop them. For someone who loves to meddle in the affairs of men and women, the Princess hasn't even had a whisper of a fiancé.
Well, I suppose that’s to be expected; if you spend every Haiden council meeting cutting down ministers with your sharp tongue, you aren't exactly going to find a suitor.
"...What kind of dangerous things are you muttering about?"
"Eek!?"
I let out a strange shriek at the sudden voice. I spun around to see who it was, only to find Enora standing there.
"W-what, it’s just you, Enora."
"What do you mean, 'just me'? Oh, well, I suppose it’s fortunate it was me. If it had been someone affiliated with Haiden, who knows what would have happened?"
"I-it’s fine. I didn't mention any names."
"If you’re that flustered, anyone involved would know exactly who you’re talking about. There are plenty of fools out there who want to drag you down, Kagura. You need to be more careful."
"I know that."
It was true. There were many fools who envied my position, assuming I was simply reaping the rewards without effort. They had no idea how much I had struggled to reach this point.
Besides, do they really think I’d let them have Yuki? Yuki wouldn't let me go, either. That’s how close we are.
But, putting that aside...
"...Come on, why are you here, Enora? Aren't you supposed to be operating in the Giadana Kingdom on the New Continent?"
"Yes, I’m supposed to be blowing away the idiots over there. But that doesn't mean I’m there twenty-four-seven. I just have my Doppelganger handle it; you know my main body is here, right?"
"Well, yes, I know that. But it’s rare to run into each other during work hours."
We truly feel as though we don't have enough bodies to go around. While the Doppelgangers can make their own judgments to an extent, there are still important matters that require us to shift our consciousness and make the decisions ourselves. I’m rarely in Weed these days, what with my diplomatic duties to King Ohe and the neighboring countries.
"Ah, that’s true. Neither you nor I have much free time. It’s rare to bump into each other on the street like this, unless we’re meeting at home at night. And especially rare to catch you saying something so dangerous."
"Leave that alone."
"Usually I would, but you know, this time we have to be mindful of mental health care as well."
"...Ah, right. I remember."
I had heard that the demi-humans we rescued were in a horrific state. Since Enora had suffered the same fate, she couldn't just turn a blind eye.
Still...
"What?"
"Nothing. I understand the mental aspect, but Enora, you managed to return to duty almost immediately back then, didn't you?"
Enora had been subjected to genuine torture; when we rescued her, the light of her life was on the verge of flickering out. Thanks to Rurua being there, her physical wounds healed in an instant, but the mental trauma shouldn't have vanished so easily.
"Ah, well, I had the pride of a Haire Bishop, and the sheer grit to resist until the very end. The others were all Haire followers, too. But this time is different, isn't it?"
"I see. That makes sense."
It wasn't a matter of shame for the family or the stubbornness of a cleric; these were just ordinary people who had been victimized. Expecting them to endure that was asking too much.
Though, that doesn't mean the Haire followers are "fine" just because of their faith. It just means those people possessed an incredibly resilient spirit.
"So, I’m here for the same reason as you, I assume. Reporting to Seraria?"
"You too? Has your future activity been decided?"
"No, for now, I’m just reporting on the condition of the patients transferred to the southern fort and the status of the unit."
"I understand the patients, but the unit's status?"
"Well, they saw that state of affairs, so I’ve been asked to confirm if it had any impact on their morale."
"Ah, now that you mention it, I see. Having seen a situation like that, I suppose some might have lost their will to fight?"
The unit Enora is leading is centered around medical personnel. Their primary purpose is to heal, after all. Even so, it’s not unusual for people to break mentally when confronted with such tragic circumstances. Even at the Baide defense line, where Mikos and I fought so hard, there were plenty of soldiers—and even student soldiers—who didn't want to stand on the battlefield. It wouldn't be strange for Weed’s unit to have people like that, too.
"Ah, there’s no loss of will to fight. But on the contrary, there are some whose fighting spirit has exploded."
"Ah, that kind of situation..."
It’s common in war. There are those who lose their will, but there are also those who see their comrades killed, lose their heads, and stop following orders. It seems to be a form of PTSD, where the emotions turn either inward or outward—a negative or a positive reaction, if you can call it that.