How a Realist Hero Rebuilt The Kingdom

Book 3: Chapter 4

The congress danced at a dizzying pace.

How did your harvest fare in the Empire this year? I asked.

Thankfully, this year most of our crops have performed well, said Jeanne. Our wheat crop, in particular, was quite fruitful. How were things in Elfrieden? I had heard you were facing a food crisis.

Our yields have been steadily improving, I said. Partly thanks to the replanting effort having begun in time, I dont believe we have any fears of a food crisis any longer. That said, I do have some misgivings about the levels of our food stores. Even if the harvest is good this year, if we were to have a crop failure next year, or the year after, there could be a relapse of the food crisis.

Its a problem that every country shares, Im sure, said Jeanne. Theres little that can be done but to pray for a good harvest.

As Jeanne and I spoke, bureaucrats from both the kingdom and Empire were going about their business quietly, but busily nonetheless.

Some were frantically keeping a log of the proceedings. Once committed to paper, a verbal agreement was as good as a contract. They listened intently, ensuring no word was missed.

Others were confirming that there was a mutual understanding of what those words meant, in order to ensure that nothing was misconstrued. There were also those thrusting the documents they had prepared in advance towards one another, comparing the goods and materials which each nation had an excess or deficit of. Because we shared no land border, it would be difficult to engage in direct trade, but if both sides shared that information, then something might be worked out through a third party.

The scene was truly a battlefield.

Hakuya was scrutinizing the documents presented to him, while Liscia acted as my aide.

Only my bodyguard, Aisha, stood erect and motionless, but she probably didnt want to have to deal with the numbers. With the large number of people present, she was paying close attention to her duties as my bodyguard, but she looked fed up with it all.

...It hasnt been like this in a while, I thought.

The way things were going so blindingly fast reminded me of the days when I had just taken the throne.

Normally, in foreign affairs, even if the heads of state only meet for ten minutes, behind the scenes there have been bureaucrats from each country negotiating for weeks, perhaps months.

Things were this busy because it hadnt been possible for the kingdom and Empire to hold talks ever since the appearance of the Demon Lords Domain. Incidentally, the first thing Jeanne and I had agreed to was the resumption of shuttle diplomacy between the Gran Chaos Empire and the Elfrieden Kingdom.

Speaking of foodstuffs, I found those lily root dumplings most delicious, said Jeanne. I believe the primary ingredient was the rootstalk of the bewitching lily. I would like to hear how you go about harvesting them.

Im happy to tell you, I said. From what Poncho was telling me, he learned the method from a mountain tribe inside the Empire. If you enlist their help, it should be simple to do.

Oh, my. There was a tribe like that inside the Empire? Jeanne asked. Even though its my own country, I must shamefully admit, I did not know.

Thats just how it goes, I said. It can be hard for anyone to see whats lying at their own feet.

The same went for our country. I mean, when Id put out the call, I dont care what it is, if you have a special talent, come and show me, Id had quite a number of people show up. If I kept digging, there were probably more such people to be found.

In order to develop this country, Ill need to find them, I thought to myself.

While drinking the coffee Serina had prepared for me, I looked to Jeanne. Now, since I gave you information on the lily root dumplings, Id like some information in return.

Jeanne, who was drinking black tea, laid her teacup down on its saucer and tilted her head to the side questioningly. What information might that be?

I think food for food is a fair trade, I said. Are there any ingredients used in the Empire that arent commonly eaten elsewhere?

...In that case, I know just the thing, Jeanne said, a mischievous smile on her lips. I dunno, she just looked like she had an incredible ace up her sleeve.

Then, Jeanne confidently said, Monster meat.

...Say what? I asked.

Its possible to eat monster meat.

Monster... meat? Wait, seriously? I thought.

The monsters you mean... Theyre the ones from the Demon Lords Domain? Not from dungeons? I asked.

Yes, said Jeanne. They tasted surprisingly normal.

You ate them yourself?!

Thats more wild than Id have expected from her neat, pretty appearance, I thought. But, still, shes eaten monsters from the Demon Lords Domain... huh. When I heard about the kobold that spared Tomoe and the mystic wolves, I thought negotiating with the Demon Lords Domain might be an option, depending on the situation... Oh, but, theres both monsters and demons, right? If I remember, kobolds fall under the demon category.

I hesitantly asked Jeanne, You didnt happen to eat... a kobold, by any chance, did you?

When I did, Jeanne reacted with shock, quickly shaking her head, Perish the thought! I only ate animal-like monsters! I wouldnt go around eating demons, with their human-like bodies.

No, its just Im not familiar with the distinction, I said.

...I see, Jeanne said. The Elfrieden Kingdom doesnt share a border with the Demon Lords Domain, after all.

Jeanne nodded, satisfied. Very well. This is something of a side note, but allow me to provide you with the information our country has on the Demon Lords Domain, as well as demons and monsters.

She began to slowly explain it all for me.

First of all, even in our country, we have no information on why the Demon Lords Domain appeared, said Jeanne. Honestly, all that we can say is that one day, out of nowhere, it did.

So even the Empire doesnt know...? I asked.

Yes, said Jeanne. So, in the Demon Lords Domain, there are aberrant creatures that form swarms, but which demonstrate no intelligence, violently devouring all life they come across, as well as those like the kobolds, which behave almost like well-ordered armies and have few differences from the races of mankind. In order to distinguish the two, we call the former monsters and the later demons.

Id heard that much from the former king, Albert.

In the northernmost reaches of the continent, a dimension called the Demon World had appeared, and monsters of many sizes and shapes had poured out, throwing the Northern Countries into chaos. The forces of mankind had formed an alliance and organized a punitive force to send in, but the attempt had ended in failure.

In the Demon World there were monsters, which had minimal (or, some would theorize, no) intelligence, as well as demons, who were intelligent and also powerful fighters. This loss had been inflicted on them by the demons. After that battle, mankind had lost the means to defend themselves against the monsters that appeared from the Demon World. The Northern Countries were laid waste one after another, and the monsters extended their range to cover all of what was now called the Demon Lords Domain.

When I explained what I had heard from Albert to her, Jeanne nodded, a somber look on her face. That is correct. And the Gran Chaos Empire were the ones to lead that punitive force. The one who commanded it was the former emperor, our father.

The Empire lead the punitive force, huh? I thought. Well, given theyre the strongest amongst the nations of mankind, I guess that should have been a given.

Then, does that mean the Empire has made contact with the demons? I asked.

If you mean waged war against them... then yes, said Jeanne. Though, my sister and I being nine and seven at the time, we havent seen them ourselves. However, with the passage of time, and as we analyzed the statements of those who were touched by the menace of the Demon Lords Domain, the situation at the time has become clear to us.

What situation is that? I asked.

In the very beginning, when many countries perished, countless lives were lost, and an even greater number were displaced to become refugees, Jeanne said, all of those attacks were done by monsters.

I said, Monsters? There were no demons, then?

Yes. At that point, at least. Jeanne paused to take a sip of her tea, looking down into her cup as she continued. The first time demons were spotted was when they met the punitive force in battle. The punitive force was wiped out at the hands of those demons. After that, with our capacity to wage war diminished, mankind was unable to fend off the attacks of the monsters, and we were forced to pull back from a considerable stretch of territory.

So, in short, the creation of the Demon Lords Domain was a two-stage process? I asked.

The first stage had been attacks by the monsters that had suddenly appeared. The second stage had been when the demons had destroyed the punitive force, and the weakened forces of mankind had been attacked by monsters. It had probably come some time later, but the attack that had driven Tomoe and the mystic wolves to become refugees had presumably been part of the second stage.

Jeanne nodded, continuing. It seems the damages caused differed greatly between the monsters and demons. During the monster attacks in the first stage, Ive heard it was a terrible sight to behold. The monsters spewed fire, burning cities to the ground, devouring soldiers and civilians alike, with no regard to their age or gender. Ive heard that in the towns and villages they struck, there was nothing left but the messy scraps of their feasting.

So, they were literal monsters, huh, I thought to myself. These monstrous beings swarmed over the land like locusts, and even mankind was no more than prey to them.

Then, the second stage, the attack by the demons, was total war, said Jeanne. I hear that they acted in an organized fashion, crushing the punitive force with their overwhelming force of arms. Also, while they are few in number, we have statements from those who claim their villages were attacked by the demons. These situations vary, and in some cases, if they withdrew, they werent attacked any further, while in others, the demons raped and pillaged, carrying out massacres.

...Almost like one of the races of mankind, huh, I said.

The way that the damages varied from place to place was one point on which that similarity was especially strong. Even within the same army, when there are both disciplined and undisciplined units, the situation post-occupation for each will be different. When we had occupied Van, Id made an example of some soldiers in an attempt to keep the whole of my armies in line, but had I not, I can say with certainty that there would have been some who abused the civilian populace.

Monsters... and demons, huh... I thought.

Where do you think the difference comes from? I asked. Did the demons evolve from the monsters?

They gained sentience by eating human brains! ...is what a bunch of religious types shouted about for a while... but thats nonsense, said Jeanne. If that were the case, there would be a lot more demons out there. Ever since the battle lines bogged down into a stalemate, its only been the monsters that attacked us. Though, you could say thats why weve been able to maintain the status quo.

...In other words, we just dont know what demons and monsters are really? I thought.

I said, Come to think of it, when we were digging a sedimentation pond near Parnam, we found a whole lot of monster fossils. They were apparently from a stratum that would have been the surface more than a few thousand years ago.

What are these... fossils? Jeanne asked.

Oh, thats not common knowledge in this world yet? I thought.

To put it simply, theyre bones left in the earth by living creatures that have died, I said. There are a lot of things that have an effect on the process, but the bones fossilize underground over a long, long period of time. However, even if the bones have only been underground for a few thousand years, they can still be called fossils.

I see... So does that mean there may have been monsters on the surface several thousand years ago? Jeanne had a pensive look.

I hadnt expected her calm reaction. When Id told Liscia the same thing, she had been pretty shocked after all.

...I thought youd be more surprised, I said.

When you think about it, even before the appearance of the Demon Lords Domain, there were monsters living inside dungeons, said Jeanne. Couldnt it be that there was a dungeon there?

It seems our country has no records of that, historical or legendary, I said. Though, given that it was thousands of years ago, I cant deny its possible that it was far enough back that there wouldnt even be legends.

Hmm... perhaps we should look into this in our territory, too, Jeanne said.

If they did that, I couldnt ask for a better outcome.

Id very much like for you to do that, I said. The kingdom plans to carry out excavations around the country to investigate the matter.

Please, do tell us if you learn anything, said Jeanne. Of course, well do the same.

Okay, I nodded.

The Empire had far more territory than the kingdom. If they were willing to investigate the matter, I could expect further discoveries to be made. Of course, I still intended to carry on with our research in the kingdom.

This established a formal agreement for the kingdom and Empire to exchange information on excavations and research.

Jeanne paused for a breath, finishing off her cup of tea. Now then, I think weve veered pretty heavily from the topic of monsters being edible.

Oh, right... We were talking about that, werent we? I polished off the rest of my cup of coffee, too, then asked Serina to get another cup for each of us. When I had my coffee and Jeanne had her tea, we resumed.

The meat we ate was from a winged snake, Jeanne said.

A winged snake? Like a dragon? I asked.

I recalled there was a god named Quetzalcoatl in Central and South America that was also a winged snake, but this wasnt Earth, and shed called it a monster, so it was probably more natural to assume it was something like a dragon.

That was my assumption, but Jeanne shook her head. No, it was nothing so impressive. It really was just a giant snake with four bird-like wings slapped on it.

What the heck? I thought. It sounds like a total chimera.

Im amazed you decided to eat something like that...

It tasted like pretty much any ordinary snake, said Jeanne. It was more like fish than chicken. Quite tasty, really.

I was surprised that shed eaten snake at all, but... well, theyre eaten in some countries. When I thought of snake meat, the image that came to mind was the fake fish meat from Ryunosuke Akutagawas Rashomon, which I had read in my modern literature class, but... maybe it was tasty?

Youre supposed to be a princess, arent you? I asked. Thats some weird stuff youve been eating.

Im also a commander of armies, said Jeanne. If we can live off the land, well have extra rations.

Thats... practical of you, I said.

Now, as for what made me think to try eating a monster, it was when one of our scouts came back and reported seeing the remains of a monster which appeared to have been cooked by demons.

There was another word there that caught my attention. Cooked, you say? Not just sloppily eaten?

Yes, said Jeanne. The bones seemed to have been cut apart with a blade, and judging from the charred head left behind, we could infer that it was likely roasted whole, then cut apart and eaten. That made me think that, if we caught a monster of the same variety, we could consider trying to eat it. Jeanne popped one of the teacakes she had been served into her mouth and ate it. Of course, I checked that it wasnt poisonous first, you know? I had it fed it to animals before I let people try it. Then, once its safeness was ascertained, we ate in order of lowest to highest ranking officer.

Its not easy to test food for poison, huh... I said.

So, when I ate it, it had a simple but refreshing taste, said Jeanne. It tasted good in an ordinary way.

No, Im not concerned about the flavor, there was something more interesting in what you just told me, I said.

What shed said about demons eating monsters was far more shocking than the fact that they were edible. Basically, it meant that demons didnt see monsters as being the same general race as them.

I loved chicken and pork, but no matter how much their faces made them look like pigs or cows, I would never think of eating orcs or minotaurs. Compared to eating something with a humanoid body, even snake was preferable. Maybe demons felt the same way.

Thinking about that, I came to a certain hypothesis. Hey, Madam Jeanne.

What is it? she asked.

Could it be that demons and monsters are equivalent to what wed call people and animals?

The moment I said that, the air froze. Not only Jeanne, but Liscia and Hakuya opened their eyes wide with shock.

Huh? Did I say something that surprising?

...What made you think that? Jeanne asked, erasing all trace of an expression from her face.

I thought about explaining my reason... then hesitated for a moment. What I was going to say might seem discriminatory, depending on how it was interpreted. Of course, I didnt mean it that way, but I still might cause offense, depending on how people took it.

...Maybe I should clear the room first, I thought.

Um... Id rather not have what Im about to say overheard by too many people, I said.

...Very well.

When Jeanne looked to them, the imperial bureaucrats stopped their work, quietly filing out of the office. I made my own bureaucrats leave as well, having Aisha stand by the door to ensure that no one was eavesdropping. The only ones left in the room were Jeanne, Liscia, Hakuya, Aisha, and me. I looked to Liscia, who was beside me recording the content of the talks.

Liscia, I want you to stop recording, too, I said.

...Okay. Liscias pen stopped. Now, the content of our meeting wasnt being recorded.

In this room so quiet that it made the earlier excitement seem like a lie, Jeanne shrugged her shoulders. If you have to clear the room first, it sounds dangerous. Just what kind of bombshell statement are you about to drop?

Sorry, I said. Its just that what Im going to say could be considered discriminatory.

Discriminatory? In a conversation about demons and monsters? Jeanne seemed doubtful, but I chose my words carefully as I continued.

Yeah. You asked what made me think that. Well, its because... I cant tell the difference between this worlds animals and monsters. The animals in this world are larger than the ones in my own, with big fangs and sharp tusks, and a generally aggressive appearance. If the animals from your world appeared in mine, the people there would definitely think they were monsters.

Especially when it came to things like rhinosauruses. If even one giant creature like that appeared in my world, it would probably cause a panic. With their huge bodies, they looked like either dinosaurs, or something out of a monster movie.

Hmm... Is that how it is? Jeanne tilted her head to the side quizzically. Not knowing the animals from my world, she couldnt imagine what it felt like to me.

Thats how it is, I said. And... if I take it a bit further, I have a hard time seeing the difference between races like beastmen or dragonewts and demons.

She gasped in shock. Thats...

I raised my hand to stop her. Yeah, I know. If the beastmen heard me, theyd get mad and say, Dont lump us in with them. But, still, for me, as guy who lived in a world without demons or beastmen, its hard to see the difference.

When Id first seen Kaede at the singing cafe, Lorelei, in Parnam, I hadnt been able to tell the difference between her race, mystic foxes, and Tomoes mystic wolves.

At the time, Id asked, Theyre both canines, so cant we just lump them both together as mystic dogs?

When Id said that, Liscia had retorted, If you say that, youll get both the mystic wolves and the mystic foxes angry. Kobolds are mystic dogs, so it would be like lumping humans together with apes, and warned me against doing it.

At the time, I had just accepted that was how it was, but when Id thought about it a little more, what was the difference between mystic wolves or foxes and kobolds?

Can you tell the difference between mystic wolves or foxes and kobolds? I asked.

Of course I can, said Jeanne. Mystic wolves and foxes have ears and tails, but their faces and bodies arent markedly different from humans. Kobolds, on the other hand, have dog faces.

But there are beastmen with animal faces, right? I asked.

To give an example from my own side, our General of the Army, Georg Carmine was one. If that lion man showed up in Japan, everyone would think he was some kind of demon.

When I pointed that out, Jeanne crossed her arms and groaned. When you say it like that... it makes sense. Hrm... Oh, I know. Kobolds are covered in fur. In other words, while beastmen have some animal features, perhaps kobolds are just dogs walking on two feet like a human?

In that case, how would you tell apart demons with no hair, or short hair? I asked. By that reasoning, wouldnt beastman be like the orcs and minotaurs, who have bodies like a muscle-bound human?

Murgh... Jeanne said.

When I shot down her argument, Jeanne thought on it for some time, then said, I give up, raising her hands in surrender. Ive never thought deeply about the difference between humans and demons before. When you pointed it out, for the first time, I realized I was distinguishing people from demons purely by instinct.

Youre right... Liscia murmured. Now that were being asked to, I cant find a single defining difference.

I wonder why we never noticed before now... Hakuya murmured.

They both nodded repeatedly.

This was probably the common understanding of most people in this world. Turning that around, it meant the people of this world could instinctively tell people and demons apart.

To explain from a Japanese perspective, even among those who love clams in their miso soup, many are probably disgusted even just looking at land mollusks like slugs.

Also, people who will react with shock to videos of aboriginals from Australia eating insect larvae from inside trees are perfectly fine with eating shrimp (raw, at that), which look the same once theyre peeled.

Its natural for the environment were raised in and our customs to have an effect on the way we understand things.

Perhaps this worlds understanding of demons was something like that?

In my world, humans are the only race of people, I said. I lived in a world with no elves, beastmen, dragonewts, or demons, so I dont have a sense that lets me distinguish between them. To my eyes, demons look like just another race of mankind.

S-Sire! Aisha burst out from her place standing by the door. ...Do you hate us dark elves, perhaps? She looked at me like an abandoned puppy

I grinned back at her. Not at all. A dark-skinned elf is just plain adorable. Of course, the same goes for an orthodox human beauty, too.

The first was meant for Aisha, while the second was directed at Liscia.

When they heard me, Aisha cried, Truly, do you mean it?! her face bursting with glee, while Liscia said Yeah, yeah, thanks, curtly, but with a smile on her lips that showed she didnt mind the compliment.

Jeanne watched the two of them with a wry smile. I can see how loved you are.

Theyre a better bodyguard and fiancee than I could possibly deserve, I said.

Well, thats lovely... Whew. Jeanne slumped back in her chair. Im glad you kept this between us. If you had said all that without clearing the room, I might have had to slay my countrys bureaucrats.

Slay them?! Isnt that a little violent, out of nowhere?!

I-Is it really something youd need to go that far over? I stammered.

It is, said Jeanne. If the way you were talking had spread, it wouldnt just worsen peoples opinion of you. It could have caused war across the continent. Isnt that right, Sir Hakuya?

You are entirely correct, said Hakuya. I wish I could have taught him that sooner. Hakuya looked at me with reproach.

Huh, is he mad at me? I thought, surprised.

You need to understand this, sire, said Hakuya. If what you said about Its hard to distinguish demons from beastmen spreads, it would give a human supremacist country like the Principality of Amidonia, or the high elves of the Spirit Kingdom of Garlan, who think theyre the chosen people, perfect material to use to attack their enemies. Beastmen and dragonewts would be expelled as demons, or accused of potentially conspiring with the enemy, and be subjected to undue persecution.

The Garlan Spirit Kingdom was an island nation northwest of the continent, I recalled.

It was a country made up of two islands, one large and one small, but the smaller island had been abandoned in the face of monster attacks, and a portion of the larger island was occupied, as well. Apparently, at least... I could only go on hearsay, because the country had highly isolationist policies and very little information leaked out.

The elven races tended to have a lot of beautiful men and women, and this trend was especially strong with the high elves. They called themselves Gods chosen people, and looked down on other races, loathe to have any interaction with them.

It seemed that even now, with monsters invading, that wasnt going to change.

In a country like Garlan or Amidonia, it was true, they would likely try to use this information to affirm the superiority of their own race. In fact, Amidonia had already succeeded in fomenting hatred towards Elfrieden to make their people easier to rule. There were countries out there that would use hate and prejudice.

Jeanne nodded. Sir Hakuya is correct. Furthermore, its not something that multiracial countries like mine or yours can ignore. If that sort of thinking were to run rampant, we would be looking at the sparks of interracial violence in our own country. If we had an internal conflict, on top of the external threats we face...

...Sorry, I said. I hadnt thought it through that far.

I bowed my head sincerely. They had both made good points. There were bigger things at stake than my reputation. I needed to be more cautious with my words.

While I was reflecting on my actions...

No, Jeanne said, shaking her head. If you hadnt pointed it out to me, I wouldnt have noticed. Its a thorny issue, but this is better than having it thrust on us by surprise one day. We can make preparations ourselves now.

Im grateful to have you say that, I said. ...Still, I cant think of any countermeasures off the top of my head.

When I said that, Jeanne slumped her shoulders with a sigh. The Mankind Declaration speaks out against the persecution of minority groups, but thats an agreement between states. If it were a national policylike, if someone in the administration, for instance, gave the order to persecute themwe could intervene, but if its ordinary citizens doing it, all we can do is call the countrys responsibility for the matter into question.

Besides, there are countries like ours that havent even signed the Mankind Declaration, I said. On top of that, if you try to intervene in the internal affairs of other countries, that will breed discontent, which could, in the worst case, lead to war.

I agree with you, said Jeanne. Whats more, we dont have all the relevant information about demons and monsters available to us. With so many uncertain factors, its dangerous to rush to any conclusions.

In the end, it was decided that the Empire and kingdom would continue to discuss this problem.

We called the bureaucrats back in, and the conference continued until it was getting to be late at night. Around this time of day, people would start to get hungry.

Jeanne was an important guest from another country, so normally I should probably have held a banquet for her, but time was precious to both of us, so Id decided we would eat at the conference.

That called for something we could eat as we worked, so Id decided to serve Jeanne and her entourage a certain type of bun I was debating whether or not to spread throughout the country.

When Jeanne ate that bun, her reaction was...

This is incredible! It seems wrong to put a staple food on another staple food, but once you dig in, the two contrasting textures are a perfect match. The tomato sauce gives it a nice tangy flavor. Whats more, by putting a dish that you would normally eat with a plate and a form on a bun, it lets us eat it using just one hand! My hats off to you for that idea! What a marvel!

...she praised it without holding back.

Did you think it was a sandwich? Too bad; it was a spaghetti bun.

The truth was, Id wanted to make a yakisoba bun, but I just couldnt seem to replicate that thick sauce. That was why Id used pasta and tomato sauce, both of which already existed in this world, to create a spaghetti bun. By the way, I hadnt given up on replicating the sauce; Poncho was researching it at this very moment.

When I first saw it, I questioned your sanity, but it really is good, said Liscia.

Neither bread nor pasta is new, but its quite a novel experience to eat them together like this, said Hakuya.

Liscia and Hakuya seemed to be enjoying them, as well.

Now that the food crisis was more or less solved, I thought that, rather than off-the-wall ideas like gelin udon, it might be nice to spread some dishes from Earth instead. Developing our culinary traditions would improve our countrys brand power and image, and could also lead to an influx of foreign money.

Now, as for Aisha, the one most likely to dig into these sorts of new dishes with gusto...

Om, nom, nom!

Even as she stood behind me as my bodyguard, she was busily scarfing down spaghetti buns.

Wait, hold on, Aisha, I thought. Just how many have you eaten?

What had once been a mountain of buns on the plate had now been reduced to less than a hill. Even at a time like this, the hungry dark elf was the same as ever.

Once we had finished eating our buns and taken a short break, Jeanne broached the issue we had met to discuss. Hmm... Now then, do you think its about time we moved onto the topic of your occupation of Van? The Empires position is that, in adherence with the Mankind Declaration, we cannot accept border changes brought about by the use of military force. We demand that the Elfrieden Kingdom return Van and the region surrounding it to the Principality of Amidonia.

The kingdoms position is that we cant accept that demand, I said. The Principality of Amidonia were the aggressors in this conflict. I think were justified in our actions, no?

You could also be seen as having induced them to act, you realize? Jeanne asked.

Theyve done plenty to interfere in our internal affairs, I replied. Its not right for them to complain as soon as we turn the tables on them. Is the Empire fine with that? If you accept their outrageous behavior, both signatories and non-signatories to the Mankind Declaration will take you lightly from here on.

Yes, they will, said Jeanne. That is why the Empire is prepared to force Amidonia to pay suitable reparations. In this matter, I think the Empire has no choice but to punish both sides.

Well, yeah... I figured that would be your response, I thought.

Because Amidonia was a signatory of the Mankind Declaration, the Empire had no choice but to stand by their side and demand Elfrieden return their territory. But if they allowed Amidonia to get away with their outrageous behavior, it would invite the other signatories to act with impunity, which would create resistance from the non-signatories. That meant they needed to impose harsh penalties on Amidonia, in order to keep the other signatory states in line. The Empire had the power to do just that.

I looked at Jeanne, as if testing her. And if we dont comply, you will resort to military force?

It is not my preferred method... but if the need arises, I will have no choice, said Jeanne. At this moment, the number of troops the Empire has brought is equal to your Royal Army, but I am confident that we have the power to annihilate the forces of both kingdom and principality at the same time, if need be.

The Anti-Magic Armor Corps, the griffon squadrons, and the rhinosauruses carrying cannons... I recalled the many troop types they had which would be powerful when fighting against castle walls. There was no hint of boasting in Jeannes words.

...Ill bet you could, I said. We dont want to fight, either. I rested my elbows on the table, crossing my fingers in front of my mouth. Thats why Id like to sort out each of our intentions here.

Our intentions, you say? asked Jeanne.

Yes, I replied. The Empire doesnt want to recognize border changes. Thats why youre asking that the kingdom return Van. Correct?

...Yes. Thats right. Jeanne nodded.

Having confirmed the Empires intent, I continued, Now, as for our intent, we want to reduce the power of the Principality of Amidonia, which continues to engage in hostile actions towards our country, In order to ensure that they cant influence our country again. Furthermore, we want them to pay for invading us. We took Van to exact that cost.

...I see, said Jeanne. Then you have no particular desire to hold Van. In other words, an unconditional return of the city is out of the question, but if the principality pays a suitable price, you are prepared to return it.

It was good to see that she was quick on the uptake. When I nodded, Jeanne turned a harsh glance towards me. Will you demand Sir Juliuss head?

Thats hardly going to be worth as much as an entire city, I said.

Then... is it money you want? she asked.

It is, I agreed. If the principality will pay reparations to our country, we will return Van. You yourself said that the Empire would see to it that the principality paid a suitable price for their actions, so that should be perfect, shouldnt it?

Looking at it in the long term, turning over territory that could produce wealth indefinitely if managed properly in exchange for a one-time payment was a negative. However, because it had been Amidonian territory until just recently, and taking relations with the Empire into consideration, it wasnt a bad decision.

Meanwhile, for the Empire, they would have fulfilled their duty to the principality by securing the return of their land, and they could warn the other signatories, If you act like Amidonia, you may not have your territory seized, but youre gonna have to pay reparations. That would, in effect, also help to build trust with the non-signatories.

Jeanne sighed. Sir Julius wont like it...

I have no pity to spare for the root of the problem, I said. Have him pay in imperial coinage. Sir Julius isnt terribly bright when it comes to the economy, after all. Hell probably think he can just mint low quality coins for the reparations.

Youre getting our country involved in this? Jeanne asked.

The Empire shares some responsibility for Amidonias outrageous behavior, I replied. You have to give me this much, at least.

...I have no good response to that. After a shrug of the shoulders and a wry smile, Jeanne suddenly slipped into a more serious expression. I have a question for you. Why wont the Elfrieden Kingdom sign on to my sisters Mankind Declaration? If you were a signatory, I dont think the kingdom and Empire would have ended up staring one another down over this matter. Jeanne glanced over to Liscia, and added, I hesitate to say this in front of Princess Liscia, but when it comes to why the prior king, Sir Albert, didnt sign the Mankind Declaration... well, I can understand. Its not so much that he chose not to sign it, as...

...he couldnt decide whether to sign or not, Liscia finished for her. Hes so indecisive.

Liscia came right out and said what Jeanne was hesitant to. Jeanne looked somewhat apologetically to her and said, Thats exactly it, with a nod.

She went on, However, in your case, I think you see the threat posed by the Demon Lords Domain, as well as the need for all mankind to unite in the battle against it. At first, I thought it was because you couldnt trust us, as the ones at fault for your being summoned to this world in the first place. But, earlier, you said you bear no resentment towards us over that. If thats the case, why wont you adopt my sisters Mankind Declaration?

When she looked me straight in the eye and asked that, it left me with a conundrum.

I couldnt give her the real answer right now. But if I were to lie, or to completely ignore the question, it would probably hurt relations with the Empire.

After thinking about it for a moment, I began to speak slowly and calmly. This is... lets call it a legend from my world. Long, long ago, there were two gods, one in the east, and one in the west.

The God of the East said, The world should be equal. Thus, I say to you, O humans, you must each till the fields for the same amount of time, and the crops are to be split evenly among all.

The God of the West, on the other hand, said, The world should be free. Thus, I say to you, O humans, each of you must till the fields, and those who work the hardest may take an amount of crops equivalent to their efforts.

The God of the East said to the God of the West, With your methods, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. In a world like that, conflict will arise between the rich and poor.

The God of the West said, If those who work the hardest only receive as much as those who work the least, they will lose their motivation to work. If that happens, the total amount to go around will fall, and society as a whole will be poorer for it.

And so, the two gods glared at one another. The conflict between these gods influenced the countries that worshiped each of them. As the countries of the East and West glared at one another, each thinking, We are right, and they are wrong, the ones most troubled by all this were the countries caught in the middle.

If the countries that believed in the two gods went to war, they would be the first victims. Their houses and fields would be all torn up. When they thought, Well, what are we going to do about this?, the countries near the border had a flash of insight.

I know! It may be inevitable that they glare at one another, but we just need to lay down some rules that will stop a war from happening!

And so, the countries that lived near the borders came together with many of the countries of the East and West to establish some rules.

One was: Lets not allow borders to be changed by military force.

One was: Lets let the people of each country make decisions for themselves.

One was: Lets arrange cultural exchanges between the East and West and try to get along.

What was that story?! Jeanne burst out.

When Id suddenly started telling her some old legend, she had looked at me dubiously, but as the story went on, her eyes gradually opened wide with surprise. Jeanne had seemed composed up until until this point, but that was gone now.

Liscia and Hakuya had similar looks on their faces.

Jeanne slammed her hands down on the table, leaning in closer. Setting the process aside, those rules they decided on are basically the Mankind Declaration! So, how did it turn out?!

Jeanne was eager for an answer, but I shook my head quietly.

As for what happened next... I cant tell you that yet.

Sir Souma! Jeanne burst out.

But I do know how the story ended, I said.

Were those rules... not enough to prevent the war? Jeanne asked worriedly, but I shook my head.

No, at least in the time when those two gods were staring each other down, they were able to avert the worst case scenario of a total war between the two gods. Eventually, the God of the East broke apart, and because that god had lost the power to fight, the God of the West was relieved and stopped glaring in that direction.

It sounds like a happy ending, said Jeanne. Wheres the problem?

Well, if this is where it ended, it would have been a they lived happily ever after, I said.

Theres more to the story, then?

...Thats all I can tell you for now, I said. Sorry, but I cant reveal any more of my cards.

I broke off the conversation with a strong tone. Jeanne seemed to want to keep pressing me, but she gave up when she saw the look in my eyes.

I said to Jeanne, Dont worry. Youll know soon enough. I wont cause trouble for the Empire.

...Youre worrying me, she said.

Id like you to trust me; our country would like to walk alongside yours. For as long as Empress Maria holds true to her ideal of uniting mankind against the threat of the Demon Lords Realm, I promise you the kingdom will never become the Empires enemy.

Jeanne still looked doubtful. Youre not going to join the Mankind Declaration, are you? Yet you still ask us to trust you?

The Mankind Declaration is not the only possible pact, I said. We cant participate in the Mankind Declaration, but our country would like to form an independent alliance with the Empire. Secretly.

A secret alliance... you say?

I nodded firmly. Weve finally managed to stabilize the situation inside our borders. From here, I intend to reform the military, creating a system which allows me to move all of my forces with one unified will. Furthermore, Ive managed to break Amidonias fangs in this war. Our country is finally free to move its forces.

Jeanne said nothing.

So, heres my proposal, I said. Right now, the Empire is dispatching troops to aid the Union of Eastern Nations, right?

...Yes. She nodded. Theyre a conglomeration of medium to small states, most of which have signed the Mankind Declaration. As the leader of that agreement, its only natural that we would dispatch troops there.

Yeah, thats it, I said. Can I ask you leave that duty to our country from here on?

Are you serious about that?! Jeanne raised her voice in surprise.

Here was my proposal:

In the center of this continent was the impregnable Star Dragon Mountain Range, where wise dragons lived. If the monsters and demons came south, they would have to go around these mountains to the east and west.

That being the case, I was suggesting that the Empire resist their southern advance from the west, while the kingdom would resist it from the east. In practical terms, that meant if the Union of Eastern Nations was threatened by the menace of the Demon Lords Domain, the kingdom would dispatch reinforcements.

However, there was a process required.

In the event that that happens, and the Empire, as head of the Mankind Declaration, receives a request from the Union of Eastern Nations for reinforcements, you will make a request for reinforcements to us, I said. When our country dispatches troops, I want it to take the form of us responding to a request from the Empire.

...That seems like a rather roundabout way of doing things, Jeanne said. Why?

While we dont have the national strength to be called a great power yet, were the second largest nation by landmass if you exclude the Demon Lords Domain, I said. If they learn that the first and second largest nations on the continent are working hand-in-hand, there are going to be countries that get worried by that. The ones caught in the middle between usthe Principality of Amidonia, the mercenary state Zem, and the Turgis Republicparticularly so. That is why, as far as possible, I dont want it known that the Empire and kingdom are cooperating.

I see. Hence the secret alliance.

Jeanne had a pensive expression. She must have been weighing the pros and cons of this pact. However, there shouldnt have been any cons for the Empire in my offer.

They would save the war funds that would have gone to defending the east, and they could thicken their defenses on the western side of their own country, where they shared a border with the Demon Lords Domain. If there was anything for them to be suspicious of, it was our intentions...

After some time, Jeanne nodded. I dont see any harm in accepting your proposal. But, is there any merit for you in taking on that duty?

If I were pressed to answer, I might say building trust with the Empire, I said. That, and because wed be participating in the war, I would want you to stop demanding war subsidies.

Of course, said Jeanne. Thats something we ask of countries not involved in the war. ...But, are you sure? I dont feel like theres enough in it for you...

Well, when the very existence of mankind is at stake, there has to be more thought put into it than a simple cost-to-benefit analysis, I said. Besides, if we act as if its none of our problem when our country is stable, the other countries wont look kindly on that.

I see... Jeanne crossed her arms, groaning in thought. In that case, its a question of how closely we can collaborate. The Empire and the kingdom are on opposite sides of the continent. Itll take time for us to communicate. Its good that we can redirect the requests for aid to you, but if the reinforcements dont arrive in time as a result, that would be terrible.

We have some idea of how to deal with that, I said. Hakuya, bring me that.

Yes, sire.

Hakuya rose and left the room, soon returning with a wooden box about the size of a cardboard one. He then offered the box to Jeanne.

Jeanne accepted the chest, looking down at it dubiously. What might this be?

Try opening it, I said. I want you to give that to Madam Maria.

Is this... a receiver? ...Ah! It seemed Jeanne had figured it out. In the box was a simple receiver, like the ones used when Id issued my ultimatum to the three dukes.

This receiver is set to the same frequency as one of the jewels held by our country, I said. When you return to the Empire, I would like you to send one of the Empires simple receivers to me. Of course, it should be set to the same frequency as one of the jewels held by the Empire. That way, we can contact each other at any time.

In other words, by using simple receivers and a jewel in each country, we would establish a hotline between the Empire and the kingdom. Unlike jewels, simple receivers were easy to walk around with.

If either country called the others simple receiver with a request for talks, the other just needed to go to the location where the jewel was and they could start immediately. This would only allow us to transmit video and audio, so it wouldnt be possible to sign anything, but if we had bureaucrats to go back and forth carrying the documents, even that would become possible.

Jeanne looked highly impressed with this proposal. With this, you can easily hold meetings with my sister, who cant afford to leave the Empire. I dont know what to say, Sir Souma. Your creativity leaves me trembling in awe.

Youre blowing it out of proportion, I said. It was pretty ordinary to have something like this in my old world.

And you think its perfectly ordinary... Um, Sir Souma? I would like your permission to say something a little crazy, Jeanne said. Would that be all right?

Something crazy? Whats she going to say? I wondered.

Ill allow it.

Thank you. Now then... Princess Liscia.

Huh, me?! Liscia looked surprised to have the conversation suddenly turn to her, but Jeanne continued regardless.

Would you consider restoring Sir Albert to the throne? If you act now, the Empire will support you with everything it has.

Recommending she depose me?! Im in the room, you know?!

Liscia seemed bewildered at first, but when she came to her senses, she replied angrily, her face flushing red, What are you suggesting all of a sudden?! Id never do that!

Oh, wheres the harm? Jeanne said. It was Sir Alberts kingdom to begin with. Then Id like you to please give the newly-freed-up Sir Souma to us! If hell come, Ill give him the position of chancellor or any other position he wants! Heck, Ill even throw in my sister as an added bonus, so please become our Emperor!

No, if youre offering to throw in your sister like a free bottle of detergent... arent you treating the Empress a little too lightly?!

Liscia was indignant. Do you even realize what youre saying?!

Im sane, yes, said Jeanne. The way Sir Souma thinks is ahead of our time. I want to see the Empire my sister and he would create. If this was how it was going to be, we should have never accepted the war reparations. We should have insisted that Sir Souma come be with us. Its not too late, would you consider coming to the Empire now?

Obviously not! Liscia slammed her hands down on the table. I need... the kingdom needs Souma!

Liscia shouted that threateningly, her canine teeth showing. It wasnt just Liscia; Aisha behind us was giving off a grumpy aura. Her hand was inching towards her weapon, too.

I appreciated that they cared so much about me, but Jeanne was, technically, an important guest from another country. I couldnt let them be too hostile with her.

I patted Liscia on the head saying, There, there. Calm down Liscia. Im not going anywhere, okay?

...Im sorry, she said. I lost my composure there.

Aisha, stay, girl! I barked. Dont put your hand on that hilt!

I-Isnt the way youre treating me a little undignified?! Aisha objected.

Ignoring that, I looked back to Jeanne. Im sorry, but I cant accede to that request. I do hear that Madam Maria is charming, but I want to stay here and be king in this country where Liscia and the others are.

Whew... I know that, Jeanne said. But I really think its regrettable that you feel that way.

Then, saying, Thank you for allowing me to say something crazy, Jeanne bowed her head. Now, back to the topic of the alliance... Thats something far too important for me to decide on my own initiative. Now that youve provided a wonderful system for our two heads of state to hold talks over the Jewel Voice Broadcast, I think it would be best if you discussed the matter directly with my sister. For the time being, I would like a few members of your diplomatic corps to come to the Empire. I will also leave a few members of our bureaucracy here, so please take them back to the kingdom with you.

I see. That should make coordinating things easier, I said. Very well... but how about this? What if we each bestow the title of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary on the representative of our diplomatic corps, then establish an embassy in each countrys capital? Its inefficient having to travel back and forth between our two countries whenever we decide on something, after all.

Thats marvelous! exclaimed Jeanne. Ill look into the possibility at once. My word... the wisdom gushes forth from King Souma like water from a hot spring.

Again, it wasnt like that had been my idea. If she rated me too highly, it was just going to make me feel more constrained... But, well, setting that aside, Jeanne and I continued to talk about various things after that.

For instance, we talked about how Madam Maria wanted to abolish slavery.

Madam Maria had apparently wanted to abolish the system, which was a hotbed for human trafficking, for a long time, but she was now looking to use the looming menace of the Demon Lords Domain to do it in the name of national unity. Though the policy would be hard to pass in peacetime, she recognized that she could force it through now, and she was quick to act on the opportunity. It seemed she was more than just an idealistic dreamer.

I was in favor of abolition, too, but I felt it was too sudden, so I asked them to wait. Sudden changes, even good ones, always cause chaos. The French Revolution, with its call for libert, galit, fraternit, ended in the purges of the Reign of Terror, and the Arab Spring movement for democratization (though I did not, in any way, mean to condemn the movement itself) brought chaos to the countries of the region. With my knowledge of precedents like those, I had to be cautious.

Thats why I told the Empire that emancipation had to be taken step by step. If possible, I wanted them to move forward on it at the same rate as the kingdom.

And, well, with important topics like that coming up one after another, the bureaucrats of both nations were running around in a frenzy. Even late at night, once the conference wrapped up, they continued.

They would likely be up all night. With a sideways glance to those bureaucrats, I took Liscia and Jeanne with me out onto the government affairs office terrace.

Because it was late at night in autumn, it was quite chilly. I had Serina bring us hot milk in wooden mugs, and though it wasnt really to celebrate of the end of talks, we shared a toast.

Liscia raised her mug. To the glory to the Empire.

Jeanne raised her mug. To the development of the kingdom.

I raised my mug. And to the friendship to both nations.

Cheers!

We clacked our wooden mugs together.

It was hot milk in them, so after the toast, we could only sip away at them (because if we knocked them back, wed burn ourselves), but... oh, was it good. One thing Id come to appreciate since coming to this world was the deliciousness of milk. It was unpasteurized (they probably milked straight into a metal bucket, like youd see in The Dog of Flanders, then chilled it with river or well water), so the flavor was fully intact. The tradeoff was that it wasnt exactly safe, but... this thickness was irresistible!

This was a highly fruitful conference, Jeanne said as I was being warmed by the delicious hot milk. We talked for quite a long time, didnt we? Its almost dawn.

...Now that I think about it, I feel like we talked about a lot of things today that we really didnt have to, I said.

Since wed gone to the trouble of arranging a hotline using the Jewel Voice Broadcast, I felt like we could have saved a number of the topics wed covered for a later date. I felt bad for the bureaucrats of both nations whose workloads had increased because of us.

Maybe because it was so late at night, we got strangely excited... I said.

Can you blame us? Jeanne said with a smile. I, for one, was thrilled to find new, reliable friends.

Friends... huh.

True, though our alliance was a secret one, we and the Empire could be called friends now. As for what influence this secret alliance would have on the world... I couldnt be sure yet, but it was reassuring to know that other countries could share my values. The Empire must have felt the same.

Jeanne suddenly took on a serious expression. I have something to tell you, my friend in the east.

What is it? My friend in the west.

Its about the Demon Lord, said to inhabit the Demon Lords Realm, she said.

The Demon Lord. If I were to employ my knowledge of RPGs, that was the being who ruled over the demons and monsters. While it was unconfirmed, the former king, Sir Albert, had told me there apparently was a being like that inside the Demon Lords Domain.

Have you seen the Demon Lord? I asked.

No, said Jeanne. More than that, no one has ever claimed to. The ones who penetrated the deepest into the Demon Lords Domain were the initial punitive force, but they were almost completely eradicated.

Huh? How do you know theres a Demon Lord, then? I asked.

When the punitive force was destroyed, there was a group of demons believed to be capable of speaking, and there was a word they often spoke, she said. The researchers in my country have hypothesized that this word might be the name of the Demon Lord.

There Jeanne paused, then spoke the word as if announcing it.

That word was... Divalroi.

Divalroi... Demon Lord Divalroi? I asked.

Yes. They say thats the name of the Demon Lord. Jeanne nodded somberly.

Demon Lord Divalroi, huh... hmm?

Demon Lord Divalroi... Demon Lord... Divalroi, Demon Lord... I murmured.

Huh? Whats this? I remember hearing that phrase somewhere, I thought. Is this deja vu? ...No, thats not it. It sounds familiar. Somewhere. Ive heard it somewhere. Somewhere other than here. Not in this world. In the other world?

No, hold on. Why would I think of Earth? There shouldnt be any demon lords on Earth. I dont know any Divalroi. I shouldnt, at least, but theres something tugging at the back of my mind.

Wh-Whats wrong, Souma?! Liscia exclaimed.

When I came back to my senses, Liscia was supporting me. It looked like I had been clutching my head in my hands and stumbled. Liscia and Jeanne looked worried, so I gave them a smile.

Im fine, I said. I just got hit by a sudden wave of drowsiness.

Hmm... it is late, after all, said Jeanne. How about we turn in for the night?

Because Jeanne was saying that too, we decided to meet again tomorrow in the audience chamber with Julius present to announce what had been decided today, then we all went off to rest.

I asked Serina to show Jeanne to a guest room, while Liscia and I headed to the room Liscia was using. I wanted to go to sleep as soon as possible, but my bed was in the governmental affairs office. I couldnt very well go to sleep with the bureaucrats working right beside me, so I thought Id borrow a corner in Liscias room.

Souma... are you really okay? Liscia asked me, sounding concerned, as we reached her room.

...Im fine, I said. I was just a little worn out.

Youre lying! she burst out. Youve been routinely staying up for three nights straight! Im not going to buy that youre tired after staying up late for just one night!

No, I think its pretty bad that thats whats tipping you off... I said.

Liscia sighed. Come here.

Liscia sat down on her bed, instructing me to sit next to her. Sitting next to a cute girl on her bed was a situation that should have had my heart racing, but Liscias no-nonsense attitude intimidated me into meekly obeying her.

When I did, the moment I sat down, Liscia grabbed my head and pushed it down into her lap. It was my first lap pillow in a long while. I could hear Liscias gentle voice above me.

I dont know what caused it, but when youre tired, let me indulge you, Liscia said, rubbing my forehead.

...Sorry, I said. And thank you.

Hee hee. Youre welcome.

I closed my eyes, letting the tension slip away from my body. When Id heard the name Demon Lord Divalroi, Id felt a vague uncertainty from the sense that Id heard the name before. That hadnt been resolved, but just having my head patted like this made my heart feel lighter.

Thanks to Liscia, in the time it took me to fall asleep, I didnt have to feel worried anymore.