Episode 54: Proposal for a Ceasefire
Two weeks had passed since I killed Barbat.
I haven’t gone to the Keirakuden since then.
After returning to this world, I noticed a new door had been added to the depths of my magical power’s door.
Even now, if I concentrate, I have a near-certain feeling that I can go to the Keirakuden.
It seems that it doesn’t matter how much magical power I have, and it’s not something I can do multiple times a day.
Shushushu, pon.
Even so, what a waste.
I had a feeling that Jill might be an intuitively lovely beautiful girl, but I couldn’t take that last step.
Shushushu, pon.
Jill was constantly worried about harmony and such, but she only said ominous things, and in the end, her stance was unclear.
I feel like she’s not hostile on her own, but who knows.
Maybe I should go to the Keirakuden again to gather information.
If Jill is there, I’ll ask for her contact information this time.
If possible, I might pretend to be a scarecrow and eavesdrop on the others.
Shushushu, pon.
I spent hours repeating the process of signing autographs and pressing my seal, like at a signing event.
At this point, I want to automate everything.
“Hey, I can’t get through this mountain of paperwork at all,” I grumbled to Nicoletta, who I haven’t been able to rest much lately.
“I apologize. We are taking on as much as possible, but it seems that various vested interests are involved in the city planning, and as a result, we are in a situation where we must ask for Minashiro-sama’s judgment.”
“I guess so…”
Nicoletta replied with a slightly haggard expression.
Seeing my subordinates more exhausted than myself makes me feel somewhat guilty.
“It’s getting noisy outside,” I said.
“Yes, it seems that the people sent here are starting to form a city. There is still no orderly system like a commercial union among the Dust, and theft and violence are rampant, so we are receiving many petitions.”
For now, I’m worried about the deterioration of public order unless we launch some public works projects.
However, I’m tired and my head isn’t working well.
“I see, it’s good that the people are energetic.”
“…”
Bangwall Fort has become a place with a lot of people coming and going.
There have been personnel exchanges with Ortenatris, envoys from other territories have visited, Dust have come on their own looking for work, and the situation is so busy that even I can’t keep up.
“Getrude is having a hard time too.”
“No, this is nothing. This Bangwall is the starting point of Minashiro-sama’s hegemony! Let’s build a wonderful city that does not shame Minashiro-sama’s military achievements!”
“…”
Whose hegemony is it?
I’m just the acting lord of this castle.
My father seems to have decided to turn Bangwall Fort into a fortress city.
Ortenatris is now experiencing an unprecedented economic boom, but there are many people coming from outside, and there is a chronic surplus of people.
If we were to calculate the unemployment rate, it would probably be a terrible number.
So, my father seems to have thought of allocating the surplus personnel here.
However, the information spread faster than expected, and those who jumped the gun gathered here.
“Well, we’ll just have to have everyone do their best until things settle down.”
“Hahaha, leave it to us, everyone will follow Minashiro-sama anywhere!”
Getrude says this, but there are still many young people and few who are familiar with urban planning.
Everyone seems to be struggling to do their jobs.
At this rate, it will become like a black company from my previous life.
We need to have my father send us management personnel as soon as possible.
Or, it might be a good idea to pick up some of the people who have gathered here.
I’ve heard that there are some people with shady backgrounds among them.
“…Even so, a big mountain has moved.”
Once the work was finished for the time being, I spoke to Getrude.
The story behind the urban planning, the story that had been progressing under the surface, might come to fruition.
“Yes, I never thought that we would receive a proposal for a ceasefire from Naia.”
–The first letter sent at lightning speed from Princess Luna of Naia.
The content was roughly, “I want to meet and talk.”
She seems to have been greatly shocked that I, the guardian of the next generation of House Ortenos, killed her brother Barbat and even seized Bangwall Fort.
The letter contained the earnest wish of a young girl, saying that it was sad that the relationship of hatred between Ortenos and Naia had continued to our great-grandchildren’s generation, like me and Luna–I hope Shalka-kyun feels the same way.
“That letter from Luna, who is saying what, but does Luna, who has no experience of war, have some significance in what she says?”
“No, there is no significance. The words of the people of Naia are like garbage, and I feel like vomiting when I hear their superficial words, as if they mistakenly believe themselves to be benevolent. Minashiro-sama, you must never take it seriously.”
In this way, Naia is hated like a viper in Ortenos, to the point that Getrude uses the word “garbage.”
Both sides suffered many casualties in the war six years ago, and it has become an indelible scar.
As Getrude says, it is too late to try to patch things up now.
However, it is also a fact that politics does not move on emotions alone.
“Ah, but Father seems to be moving forward with accepting this proposal. What do you think of Father’s decision, Getrude?”
If I were asked if Luna’s letter was decisive, I wouldn’t say so, but my father seemed to have been thinking about a ceasefire from the beginning.
Perhaps there was some exchange between Marquis Hoshiros and Queen Naia.
However, I was curious about what my subordinates thought of this.
“With all due respect, I think it’s a reasonable choice…”
Reasonable… huh.
It’s not something to be happy about.
Perhaps it’s something that’s hard to accept emotionally, but it’s a matter of reason.
“Father seems to be quite angry at the western side for interfering in the previous war. Also, he seems to be completely fed up with Lanecki’s guardian, who withdrew from Ortenos to preserve his own territory.”
“Hmm… perhaps our lord intends to put pressure on the western side.”
“Put pressure?”
The western side refers to other territories to the west of the Ortenos region.
The Imperial Family, which strangles us with diplomatic means, and Darboni, which physically obstructs us, are naturally seen as virtual enemies by Father.
Lanecki also acts big, but he’s useless when it counts.
“Yes, we don’t know yet whether we will actually choose a ceasefire. However, I think the aim is to show a firm attitude towards the western side and Lanecki by realizing the talks.”
“I see. If Ortenos pours the resources it has been allocating to the war into domestic affairs, it will become even stronger than it is now. Is dangling the ceasefire a warning to the western side?”
For the western side, it is more convenient for Ortenos and Naia to be at war.
Even as it is, Ortenos has our grandfather, who is feared as a god of war.
They would want to avoid having his eyes turned towards them.
“Yes, the fact that our lord himself has announced his participation in the ceasefire talks shows his seriousness.”
“…Everyone will criticize Father’s stance as weak-kneed.”
“…Probably.”
I can’t tell what Getrude is thinking inside.
Everyone must have mixed feelings, since they are about to conclude a ceasefire agreement with an enemy they have been killing each other for decades.
However, I personally want to respect my father’s thoughts.
It is probably a conclusion drawn from a profound idea that I cannot reach.
It is because we believe in and support that, that we are a family.