Chapter 159: The Return of Friends
I went to the Ignat family’s mansion and reported our success in neutralizing the church.
All of us who had gone to the site were there, along with Shen-kun’s key retainers.
“Already…?” Shen-kun said, looking a little dejected.
“Yes. I understand how you feel. I was also left dumbfounded, wondering what all our efforts had been for,” Honoka said with a serious expression. Shen-kun’s retainers looked bewildered, not understanding what she meant.
Yeah. The two of them were clearly feeling different things.
“How are the discussions on your end?”
“For now, we’ve reached an agreement. However, many are anxious about our future position…”
“Ah, yeah. That’s understandable. Well then, let me say this one more time—”
With that, I stood up and addressed them.
“I… Our country never wanted war from the beginning. We’ve always been working to bring peace to our own nation, and this was merely the final measure we had to take. The compensation for the trouble we were put through will be paid by the Empire as a nation in the form of war reparations. We have no intention of demanding anything more. Based on that, you can decide whether to proceed or not. We haven’t forced you from the start. If Ignat and Kai have gone this far for you, and you hesitate not because you can’t do it, but because you can’t believe us, then don’t accept.”
That was all I had to say, and I sat back down.
Everyone wore a bitter expression. Many were looking at me resentfully.
‘Can we really trust them?’ That was probably what most of them were thinking.
They’d just been told by another country that they’d receive full support for a coup d’état.
It must be difficult for them to envision their future beyond that.
I understood how they felt, so I didn’t think much of it and let it slide.
“Everyone, please listen. My judgment also comes down to his last words. His Highness, Crown Prince Rui, has cooperated with us on the matter of my sister-in-law, the Strange Disease, and this recent defense, all without any significant compensation. I am deeply grateful, but our countries are different. Complete trust is difficult. However, it’s different with my elder brother and Kai. Those two have assured me with utmost seriousness that there is no mistake. Therefore, I’ve concluded that there is at least no intention to demean us. If this coup d’état succeeds, we will be the ones to run this country hereafter. We will be the ones to create our own standing and everything else! I believe everyone here understands the weight of that meaning! It is a heavy burden indeed. It will weigh heavily on your shoulders! But that weight is the weight of our people, something we have willingly carried!”
Uncharacteristically, Shen-kun raised his voice, stood up, and struck his chest with his fist.
His retainers stared at him, wide-eyed.
“Let us steel our resolve…” an old man standing beside Shen-kun said, and as if that were the signal, voices declaring their determination, like “Let’s do this!” continued to fly.
They had already resolved to throw their lives away once.
They figured that even if it meant risking their lives, they just had to prevent any unreasonable demands from passing.
Hey now.
Are we really that untrustworthy?
Although I had such thoughts, the discussion was heading in a good direction, so I watched over it.
Soon after, Shen-kun shifted the topic to what lay ahead, and it turned into a military council.
As the discussion progressed, the idea came up that Yuri and I might not be needed in terms of military strength.
Apparently, they wouldn’t be able to hold their heads high if they relied on the four of us for the entire coup d’état.
Indeed, it’s a situation where dignity is important. It’s better not to feel indebted.
Now that the Divine Soldiers are gone, the situation is such that it can be easily taken.
In the first place, if Ignat and Kai were present from the start, there would have been no problem.
Achieving zero casualties would be difficult, but victory is certain.
The main reason I was needed was primarily for the protection of the Osaka residents.
If that was fine with them, it was easier for me.
“Understood. In that case, I’ll leave everything to Ignat and Kai. Work as my proxies.”
““Yes, sir!””
“Well then, Shen-kun, I’ll be heading back now, but I hope we can continue to be friends.”
“Haha, I must admit, that feels a little too presumptuous for me. Please be gentle with me.”
Oh dear, his earlier vigor has deflated.
Well, I guess that’s Shen-kun for you.
With that, I left the place and headed to check on the village.
It was to confirm the reception status of the Osaka citizens.
Since it had transformed into an incredible city, I wasn’t particularly worried about their reception.
They probably wouldn’t even think of treason if they knew there were ten Ark main vessels.
So, I just made a brief appearance to confirm if things could be managed without strain.
After that, Yuri and I played at the sea.
Taking a breather is important too. I thoroughly enjoyed some lovey-dovey time with her.
That night, I received a call from Hiroki and the others for the first time in a while.
‘Hey! We finally made it back to the surface. How are things on your end?’
“Oh. I went on a date with Yuri at the sea today. It was fun.”
‘No, that’s not what I meant!! I’m talking about the Ancient Race!’
I sent a video of Mei to Hiroki, who looked like he was about to trip over.
Since she’s currently cut off dealing with Ver-san, I figured I’d show it to them now.
‘Wow… So this is what she’s like, even against us,’ Ami muttered, looking dumbfounded.
“Yep, that’s how things are here. So, what about your end?”
When I asked, they sent back a video of desolate, ruined remains.
‘Descending the Floors wasn’t too bad, but investigating this place took a long time. We spent several days searching for anything usable. We should have borrowed tools from you, Rui, not equipment,’ Hiroki said with an exhausted look. Akito nodded behind him.
“Well, as long as you’re safe, that’s what matters most. There are some first-time killers in there, after all.”
‘Yeah, everyone except us almost died. They were saved by Elixirs, though.’
Well, that’s what happens when you participate in battles normally.
They probably couldn’t leave everything to Hiroki and his group, after all.
‘But hey, it was pretty fun over here too. It was our first Dungeon conquest, after all.’
‘There was also the rebound from being cooped up inside the ship for so long, right? I’m seriously tired. If someone asked me to take people there again, I’d be a bit reluctant.’
‘But, you know, it didn’t feel bad being the main characters, did it?’
It seems they had thoroughly enjoyed their hero positions.
“So, what are you guys going to do now? Go back to being canned?”
‘About that… The King asked for at least one of us to stay behind. He said it’s because these are unprecedentedly dangerous times.’
That’s certainly true. Historically speaking, this era could rightly be called a time of upheaval.
“I can offer advice, but you need to decide all of this for yourselves. Now that we know Ver-san’s situation seems to be okay, it’s not like it’s a problem that requires forcing anyone.”
‘You say that, Rui, but shouldn’t there be someone who can stand against them as humanity’s representative?’ Akito’s voice said.
To Akito’s voice, I sent a sidelong glance, so to speak. “That’s true, but are you willing to do it?”
‘That was the promise from the start, wasn’t it? But, I have one favor to ask.’
That favor was to bring along some young noblewomen from the Kingdom of Lestall.
Two daughters from a Duke’s family, and the Prime Minister’s daughter.
It was likely a move to draw them in.
“I don’t mind, but let me tell you beforehand. I’ll have you adjust their subjugation quota to a level where they can only protect themselves. I have no intention of letting others possess power on our level, regardless of their true nature. So, please understand that.”
‘Yeah, no problem. I don’t know them well yet either, so it’s easier for me if you control that on your end.’
Currently, this also serves as a balance adjustment because Belfast is winning too much.
People are creatures who can develop twisted inferiority complexes on their own. It’s better to keep things at a somewhat tolerable level.
That’s why I had Hiroki and his group become heroes who liven up the country.
The fact that we are friends will also play a role in fostering friendship between our countries.
That said, there’s no need for additional military strength there.
However, even if they are friends, I can’t completely entrust the Ancient Race problem to them.
For various reasons.
Looks like we’ll be canned inside the ship again too…
“Oh, by the way, who’s Ami’s partner?”
Is it possible she wasn’t assigned one because she’s a girl?
Conversely, it should be easier to bring a woman into a family…
D-don’t tell me Hiroki objected, saying, ‘My sister is mine!’?!
‘Huh? Ami’s partner is Akito, duh… Didn’t I tell you?’
“Eh? S-since when…?”
When I looked at Ami, she gave me a mischievous grin, like a little rascal.
Akito was fidgeting and looked troubled.
Isn’t it the other way around?
‘Well, you know? When you’re cooped up inside the ship for so long, you kinda get urges, right?’ Ami said, doing a tehepero.
No, I mean, it’s fine. Congratulations and all.
But is that really the reason?
‘N-never mind about us! By the way, how is Naomi doing?’ Akito said, forcibly changing the subject as if he didn’t want to be asked.
Since there was no need to forcibly expose the details, I let it slide and brought up a different topic.
I brought up how King Lestall had asked for at least one of them to remain in the country.
“If everyone goes to train, there won’t be anyone left in the country, right?”
‘Yeah, we’re leaving Ami behind. Because this guy got her pregnant in the Dungeon…’
‘Ugh…’
‘Aki-kun isn’t to blame! I was the one who asked him. I told him it would be fine… even though it wasn’t…’
‘Gah!! I don’t wanna hear that kind of stuff about my sister!’
Seriously…?
Well, in this world, she is technically of marriageable age.
“Yuri, they beat us to it, huh…”
“Wh-what are you competing with them for! That kind of thing is for after we’re married…”
“It’s soon, though, right?”
While Yuri and I were talking like that, I heard an incredibly loud sigh.
It was Hiroki-kun.
“Must be nice, you guys. Having someone close to you like that…”
It seems he thinks he’s the only one left out.
“You’ve got your pick of partners now, don’t you?”
“No, it’s more like I already have someone… or rather, I was practically forced into it, like ‘please, for the sake of the country.’ Even if I suddenly get a fiancée, I get strangely self-conscious and can’t talk to them properly… Love isn’t something you can force, right?”
Ooh. As expected of my fellow commoner. I had an ally.
But, having had the common sense of a noble drilled into me, I could only offer these words.
“Yeah, I know. Well, hang in there…”
“Kuh…”
“What’s wrong? Is she not cute?”
“They’re super cute! Both of them! That’s why it’s troubling, or rather…”
Hearing those words, I immediately cut the communication.
What does he mean, “both of them”? He can just stew in his own troubles.
But a request for communication came in right away, and I reconnected.
“Wait, wait, wait, wait!! It’s not like that! They’re still only twelve and fourteen, you know!? It’s before that kind of thing!”
“Eh? Ah, I see. So it’s the same situation as me…”
When I said that, Yuri pinched my stomach.
“What do you mean, ‘the same’?” she seemed to say.
It hurt way more than a clumsy hit…
“No, I meant in the beginning. You were around that age, right? Now I think of you as a grown woman.”
Hearing that, and being told by everyone else that she’d become more adult-like, Yuri-chan’s mood improved.
“Ehehe, d-do you think so?” she said, fiddling with her hair earnestly.
“Well, there’s no need to rush anymore, so why don’t we all go together next time?”
Even on the ship, it’ll be quite different with a lot of people.
We’ll be able to do various things. When I suggested games and combat training, they both wholeheartedly agreed.
“Cheh. If everyone’s going, I should’ve said I’d go too. Come to think of it, a pregnant woman can’t move around much, so that comfortable space would have been perfect.”
“You’re the one who ran off at full speed, saying you hated being bored!”
“Now, now. Ami is with child right now, so…”
Akito stepped in between Hiroki and Ami, stopping their words.
Since there was no visible sign, it was probably early on.
Either way, I understood that Ami hadn’t changed one bit on the inside.
“I have my wedding with Yuri coming up too, so it’ll be a little while off. You could join after giving birth and settling down, you know. It looks like various troublesome things are about to be sorted out, so I’ll contact you again soon.”
“Yeah! Let’s have a match then!”
I replied “Yeah!” to Hiroki, who said it with a nice smile, and cut the communication again.
Our rest at the seaside hotel ended, and we returned to the Castle with refreshed spirits.
I told Pops that there was no longer any need for me to intervene in the Empire’s affairs.
I explained that they seemed to want to handle it themselves, so I left it to them, then took a breather while sipping tea.
“So, you’re completely free now, huh? If you two are ready, I’ll send out the wedding invitations?”
“Completely ready! Bring it on anytime!”
“Um, I have no problems either.”
“Understood. It’ll be a hell of meetings until the wedding day, but hang in there.”
At first, I was full of motivation, saying “Leave it to me,” but it turned out to be unexpectedly tough.
Even just a rough breakdown included a parade, a speech, the ceremony, a speech, a reception, and a speech – a schedule that made me want to ask, “Why so many?”
Naturally, it was a situation where I had to talk to an incredible number of people.
Is a parade really necessary?
I asked, but apparently, it was decided to hold a parade because I hadn’t shown my face to the citizens.
If they put it that way, I guess it can’t be helped.
And so, while constantly swamped with preparations, the arrangements for the wedding steadily progressed.
Yuri and I were swamped with separate preparations, forced to follow such a packed schedule of greetings here and meetings there that we barely had time to see each other’s faces.
“Hey, isn’t this a bit too packed?”
I asked the maid-san who started guiding me while reading out the schedule.
“It cannot be helped. Originally, these are things you would handle at a leisurely pace while residing in the Castle…”
Being told, “It can’t be helped since you were away,” I had no choice but to keep my mouth shut.
Then, I passed Yuri in the Castle.
We waved, signaling that we were both doing our best, and continued past each other.
Yuri’s working hard too, so I guess I’ll do my best.
And so, I headed off to the most arduous training: etiquette lessons.