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Chapter 1: Wrath -anger-
Meanwhile, around that same time, in the Kingdom of Friedonia, a girl who looked like a mermaid princess, and a young man who looked like a samurai with white fox ears, were bowing before Souma.
The girl was Shabon, daughter of King Shana, who ruled the hostile state known as the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago Union, while the young man with the white fox ears was her bodyguard, Kishun.
Souma couldn’t believe what Shabon had just said to him.
“Please, use me as your ‘tool.’”
Whaa? My tool? he thought.For a moment, he didn’t even understand the words. He was doing his best not to let it show, but internally, he was confused. Normal girls don’t tell you to use them as your tools, right? She probably wasn’t some kind of total masochist, and even if she was, she wouldn’t be asking him for it with such lifeless eyes.
It was a problematic statement from a girl in the troublesome position of being the daughter of the Nine-Headed Dragon King. What was he supposed to do about this?
He glanced at Hakuya, who looked back at him with a serious look on his face.
“I sympathize with what you must be feeling, but please restrain yourself for now.” was what his eyes said.
I exhaled, trying to calm myself, then rested my elbow on the armrest of my throne to look intimidating as I asked Shabon, “...What is that supposed to mean?”
“I mean it literally. You may use me however you please,” Shabon answered, placing her hand over her heart. “My existence should be of use to you who are about to fight my father... to fight the Nine-Headed Dragon King. When you declare war, when you conquer him, and when you need to administrate the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago after the war, I will provide you the justification you need. I will act however you request. If you do not wish to become an invader, please, put my head on a pike. You can say that I came to you for assistance to fight the Nine-Headed Dragon King.”
I stared at her, my mind trying to assess what she just said.
“If you wish for the Nine-Headed Dragon King’s throne, I will marry you. In that event, my body... will be yours to do with as you will. It will be a political marriage, but... if you wish to use me as your concubine, then...”
“...What is this nonsense?”
No, seriously... What was this girl even saying? Not only had she suddenly come to the country that was about to fight hers, but she was talking about tools, justifications, political marriages, and concubines. I didn’t get it... Well, no, there were other girls who had said similar things to me before: Roroa, and Saint Mary of the Lunarian Orthodox Papal State.
But Roroa hadn’t had this tragic air about her, and even the doll-like Mary had been doing it for her beliefs and her duty. They didn’t have a look on their faces like they had given up on everything like Shabon here did.
“From what I’m hearing, it sounds like you approve of our country invading yours. I had expected you were here to make a direct appeal to me to stop the war, but that’s not the case, is it?”
Shabon shook her head sadly. “I am well aware that war is inevitable at this point. Because you all must have put a considerable amount of work into preparing for the battles to come.”
“...What made you think that?”
“The actions of the Gran Chaos Empire,” Shabon stated clearly with sadness in her eyes. “Recently, we have received frequent envoys from the Empire. When they meet our island chiefs, they say, ‘It won’t be long before the Kingdom sends a fleet to this country,’ and press us to sign the Mankind Declaration.”
...But I know all that. We were the ones who’d asked them to do it, after all. Well, it sounded like Maria had kept her word. But I put my hand on my chin and looked thoughtful to hide the fact that I was thinking about that.
“The Empire, you say... And? Are there islands that have agreed to that?”
“No. The island chiefs are ill-tempered and fiercely independent. They will not submit to anyone. The more the Empire tries to impress upon them the danger of the Kingdom, the more they unify to resist you without Imperial assistance. They have been sending boats to the Nine-Headed Dragon King.”
All according to plan so far, huh? I thought, but...
“However, I believe there is some sort of plot at work.” Shabon lowered her eyes and shook her head. “The Empire is sending their envoys to every island that might have an island chief, regardless of size. An island’s size is reflective of its population, and therefore its military power. Even if the chief of a small island wanted to sign the Mankind Declaration, it’s simply not possible if the chief of a larger nearby island is against it. Because there is the risk of them being attacked. Basically, attempting to persuade smaller islands when they cannot persuade the bigger ones is doomed to failure.”
Ah, so some islands are small enough that they are ruled by another island’s chief?
“Despite this, the Empire is sending envoys to every island chief at the same time. Why would they do something that they must know is futile...? In my view, they aim not to have us join the Mankind Declaration, but to inflame a sense of crisis about the Kingdom, and gather all the Archipelago’s forces under the Nine-Headed Dragon King. And yet, there is no benefit to the Empire in doing that. If anyone has something to gain, it’s either the king, who gains more forces, or... Sir Souma. It is your kingdom,” Shabon said, looking straight at me. “The Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago has many small islands and straits, and an abundance of places to hide soldiers and warships. Even if you were to defeat the king in the first battle at sea, if the remaining forces went into hiding, it would take time to subjugate them.”
“I see... And?”
“From your perspective, you want to catch as many of the soldiers and ships in the first battle, and destroy them. Perhaps you had the Empire help inflame a sense of crisis, in order to gather as many of our forces under the king as possible. Because you are confident in your ability to defeat the amassed forces. Am I wrong?”
“...Hmm.”
I was genuinely impressed. It looked like this princess wasn’t just some Pollyanna who had stupidly come to visit a country that hers would soon be at war with. I couldn’t give her anywhere close to full marks for the answer, but she had managed to discern some of our intentions.
But... that made this make even less sense.
“If we assume your deduction is correct, I’m a villain seeking to ensnare the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago in my trap. Why would you ask a man like that to use you as his tool?”
“Because... This is the last way I can think of to protect my people. I’ve seen how the people of the islands have suffered all this time.” Shabon clasped her hands in front of her chest as if she was praying. “The poor catch and inability to send the boats out, the way the Nine-Headed Dragon King raised taxes, the shadow of impending war with the Kingdom... All these things have sent the people into depression; particularly the lack of fish catches and inability to send boats out. Our connection to the sea is so deep that they say we live with the sea, and our souls return to the sea in death. Now, we find ourselves cut off from it. Most of us spend our days not filled with anger or sorrow, but emptiness.”
The grip of Shabon’s interlocked fingers tightened, as though she were trying to restrain herself.
“I have no power. I warned my father repeatedly, as his daughter, to at the very least avoid war with the Kingdom, but he would not hear me out. I believe my father... the Nine-Headed Dragon King is heading in a progressively worse direction. However, I lack the power to stop him, or to save the people from their suffering.”
“...And that’s why you came to me?”
“Yes.”
I see... If I compared what I knew of the situation inside the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago with Shabon’s statements, I could get a vague sense of what she was trying to accomplish. She probably had no ulterior motives. She had told me everything. She had come to seek salvation... Not for herself, but for the people of her country. For that, she was willing to become my tool. She was prepared to be a sacrifice.
This really is... troublesome. Even as I was thinking that, Shabon continued with her plea.
“I believe one of your wives is the former Princess of Amidonia.”
Huh? Why bring Roroa up?
“I have heard that after making Lady Roroa your fianceĂ©, you took care of the lives of the people in the former Principality of Amidonia. If my life alone is enough to quell your wrath towards the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago Union... I will offer myself up to you, just as Lady Roroa once did.”
“...Eh?”
“So, please... I do not care what happens to me. I would like you to take care of the people—my people...”
What did this girl just say? Just like... Roroa?
“Don’t you dare make light of my wife,” I bellowed.
Shabon shuddered at my words. Even I was surprised by how much anger there was in my voice. Anger... Yeah, I was really pissed.
Normally, I wouldn’t let my emotions show during an audience like this, but it had caught me by surprise, and I wasn’t able to control myself. Hakuya, Aisha, and Kishun all stared at me wide-eyed. The silence in the room was oppressive.
“S-Sorry! I apologize if I said something to offend you!” Unable to bear the silence, Shabon took a knee and bowed her head. Kishun followed his master’s example and did likewise.
Augh... Damn it! This wasn’t an environment conducive to talking anymore. I mean, I hadn’t fully suppressed my anger yet, either.
“Madam Shabon.”
“Y-Yes.”
“Return to your country,” I said, rising from my throne. When Shabon looked up, her face was filled with despair, as if the ground had just crumbled beneath her.
“N-No... Sir Souma—”
“We have nothing more to discuss. You should return to your country.”
Interrupting Shabon as she tried to continue, I turned around to make clear this talk was at an end, and walked out of the audience chamber.
“Please, see these two out of the castle,” Hakuya ordered the guards, then came after us, too. When he caught up to us in the hallway, he immediately protested, “Sire, it is completely unacceptable for you to become so emotional during an audience with a foreign dignitary like that.”
“...Sorry. The blood rushed to my head when I thought she was insulting Roroa,” I stopped walking and apologized. I knew I had blown up way too easily back there.
It probably had something to do with my exhaustion and Shabon’s lack of malice. If she held some ill-will towards us, then no matter how much my blood was boiling, I would never have let it show. Even if I was thinking, I swear I’ll get you for that later.
But Shabon had no malice, she had simply misunderstood. That made it all the more galling.
Hakuya sighed and shrugged. “...Though, I can’t imagine the result would have changed considerably even if you hadn’t gotten angry.”
“Well, it wasn’t a proposition we could possibly accept.”
“Still, there are better ways to express that.”
“I already acknowledged I was wrong, okay? So, what do you think?” I asked Hakuya. “Will those two go back to their country quietly?”
“It would make things less troublesome if they would, but... I doubt it.”
“Go figure... From the look on her face, she must feel pretty cornered. I just hope what happened doesn’t push her to do anything weird...”
Like ending her own life, or making that beastman with the white fox ears commit seppuku to atone for his master’s indiscretion... If something like that happened, it could impede our plans.
“Hakuya, you have the Black Cats watching them, right?”
“Two of them, at all times. If they try to do anything strange, they’ll be stopped. I will speak to them personally and smooth things over in regards to your anger, too.”
“...Sorry.”
“It’s my job as prime minister to support you, sire. I know you must be tired from the ongoing preparations. Why don’t you take the rest of the day off?”
“Yeah... I think I’ll do that.” With that, I was finally able to smile. “I think it was Roroa’s turn tonight. Maybe I’ll burn off this frustration by spoiling her rotten.”
“Ohh... Sire, it’s my turn tomorrow night! Give me some of that, too!”
While Aisha and I were talking about that...
“...As you please,” Hakuya said, sounding absolutely done with us, and then left.
Incidentally, Roroa heard I got mad on her behalf and was really happy about it that night. She said, “Thanks, Darlin’,” and really let me pamper her.
“How could I have been so foolish...?”
Shabon was lying on her side in bed, her eyes filled with tears, in a high-class room she was occupying in Parnam’s castle town. The teardrops streamed sideways across her face to stain the clean white sheets.
Having been rushed out of the castle by the guards, Shabon and Kishun slumped their shoulders and returned to the inn they were staying at. This lodging had been arranged for them by the Kingdom. They had come to the capital in secret, so that the Nine-Headed Dragon King wouldn’t find out, and requested an audience with Souma. Because it would be bad if outsiders discovered they were in this country, they were assigned this inn, which was well-equipped to preserve the secret, as a place to stay.
“I absolutely had to make the negotiations a success... In order to avoid the worst possible outcome... That is what I came to this country for, but... my careless remark angered Sir Souma... Honestly, I am such a fool, and so powerless... I...”
Shabon pounded the bed as she sobbed. How vexing and mortifying her own powerlessness must have felt. Kishun watched Princess Shabon with a pained look in his eyes.
“Lady Shabon... If this is too painful for you, should we return to the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago?”
“...Ngh, we cannot do that.” She looked up at him with her tearstained face. “There is not a moment left to lose. We came here to prevent the worst outcome, after all.”
“In that case, all we can do is meet with King Souma and speak with him once more.”
“Do you... think he will be willing to meet us?”
“That will likely depend on how angry he is. Do you understand why King Souma was angry, Lady Shabon?” Kishun asked, and Shabon shook her head limply.
“It embarrasses me to admit it, but I do not know why he was so angered. I know that I said something inappropriate, and it was in reference to Lady Roroa.”
“I have heard that after the war with the Principality of Amidonia, Queen Roroa betrothed herself to Sir Souma along with her country in order to protect her people. This is just a rumor, but they also say King Souma is lustful, and invaded the Principality out of his desire for her. Though, from the way he reacted, I suspect that rumor is nothing but meaningless gossip.”
“...I must have shown too little understanding of his feelings. The Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago is a secluded country. I let the rumors I heard lead me astray. And that angered Sir Souma... I am truly... a fool.”
Shabon lowered her face and clenched the sheets tightly. Seeing her look so weak, Kishun felt driven to do something, anything to help.
“...I will head to Parnam Castle, and seek another audience with King Souma, no matter what it takes. Lady Shabon, please wait here.”
“Kishun!” Hearing the resolve in his voice, Shabon shot to her feet and grabbed him by the clothing. “You’re not going to risk your life, are you? You can’t die for me!”
“If I could show our contrition through my death, and so grant your wish, I would do it. However, I doubt that would quell Sir Souma’s anger. If anything, it would worsen your position. I can only make a sincere request that he hear us.”
“Kishun...”
“I... know your resolve, Lady Shabon.” Kishun placed his hand on Shabon’s, which quivered with unease. “And I have sworn to protect you. I will bring you before King Souma again, without fail.”
With that, Kishun left Shabon’s room. All Shabon could do was clasp her hands in front of her chest and pray.
Kishun left the inn and headed towards Parnam Castle once more, but as Shabon’s attendant who had come to the country in secret with her, he obviously had no contacts in the Kingdom. That left him with nothing to do but throw himself on the mercy of Souma and his retainers.
He sat down on the side of the road and pressed his hand to the ground, bowing his head towards the direction of the castle. He stopped in that position, as if frozen solid. The people going to the castle glanced at him as they went by, but Kishun did not move in the slightest. Obviously, if a suspicious individual was near the gates, the guards couldn’t just leave him alone. First, they would speak to him gently, and if that failed, they would resort to force. The guards approached Kishun to tell him to remove himself.
“If you have business in the castle, you are to submit a request, and then leave for the day. You may return if permission is granted.”
However, Kishun did not listen.
“I come out of a desire to apologize to His Majesty! Please! Please allow me to see him just once! I am resolved to stay here until the day that I am allowed to!”
He could say that, but it was the guards’ job to protect the gates. Normally, someone like this would be removed, no questions asked, but the guards apparently had orders from above. One of them went inside the castle to check, and returned some time later with another person.
That person bowed his head and spoke to Kishun, “This is not going to do anything to improve his impression of you.”
“...Prime Minister.”
Kishun looked up to see Hakuya, the Black-robed Prime Minister. Kishun promptly slammed his palms on the ground again, and lowered his forehead to the dirt.
“I wish to profusely apologize for the offense Lady Shabon has caused! Lady Shabon also feels shame for her carelessness! If you wish us to take responsibility for what we did, let me offer up my head! So, please... allow her just one more opportunity to speak with Sir Souma!” Kishun pleaded desperately.
“Taking your head would be of no benefit to us, you realize,” Hakuya said with a sigh. “Besides, do you even understand why His Majesty was so upset?”
“Well...”
“An apology is meaningless if it’s only surface level,” Hakuya told him quietly. However, Kishun was not going to back down.
“Despite that, Lady Shabon’s resolve is genuine. She truly is prepared to offer herself to Sir Souma to protect the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago and its people,” Kishun pleaded sincerely, clutching the dirt with his hands.
It was probably true. Hakuya shook his head in dismay.
“That spirit of self-sacrifice... may be beautiful. However, I think self-sacrifice on the part of one who stands above others can also, at the same time, be a dereliction of duty. I would also say that is the definitive difference between Her Majesty, Queen Roroa, and Madam Shabon.”
“Huh?! What do you mean...?”
As Kishun remained on his knees, pleading to learn more, Hakuya said quietly, “...There are too many eyes here. Please, come to my room first.”
“I will. Thank you very much.”
The two of them relocated to Hakuya’s room.
“Please, try it.”
“Oh, how kind of you... I will.”
Hakuya offered tea, and Kishun politely accepted it. Hakuya took a seat, and once he had relaxed a moment, said, “Now, as to what I was saying before...” and began to explain.
“I believe it’s fair to say that both of them have put their lives on the line for their country. However, it looks to me as if Madam Shabon is in no position to do anything about the situation, and is merely clinging to His Majesty. To put it briefly, she has given up on solving the problem herself. Could we not say that she has run away from her responsibility as the daughter of the Nine-Headed Dragon King?”
“...!”
Kishun wanted to shout “You’re wrong!” but the words would not come out. That was because he thought, If I change my perspective, I can see how it might look that way. He hung his head limply, gazing down at the ripples on the tea in his cup.
Hakuya continued in an admonishing tone.
“Roroa, on the other hand, was incredible. The Kingdom had won the war with the Principality of Amidonia, and held an overwhelming advantage. Yet, despite that, Roroa used her own connections to drive her political opponent and brother, Julius, out of the country, and requested the complete annexation of the Principality.”
“That’s... incredible leadership. It’s as if she were commanding an army.”
“Yes. The Kingdom was attempting to absorb Van, the Principality’s capital, without violating the Mankind Declaration at the time, so we were in no position to reject her request. If we refused, we would be condemned for the inconsistency with how we’d handled the annexation of Van. Her Majesty, Queen Roroa, appeared before Sir Souma just after the complete annexation of the Principality. To ask His Majesty to take her as his queen.”
There was a bitter smile on Hakuya’s face as he remembered it.
“...She sure got us. If he had refused at that point, the people of the recently acquired Principality were sure to get violent. She upended the game board. The Kingdom, which had been set to profit at the Principality’s expense, instead had to guarantee their protection. His Majesty himself said, ‘I thought I’d beaten the Principality, but then, at the very end, I lost to Roroa.’”
Hakuya set down his cup and looked Kishun in the eye.
“That is the difference between Queen Roroa and Madam Shabon. Madam Shabon gave up on everything. Queen Roroa did the opposite. She risked her life to win. Yet Madam Shabon said, ‘just as Lady Roroa once did.’ His Majesty cares deeply for his family. Madam Shabon’s words felt like an insult to Roroa, who defeated the Kingdom all on her own. That was what got him so angry.”
Once he heard everything Hakuya had to say, Kishun clenched his teacup.
“Don’t you dare make light of my wife.”
He had come to learn what had made Souma so upset. It was true, Shabon and Roroa’s resolve had been different. He couldn’t blame him for being angry when she equated the two.
Seeing Kishun completely deflated, Hakuya told him, “His Majesty said, ‘If Shabon will not return to the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago, I am prepared to meet her just once more tomorrow.’”
“...?!” Kishun looked up in surprise, and Hakuya stared straight back into his eyes.
“He also said, ‘If she comes to the meeting without the proper resolve again, I will have her deported this time.’ Please, impress what I just told you upon Madam Shabon.”
“...Yes, sir! It will be my pleasure!” Kishun bowed repeatedly, and then the guards led him out of the castle.
Having seen Kishun off outside the door to his room, Hakuya sighed.
I can’t see them packing up and going home quietly. It’s troublesome, but we may need to rework our plans to take Madam Shabon and Sir Kishun into consideration...
This was going to take a lot of contemplation. Hakuya felt daunted by what was to come.