Chapter 173 - Postlude 1 "Peace Alone is Simply Too Boring!"
Gokigenyou! I am Violia Nico Fortesia! Right now, I am hunting ghosts in the Kingdom of Solas!
Well, ghosts are just small fry that can be sliced up easily if you have a silver sword. They aren't much of an enemy. Well, if you don't have a silver weapon, you have no means of attack and just get beaten up, so I suppose it's a heavy burden for the Kingdom of Solas... but it's a bit lacking for me.
Even if there are ghosts mixed in that use magic, it's just a margin of error, a margin of error.
Still, because of the sheer numbers, I enjoyed myself reasonably well. If you push yourself to see how fast and how many you can defeat, it becomes a fun game in its own right.
"Violia. How is it on your end?"
"I've done about a hundred. Halfway through, the ghosts started running away because they feared me, so the efficiency has dropped..."
"I see. Me too."
...By the way, Doran, who is saying this, can punch ghosts to death with just his fists wearing a silver ring. I wondered what kind of attack he was doing with just one silver ring, but apparently, he's just punching them to death. A person who punches ghosts to death... in this wide world, Doran is probably the only one. ...As I thought, this guy is a monster!
Our ghost hunt continued after that.
"Hey, Violia. No matter how many I cut, they're still here. Are they increasing?"
"It's just that they aren't decreasing because you aren't using a silver blade! Give it here! I'll swap your hidden knife for a silver one!"
I stepped in to take care of Chesta, who was poking at ghosts with a normal knife that wasn't even silver.
"Ghosts are slow, so even with my level of skill, I can kill them with a knife. Huh."
"Oh, Keeb! Good skill! Keep up the good work!"
I praised Keeb, who was fighting with silver throwing knives for the first time in a while.
"Violia-sama! How should I use a silver staff!? Should I change the way I flow my magic!?"
"Just use magic normally! Magic works! ...If the magic doesn't activate well, just bash them with that silver staff!"
"I-I understand! I shall bash them!"
I gave advice to Lital. ...Yes. It seems the silver staff didn't have very good compatibility with Lital. So, it has become a mere blunt weapon.
Well, we had a fun ghost hunt like that. I wonder how we looked to the citizens of Solas as we hunted down the ghosts with furious momentum to save their kingdom.
In contrast, the Solas royalty seems to be fumbling with the distribution of silver weapons and such... well, as long as the Solas royalty's approval rating drops, it's amusing, so it's fine!
Now then. And so, we hunted down every ghost in Solas. They were ghosts we scattered, but it's quite a hassle to remove them when the time comes. Yes, in other words, the cost-effectiveness is outstanding!
"I have returned, Giovan!"
"Wait, isn't that fast? It's only been three days, Ojou-san."
"Hunting all the ghosts in Solas is an easy task if you have three days!"
When I returned to the ship, Giovan, who had been looking after things, was horrified. Well, if the soldiers of the Kingdom of Solas tried their best to remove the ghosts, it might take more than a week or two, but we are the elite five of the Kingdom of Fortesia, you know? For things like ghosts, three days is more than enough!
"So, Giovan. The price of silver weapons will crash soon, so buy them all up at a bargain."
"Yes, yes. My, is it really okay to earn money this easily?"
"It's perfectly fine!"
The difference earned by selling and then buying back the silver weapons will essentially be a treat from the Solas royalty. Well, I'll accept it as a nuisance fee! Ohohohoho!
And so, we returned to our country.
I heard that the Kingdom of Solas is in a terrible state while we were returning, but I don't give a damn. I'll make them supply the food, but other than that, they can do whatever they want.
"Haa, I'm tired..."
And so, having returned to my office, I shall immediately relax on the sofa! Since it was nothing but exercise, I am a bit tired. Well, it might be better to spend today a bit slowly...
"Hey, hey, Violia. Can I open this wine?"
"Yes, it's fine. I made you work this time too. Open whichever one you like."
While I began to relax, Chesta was also lounging about. Well, I suppose so. He was fighting the whole time...
"Violia. Can I have this sweet?"
"Yes, take as much as you like. Oh, Lital, you choose what you like too. I shall brew some tea for you."
"Is it okay!? It's an honor!"
Since Keeb and Lital each started choosing what they liked from the sweets shelf, I shall prepare tea that matches them. Cute children should have delicious sweets and tea!
"I'm going to sleep for a bit. Sorry, Ojou-san. I'll borrow the nap room."
"Yes, feel free."
Giovan went off to sleep, looking a bit unsteady. He'll probably start buying up silver weapons as soon as he wakes up, so I want him to rest well for now.
"Good work everyone, this time. Please rest well today."
Not just Giovan, but everyone here needs a break. One way or another, being excellent means being destined to be used until exhausted. In exchange, one must rest where rest is due.
"Are you going to leave Operia alone for a bit longer?"
"That's right... It'll be more fun after the Kraken I set on them has rampaged a bit more."
Operia is Operia; they've gone and funneled drugs into us, so I want to shut them down soon... but I want to do that a bit later. After all, I am busy and tired...
...Or so I thought.
"Violia. How are you doing?"
"Onii-sama! You were back!?"
To my surprise! Onii-sama had returned! ...With two bundles of humans who clearly weren't decent folk slung over his shoulders!
"Yeah. I brought a souvenir for my cute little sister. There."
Onii-sama rolled the bundled humans onto the floor and explained with a full smile.
"This one is the leader of the group that set fire to the granary district. The other workers were so spineless that I ended up killing them."
"My, my. But as long as we can have a public execution for the leader, that's enough."
To my surprise. Onii-sama had already dealt with the granary district arsonists! What a wonderful souvenir!
"I wonder if burning at the stake would be good for this fellow. After all, arson is my specialty. The sin of copying it is heavy!"
"True. We should probably do that. A public execution will serve as a warning. It will help maintain public order."
Wonderfully, the treatment of the granary district arsonist has already been decided. Yes. Even now, public executions are enjoyed as entertainment in this country. In the sense of providing entertainment to the citizens, as a warning to other countries... especially to Solas, who sent this fellow, and as a way to kill my boredom, it's just right!
"So, Onii-sama. What is this one?"
What I'm curious about is the other person. Yes, there are two bundles.
"Ah. This is the top of the drug trafficking organization in the Kingdom of Operia. I captured him alive while he was busy with various matters at the port of Operia."
...Yes.
To my surprise, Onii-sama had already dealt with the thing I was going to start processing after my break!
"And so, everything is resolved."
"Congratulations, Violia-sama!"
I feel bad while Lital is clapping, but I feel somewhat unsatisfied... The last part was Onii-sama's achievement. It was resolved before I knew it, so I don't feel it at all...
"Well, I understand how you feel, but you don't have to make that face. Giovan made money, and we got a connection to sell drugs to Operia."
As Keeb is consoling me, well, it's not all bad things. Yes.
After all, since the Queen herself subjugated the Kraken that was attacking the port of Elsemarin, the evaluation from the masses has skyrocketed. Additionally, by setting that Kraken on Operia, I was able to isolate the hateful Kingdom of Solas and make them correct the ridiculous tariffs and food prices. Additionally, Giovan made a killing on silver weapons by taking advantage of that mess.
...And this time, the granary district arsonist Onii-sama found was successfully burned at the stake, providing entertainment to the citizens who look forward to public executions... Above all, Onii-sama captured the top of the drug trafficking organization in Operia. The profit from that is huge.
If you ask what I did, it's a simple thing. I threatened the top of the Operia drug trafficking organization a bit and made him promise not to bring drugs into the Kingdom of Fortesia and to import drugs from the Kingdom of Fortesia. With this, my power will reach the underworld of the Kingdom of Operia as well. Ohohoho.
...So, for now, it is a complete victory.
I was able to go on a rampage with the ghost hunt, I was able to give the King of Solas a taste of his own medicine, and it's only a matter of time before the Operia drug trafficking organization becomes mine. I've also made arrangements to secure our own country's food... and above all, I think the warning effect on the surrounding countries was sufficient.
"As I thought, I must continue to go on a rampage periodically from now on."
If a young Queen is ruling a newly revolutionized country alone, it's inevitable that many unscrupulous people will emerge to target our country. That's why, like this time, I must maintain the peace of this country by showing myself rampaging and involving other countries.
"Haa, it'll be a problem if it continues like this... I hope the other countries will become quiet."
"Why not just govern the neighboring countries all together?"
"I don't need several countries!"
I struck down the joke Doran threw at me while chuckling, and I ended up sighing.
(...Well, it wasn't long before Doran's joke became a reality...)
...I realized through this series of events.
I don't think I'm the type of person who desires peace.
I refuse to stay in the same place forever. Therefore, I shall take and win every fight picked by other countries, and if there are none, I want to keep climbing higher and higher within my own country.
That being the case, something like this time is very welcome.
Yes, of course, I refuse anything where the hassle outweighs the fun. But I want to welcome wonderful troubles that give me an excuse to go on a rampage. ...With this time, I've realized that.
"I'm really unsuited to be a Queen, aren't I... hey, Onii-sama?"
From the citizens' perspective, a Queen who rejoices in turmoil must be a nuisance. Of course, it's a matter of 'so what,' though.
"Fufu, is that so? To me, you look very lively."
...Well, as Onii-sama says, I myself am having fun. Troublesomely enough.
So... I think I'll continue like this. Both this country and I.
"Now. To celebrate that everything is settled for the time being, let's have tea!"
Well, there's no need to think about difficult things. Whether I'm suited for it or not, whether the citizens are inconvenienced or not, the Queen of this country is me. This country is mine!
"I'd prefer booze."
"Yes, yes, take whatever you like."
"I'll brew the tea!"
"I'll bring some tea sweets from the Spatial Bag."
Chesta started rummaging for wine, Lital started preparing tea, and Keeb started choosing from the cake stand of tea sweets he took out from his Spatial Bag. While they were doing that, Giovan was preparing the table, Doran was taking wine glasses from the shelf, and Onii-sama had already taken a seat.
So I also took a seat right next to Onii-sama and decided to enjoy the tea.
Many things happen. If I don't enjoy all of them to the fullest, it would be a waste!
...So, with that, everyone, gokigenyou! Please have a fun day today, tomorrow, and the day after!
Next post is undecided but will be out in September. Probably.