157 - Nations Toyed With
There are women known as "femmes fatales who topple nations," such as Xi Shi of Yue, Bao Si of Zhou, Da Ji of Yin, and the legendary beauties of old. These are beauties said to have bewitched men with their looks and caused the ruin of nations. Though it is a story of another world, there is a woman who will likely be called such in the near future. Mirei.
Mirei, who had ascended to the position of the Moscow King's favorite concubine, became a selfish woman, as if she had turned into a completely different person. The King was the only one for whom the expression "selfish" was sufficient. For those who lost their lives because of her, she was a calamity in human form.
The first to fall victim—excluding the Prime Minister—were the women who had been her colleagues. They were the ladies-in-waiting appointed by her designation. From the moment they were assigned to Mirei, it was a disaster for them. For they remembered having wronged Mirei.
They flattered her, hoping somehow to be forgiven for the bullying they had inflicted upon Mirei, but it ended in vain. The ladies-in-waiting ran themselves ragged to fulfill Mirei's every selfish whim. However, far from satisfying Mirei, the result was that their efforts were used as excuses for revenge.
"The reason they do not listen to my requests is that they look down on me for my low status." Mirei said this as she wept to the King. In response, without investigating the facts, the King imposed severe punishments. The first woman was banished from the castle. It did not end with simply losing her job. She was branded by the King as a failure as a subject. From then on, she would spend the rest of her life in the shadows. Her family could not bring themselves to acknowledge such a person as a relative in public.
This punishment left the remaining ladies-in-waiting trembling in fear. They did not want to suffer the same fate. They strove even harder than before to keep Mirei in a good mood, but again, it was not rewarded. One by one, they were punished under some pretext.
And the last one remaining was the woman who had stood at the top of the faction. By that time, she had become a subservient woman who no longer felt like she held such a position—someone who would likely lick Mirei's shoes if ordered to do so.
Mirei's revenge did not end there. It was not only that woman's faction that had bullied her. A new faction was designated, and they became Mirei's ladies-in-waiting.
They imitated the subservience of the one remaining lady-in-waiting and served Mirei, but again, they began to disappear one by one.
Eventually, there was no one in the castle who did not know of Mirei's evil deeds. The only exception could be said to be the King. Even that King was not unaware of her actions. He simply did not perceive them as evil deeds.
The one who moved against this situation was the Queen. She had the responsibility and authority to maintain order in the inner palace. However, that authority existed only with the King's backing. And that King was now the backing for Mirei.
Out of jealousy, Mirei had bullied the side-consorts cruelly. Based on non-existent facts, the Queen, while remaining in her position, lost her actual power.
Because of this, there was no one left in the inner palace who could oppose Mirei. Furthermore, this extended to the public sphere.
"...What do you mean you cannot send reinforcements?"
Hearing the King's decision, the messenger asked back with an expression of disbelief.
"It is as I just said. There are suspicious things about Babel. I cannot send reinforcements until his innocence is proven."
"...With all due respect, Your Majesty, what exactly are these suspicious things?"
There was no way such a thing could be. The messenger asked what the King had misunderstood.
"The reinforcements sent until now—were they truly for the purpose of fighting the Demon Race?"
"...What else could they be for?"
"Are you not intending to strike me down? Are you not trying to seize the army from me and take actual power in this country?"
"T-That's absurd..."
An unexpected suspicion. The messenger voiced his agitation at the unbelievable situation, but...
"...What is this, calling the King absurd?"
"N-No, I did not mean it that way."
"Detain this man! This fellow, who can commit such rudeness to me without hesitation, is in league with Babel!"
"Your Majesty...?"
Detained for just this. Moreover, the King was treating Prince Babel's rebellious intent as a fact and was attempting to punish him. At this unexpected turn of events, the messenger could only stand there dazed. He had not been this kind of king. He was supposed to be a king praised as a wise ruler.
The knights detained the messenger according to the King's orders. If they did not obey, the punishment would be directed at them. Even if they thought in their hearts that the order was unreasonable, they could not resist.
The culprit was Mirei. Everyone knew it. But to lay a hand on that Mirei was to oppose the King. At this moment, there was no subject with the courage to do so.
◇◇◇
The calamity did not visit only the Kingdom of Moscow. In a small country between the Kingdom of Moscow and the Laurel Kingdom, an unexpected situation also occurred.
"...The Demon King's army is in our country. Is that a fact?"
"Yes. We cannot yet conclude it is the Demon King's army. However, it is a fact that they appeared from the 'Forest of Bewilderment,' and there is no mistake that they are of the Demon Race."
The Forest of Bewilderment, where the Demon King's army resides, is vast. Several countries have a portion of the Forest of Bewilderment within their territory. It is quite doubtful whether one can call the Forest of Bewilderment, over which they have absolutely no control, their territory.
Demons had appeared outside the forest of their own country. At this unexpected turn of events, the King felt as if he might faint.
"Why? Why is the Demon King's army in our country...?"
Was it some mistake? Their country was not one worth the Demon King's army attacking. This was a rather self-deprecating thought, but it was true that they were not a country that would draw attention.
"We have not yet obtained confirmation, but..."
"What is it?"
"Could it be that they came to strike the reinforcements of the Kingdom of Moscow?"
"...What?"
"The Demon King's army ignored the towns and villages and headed straight for the Moscow Kingdom army that was moving through the territory, fought them, and then vanished."
"...It is not to attack our country?"
A slight flush of color returned to the King's pale face. The purpose of the Demon King's army was not to attack his own country. Knowing that possibility, a feeling of relief welled up.
"We do not know that yet. However, the enemy is the Kingdom of Moscow. They said that if we show we have no intention of hostility, they will not attack."
"...Huh?"
The subject's explanation was strange. After a short pause, the King noticed it.
"That is what they conveyed."
"Who?"
"Those believed to be from the Demon King's army."
"...Did you not say there was no confirmation?"
The purpose of the Demon King's army was to strike the reinforcements of the Moscow Kingdom army. The King thought that this was likely correct.
"Can you believe the words of demons?"
"That... may be true, but..."
Indeed, as the subject said, he might not be able to simply believe the words of demons. However, the King could not think of a reason for them to tell such a lie.
"In any case, I believe we should return the army."
If the Demon King's army were to attack, absolutely. Even if not, this was a perfect opportunity to return a force that had not been sent willingly.
"...You are right. They are being attacked by the Demon King's army. It cannot be helped."
There was no better excuse for returning the army. In reality, the Moscow Kingdom army was being attacked by the Demon King's army within their territory. There should be no suspicion that it was a lie.
Without even needing to verify if the demons' words were true, the King decided to send a messenger. It would be troublesome if the truth were something unfavorable to his own country.
At this point, the King did not know that similar situations were occurring in neighboring countries. He could not know. Nor did he need to know.
◇◇◇
In the western part of the continent, battles between humans and demons were also taking place. Within the United Kingdom of Westerland, the former Demon King Leo and the demons who chose to fight alongside him were fighting.
The number of demons who followed Leo was not small, but it was a scale that the great power, the United Kingdom of Westerland, could sufficiently handle—provided that no other conflicts were occurring.
Currently, the United Kingdom of Westerland had dispatched troops to the Laurel Kingdom to fight the Demon King's army. Initially, they were few in number, but as the severity of the fight against the Demon King's army became clear, reinforcements were repeatedly sent. Even so, if the entire United Kingdom challenged the fight, they should be an opponent they could somehow manage. That was the case, however...
"Why can you not send reinforcements?"
At the seat of the Allied Council. The King of the Kingdom of Nabara, one of the countries constituting the alliance, raised a dissatisfied voice.
"Reports of demon sightings are unending in each country as well. We are in a situation where we do not know when the fighting will begin."
The one who answered the Nabara King's question was the King of the Kingdom of Wells. He was the King of the leader nation of the United Kingdom of Westerland and also served as the chairperson of this meeting.
"Fighting has already begun in our country. Should that not take priority over a fight that we do not know when will begin?"
"However, that would make the defenses of each country negligent."
"So you are saying you will abandon our country!?"
Unable to get the answer he sought, the Nabara King shouted. It did not matter if he was the leader of the United Kingdom. The Nabara King was exposed to the threat of demons. He felt a sense of crisis that his country might be destroyed.
"...I did not say such a thing. I am saying that we will consider the reinforcement plan after carefully confirming the situation of each country."
"Then when is that? When will the plan be completed, and when will the reinforcements arrive?"
"That... depends on the status of the investigation."
No specific timing had been decided. The situations of each country had not yet been gathered.
"Who is conducting that investigation?"
"Who? It is being done by each respective country. I do not have a grasp of things to that extent."
"...Is an investigation really being conducted?"
"What are you asking? Of course it is being conducted."
Instructions had been issued for each country to report their investigation status. The Wells King did not understand what the Nabara King was concerned about.
"There is a possibility that they are reporting that demons exist without even conducting a proper investigation."
"What did you say?"
"Are they not thinking that they do not want to damage their own army for the sake of other countries?"
"No, that is not..."
He could not assert that it was impossible. Even while calling themselves a United Kingdom, each country valued its own the most. This was an undeniable fact. However, the Wells King had not considered that this would become a problem now that a major event like a war against demons had occurred.
"If you cannot send reinforcements, then return our country's army dispatched to the Laurel Kingdom."
"That is..."
He could not accept it immediately. It had been conveyed that they were struggling considerably in the battle in the Laurel Kingdom. In that situation, could he do something like pull out the Nabara Kingdom army? Would other countries allow that? The Wells King thought it would be difficult.
"Or is there a reason they cannot be returned?"
"...I hear the battle situation is severe."
"Is that really all there is to it?"
"All there is, you say?"
The battle in the Laurel Kingdom was not in a situation to be spoken of in such a way. A suppressed anger surfaced in the Wells King's expression.
"I have heard rumors that in the battle in the Laurel Kingdom, only the armies of the vassal states are suffering casualties."
"What did you say?"
"If it has come to this, I will ask you directly. Are you not using the war with the demons to weaken the power of the vassal states?"
There had naturally been conflicts before becoming a United Kingdom, but in the end, they formed the alliance based on the judgment that it was better to build a cooperative relationship to oppose a great power. While the Kingdom of Wells was the largest in national power, it did not rule with a power that overwhelmed the others.
The Nabara King suspected that the Kingdom of Wells, not satisfied with the current situation, was using the fight against the demons to strengthen its own control.
"There is no way I would do such a thing."
For the Wells King, it was a suspicion he had absolutely no memory of. He denied it clearly, but...
"I'm afraid I cannot trust words alone. Prove it with actions."
"Actions?"
"Return our country's army. If they are safe, you should be able to return them."
Returning the Nabara Kingdom army was the proof. Indeed, if that were done, the casualty status would be known, and the state of the battlefield could be heard. However, this was only for the convenience of the Kingdom of Nabara.
"...I am sorry, but for now, I can only answer that we are considering it."
"The more you stall for time, the deeper the suspicion becomes. I do not think that is a good idea?"
"I know. But I truly have not done anything that would invite suspicion. I want to verify for myself why such rumors spread and what the actual situation is."
"...I do not intend to wait long."
Even if he continued the pursuit, the situation would not progress further. Thinking this, the Nabara King decided to withdraw for now. The Nabara King did not want a complete rupture at this place either.
"...By the way, do you know how far those rumors have spread?"
"Who knows? But they reached the ears of our country, which does not possess a superior intelligence organization. I think the possibility that they have reached the ears of other countries is not low."
"...I see."
There was a possibility that countries other than the Kingdom of Nabara were doubting in the same way. In that situation, there was no way he could return only the Nabara Kingdom army. Other countries would surely demand the same. Regardless of the Kingdom of Nabara, the possibility that they would make demands was higher.
The Wells King thought that if such a situation occurred, it would be impossible to maintain the expeditionary force to the Laurel Kingdom.
It would be better if the expeditionary force collapsed. Compared to the suspicion of each country increasing and the United Kingdom of Westerland itself collapsing.
The time to make such a decision might come in the not-too-distant future.