160 - Ideals and Reality
The civil war in the Kingdom of Moscow was growing in intensity. Subjugation forces were immediately dispatched to the noble houses that had rebelled. The armies of these noble houses were significantly inferior in terms of training. Unless a noble house held territory near the borders of other nations, their defensive capabilities could not be called sufficient, even if they had towns to protect. They would be suppressed without requiring much time.
Despite this, the rebellions did not cease because of the harsh punishments inflicted upon the defeated noble houses. Every male, including young children, was killed and their heads were put on public display. The fate of the women was harsh in a different sense. They were subjected to treatment so terrible that they would think they were better off dead.
The nobles came to believe that there was no way for them to survive other than to slay the King who had become a tyrant. They were no longer in a situation where they could claim that the woman misleading the King was the one at fault.
To oppose the royal army, the nobles began to unite. Not only under Prince Babel.
"Are you sending your precious vassals to the battlefield just to help with a family spat?"
"A family spat? It is not such a simple matter."
The Earl looked exasperated at the thoughts of a woman who knew nothing of politics, but he did not push her away. What he sought from her was her feminine charm. It was not politics.
"But it is a fact that they are father and son. There is no guarantee that the Prince will not become just like his father."
"Well, that is certainly true, but regardless, if we do not remove the King, this country is finished."
"This country... which country is the one the Earl-sama refers to as 'this country'?"
"Now, now. Surely that question is going too far, isn't it? It is obviously the Kingdom of Moscow."
The Earl directed a smile toward the woman who had uttered such a foolish question.
"...And not the Kingdom of Tour?"
"What? That is..."
The Kingdom of Tour was a country that had already perished. It was a country destroyed by the Kingdom of Moscow, and it was the country the Earl's ancestors had once ruled.
"Is it not for the sake of their own country that the vassals seek this fight?"
"...That is not something for you to think about."
Suppressing his wavering heart, the Earl scolded the woman. Though for a scolding, there was no strength in his words.
"Yes. I am merely telling you, Earl-sama. The feelings hidden in everyone's hearts."
"...Who? Who whispered such things to you?"
"I do not know. If I knew who it was, Earl-sama would have to punish that person. Even if, in your heart, you did not wish to do so."
"............"
The Earl fell silent, not knowing how to answer. He had to punish any behavior or words that might lead the King to suspect treason. But would punishing them be enough? Would the King, upon learning the fact, be satisfied that the matter ended with the punishment of a subordinate? In the first place, was it right to fear such a King?
The Kingdom of Moscow had attained its current position by destroying the Kingdom of Morgun, its former suzerain. It was a country that had expanded its power through rebellion. What was wrong with him doing the same?
The Earl shook his head as if to brush away the thought, surprised by his own reasoning.
"...May we leave the difficult talk alone now? I... I do not wish to trouble Earl-sama. I wish to please you."
The woman slowly leaned over the Earl. The Earl reflexively embraced her body, which felt weightless. The fragrance tickling his nose paralyzed his thoughts. The difficult problems were pushed aside, and pleasure dominated his heart. Just as she had said, the woman gave the Earl pleasure—a sexual pleasure that could not be tasted under normal circumstances.
◇◇◇
Anfang had finally begun to take the shape of a proper state. They had been given enough time to make that a reality. The town had expanded to a scale befitting a royal capital, and the number of people living there had become considerable. Originally, it had been a summer resort exclusively for the royal family, but it was a land chosen for a reason. Rich nature befitting a summer resort. The soil and water that nurtured it. The lands of Anfang, opened as arable land, provided a bountiful harvest to the people farming there, and people who heard of this gathered in even greater numbers.
Where people gather, commerce is born. The number of merchants increased, the variety of circulating goods grew, and that convenience attracted even more people.
The people's only anxiety was the war over the legitimacy of the Laurel Kingdom—the possibility of Anfang becoming a battlefield. However, that anxiety gradually faded as the high defensive walls surrounding the town in multiple layers were completed.
Furthermore, when word spread that the noble armies who had attacked—King Neil's Army to the people of Anfang—had retreated without even breaking through the outermost wall, there were no longer any factors stopping the flow of people. Anfang became an increasingly vibrant town.
"The influx of people will not stop. We will soon run out of vacant land."
At the meeting, Julius reported that the number of incoming people was about to exceed the scale of the town. This was content the other attendees were already aware of. Julius was simply speaking to prompt a decision.
"It cannot be helped if we stop accepting them. However, we cannot let it end with just that."
They could not allow people to live in the town beyond its capacity. Even if they forced them in, it would only create a disparity between those given land and those who were not. At this stage, they could not afford to have dissatisfied residents within Anfang.
However, if they refused acceptance, that too would create dissatisfied people. Queen Ekaterina believed that something had to be done about this.
"The construction of a second city?"
This was one of the proposals raised previously. The idea of building another town.
"That is one possible measure. But if we start that now, when would it be completed?"
"That is..."
Julius hesitated to answer. If they could obtain the cooperation of the demons, it could be finished far faster than imagined. However, he could not voice this in the meeting.
"Rather than that, would it not be better to think about stopping the flow of people gathering in Anfang?"
"Is that the proposal to improve the noble territories?"
This was also one of the measures previously considered. The idea was to improve existing arable land so that people could obtain bountiful harvests without having to come to Anfang.
"Yes. That proposal."
"But that proposal had the problem that it would only enrich the nobles, with little benefit to the state."
Most of the tax revenue from noble territories belonged to the nobles ruling those lands. It did not mean the tax revenue paid to the state would increase. For this reason, it had been judged as a low priority.
"That is true, but we cannot let the people starve until a second city is completed."
"Policies that seem to favor only the northern nobles will buy the resentment of other nobles. I believe this was also mentioned previously."
Land improvement work could not be carried out in all noble territories. It was not a matter of manpower. They could not send people to the territories of noble houses that had sided with King Neil—the rebel forces in reality. When they had considered this previously, this had also been raised as a problem.
"Regarding that, is there a need to worry about the feelings of the nobles who attacked this town?"
However, Queen Ekaterina did not view that as a problem. She believed there was no need to worry about the feelings of the enemy.
"...Just because they are on the enemy side now, if we treat them as enemies, it will create a difficult situation later on."
Even if they were on the enemy side now, they were nobles of the Laurel Kingdom. Julius warned her that it would become a problem when Queen Ekaterina reclaimed the entire territory.
"When is that 'later on'? I believe that what the people need now is the best possible policy."
"But..."
"Since we are at it, let me make this clear. I believe it is fine if the Laurel Kingdom perishes."
"Your Majesty?"
Julius was shocked by these unexpected words. Queen Ekaterina was supposed to have risen to reclaim the Laurel Kingdom.
"Forcing them into one union would only lead to more problems. If that is the case, I thought it might be better to start again from scratch with only people who can be trusted."
"...Then we will be late to the struggle for continental unification—no, we will be destroyed without being able to resist the great powers."
"I do not deny that possibility. However, there is no telling when that struggle for continental unification will resume."
"...What do you mean by that?"
Julius did not understand the meaning of Queen Ekaterina's words. He did not possess the information necessary to comprehend them.
"A civil war is occurring in the Kingdom of Moscow. The situation seems to be a conflict between the King and the Prince, but there is no guarantee that things will settle regardless of who wins."
"...Why do you think so?"
"The Kingdom of Moscow is also a country that grew by absorbing several other nations. It is not impossible that a country will attempt a revival by taking advantage of this civil war."
If the conflict between the King and Prince Babel took on a quagmire-like aspect, a third force might emerge. Furthermore, Queen Ekaterina was considering the possibility of a fourth, a fifth, and the eventual collapse of the Kingdom of Moscow.
"...What about the United Kingdom of Westerland?"
These words did not come from mere speculation. That is what Julius thought. If that were the case, he was curious about what was happening in the other great power, the United Kingdom of Westerland.
"The United Kingdom of Westerland is also in a state of civil war. Currently, the structure is a conflict between the Kingdom of Wells and other nations, but who knows what will happen in the future."
"...Why did it come to that?"
"Who knows? If a war continues, dissatisfaction arises within the country. Is it not the same thing happening here?"
Therefore, the Laurel Kingdom should not be forced into one union. Julius understood that this was what Queen Ekaterina was saying.
"Please let me ask one more thing. What do you think will happen to the rebel forces?"
"What will happen? Does the power to unite the nobles who are dissatisfied with those participating in the rebellion exist? Does it not depend on that?"
"And if that power does not exist?"
"Will the south fall apart, or perhaps invite invasion from other countries? I do not know about this myself."
Queen Ekaterina did not know the details of the arrangements up to that point. Whether there were several options, or if things were already in progress and the results had simply not emerged yet. In any case, Julius understood that things were moving in the direction Ray intended. That the rebel forces would lose.
"...One more thing."
"You have many questions for a Julius, don't you? You should be able to derive the answers yourself."
"No, I cannot produce an answer regarding this. For it depends on Your Majesty's feelings."
"I see... Uncle."
"Ah, I understand."
Called upon by Queen Ekaterina, the Prime Minister stood up. Furthermore, the other people also stood and left the meeting room.
Those remaining on the spot were only Queen Ekaterina, and Sieg and Geel. With this, Julius's resolve was completely set.
"Am I... am I among the trusted people Your Majesty spoke of?"
"Do you ask that yourself...?"
To ask this was like confessing that he was not worthy of trust. Queen Ekaterina would then make her judgment based on that. It was not a favorable situation for Julius.
However, Queen Ekaterina had known this question was coming. That was why she had asked the others to leave.
"As a result of my thinking, I felt I should ask it myself."
"I see... If I forgive you, I must also forgive the people connected to you. If you truly repent, there is room for consideration, but what is the case?"
"...There are those who merely provided the guidance to infiltrate Anfang. I cannot promise that those people will necessarily obey."
"You are honest... Let me ask a question as well. Why did you betray the country?"
Julius was also one of the rebel forces. Queen Ekaterina stated it clearly. The people remaining here, as well as the Prime Minister who had left, knew the fact of Julius's betrayal. There was no need to mince words.
"I did not intend to betray the country. I intended to act for the sake of the country."
Same as the others. Julius also believed his actions would be for the sake of the country.
"Not because you resented your fall from grace?"
"...I do not deny that it was the catalyst."
His fall from grace had been the catalyst for being invited by the rebel forces. However, Julius believed that he had not accepted that invitation out of resentment for his fall. If that were the case, he could not justify his actions.
"That is unfortunate."
"...Am I wrong?"
"There is no meaning in asking me that. You people killed my father and drove my younger brother to his death. No answer other than 'wrong' will ever come from my mouth."
"That is true... I wonder what he thinks?"
Personal feelings were mixed into Queen Ekaterina's judgment. Julius wondered then what Ray would think.
"...There is no meaning in judging good and evil. The result is everything."
"Does that mean there is no justice for the defeated...?"
"I think it is different. As a result of your actions, who became happy? Is that not what he is questioning? Whether that happiness outweighs your evil deeds."
Ray had no qualification to judge good and evil. Ray, more than Julius and the others, had stained his hands with evil. He had killed many people. But even while committing such evil deeds, there was something Ray wanted to realize.
Whether that was the right thing could not be judged by others. For it is something that changes depending on a person's position.
"We..."
What had they tried to obtain? To make the people living in this country happy. Such feelings existed, but they had not been realized. In the first place, were the people unhappy? He felt that if he asked himself this, everything would crumble. In other words, that was it.
"If possible, I would like you to cooperate from here on. I believe I have already finished the identification process, but that may not be everything."
The rebel forces infiltrating the north would be wiped out. Otherwise, for Queen Ekaterina, there would be no meaning in giving up on the revival of the Laurel Kingdom.
"...And you believe I will accept that?"
"If you have a desire to improve the lives of the people of this country, of Anfang, you should cooperate. Your comrades are existences that only bring chaos. Besides... Ray also conveyed this story to me."
"...What did he?"
"The possibility that you pretended to betray in order to flush out the rebel forces. If that were the case, he thought your merits and sins might offset each other."
"He said such a thing..."
Ray must have known that was not the case. Despite that, he had told Queen Ekaterina something that would help him. How should he interpret the meaning of that?
"What is the truth?"
"...No, that is not it. I wanted to change the country. For that purpose, I joined the rebellion."
"...I see. I understand."
It was as Queen Ekaterina said. Julius and the other rebel forces had ended up only bringing chaos to the Laurel Kingdom, and not only this country but other nations as well. They had even destroyed the peaceful lives of the people. Even by Julius's logic, there was no justice there.
There had been different choices. Only now did Julius realize it. There was a time when Queen Ekaterina, who was now before him, was aiming for the throne of the Laurel Kingdom. Why had he not supported her? Why had he done nothing and let Crown Prince Neil win?
Instead of supporting the King, they had wanted to seize actual power themselves. While saying it was for the sake of the country, they had prioritized their own greed. Once he realized this, Julius's resolve was set. He believed he should die to atone for his sins.
If he had any lingering regret, it was the desire to meet and speak with Ray one last time. Whether that could be granted, no one in this place knew.