Chapter 2: The Casts of Two Nations (part 2)

Some days later...

At his castle in the princely capital, Van, the Sovereign Prince of Amidonia, Gaius

VIII, had gathered the principal military commanders of this country in the audience

hall. Gaius rose from the throne, addressing the assembled commanders.

"The time is come! Let us gather our forces on the southern border with

Elfrieden!"

That was the declaration that opened the war with the Elfrieden Kingdom.

Gaius had received reports that the gulf between Souma Kazuya and one of the

three dukes, Georg Carmine, had become unbridgeable, and that it was only a matter

of time before the two clashed. Soon enough, the kingdom would be thrown into

chaos. In that chaos, they would take back the lands stolen from them fifty years ago.

"At the same time as Georg launches his rebellion, we will begin our invasion of

Elfrieden!" he announced. "Our target is the grain-producing region in the south!

Now is the time to take back the lands stolen from our forefathers!"

"""Hurrah!""" The gathered commanders let out a cheer.

Finally, the time had come to take revenge for their past losses against the

kingdom. These commanders, who were military men to the core, couldn't help but

feel their blood boiling and seething inside them. In that environment...

"Please, wait, Your Highness!"

...a single man spoke out in opposition, walking forward to kneel before his

sovereign.

It was the young Minister of Finance, Gatsby Colbert.

With his rare sense for economics, he had been entrusted with the post of

Minister of Finance despite only being a young man in his mid-twenties.

While Roroa's talent lay in spending money to get the economy moving, Colbert

specialized in eliminating wasteful spending and freeing up funds that way. While

they took different approaches, these two worked together to cut what needed

cutting and to spend where spending was needed. They were the ones who were

just barely keeping this country's economy from tumbling over the brink.

"Oh, it's you, Colbert." Gaius turned a stern eye on him. He was clearly displeased.

When Gaius, a man who even generals who had survived many battles feared to

anger, turned that gaze on Colbert, a mere bureaucrat, Colbert began to tremble.

Still, he worked up the courage to offer his advice.

"I say this with all due respect, sire," he managed. "Please, reconsider invading

Elfrieden! The people of our nation are suffering from a food crisis and a poor

economy! If we start a war now, our people will starve!"

"I know that," the king snapped. "That's why seizing the grain-producing region is

so urgent."

"Wars require a vast expenditure on the part of the state!" Colbert protested. "If

you have that much leeway in the budget, you ought to be able to import food from

abroad! Rather than fight a war we don't know if we will win or lose, and which,

even if we do win, we don't have any guarantee our efforts will pay off, isn't this the

time when we should build our strength and..."

"Silence!" Gaius roared.

He walked over to the bureaucrat and kicked him hard enough to send the man

flying.

"Urkh..."

As he looked down at Colbert sprawled out on the floor, Gaius had a look of rage

on his face.

"You domestic affairs ministers always say the same thing! Work on domestic

affairs, now's not the time for this, that's all I ever hear! Look where that's gotten us!

It's plain to see how exhausted our country is! Yet, in contrast to us, that kingdom,

despite stagnating somewhat under the fool who was their last king, have begun to

rebound with this new king coming to the throne!"

"Th-That's because... the new king, Souma, has been working to enrich his

country..."

"You're still saying that?!"

Gaius kicked Colbert across the floor once again.

Perhaps he had gotten a cut in his mouth, because there was blood streaming

from the corner of Colbert's lips. Even so, Colbert didn't stop speaking.

"Your Highness... The total manpower of Amidonia's army is around half that of

Elfrieden's army. This is just... just too reckless a plan!"

"I know that without some lowly civil servant telling me so!" the king roared.

"That's precisely why now, with the king and the three dukes in conflict, we have an

opportunity!"

"Even so, there's no telling how long that will last," Colbert protested.

"Bwahaha! There's no need for concern. The Georg Carmine will be launching the

rebellion. That young pup of a king will have no easy time subjugating him, I'm sure.

Civil wars drag on for a long time. It will be the same even if Georg wins. If a traitor

rises to the top, there's no way the country will stand united!"

Colbert bit his lip in frustration. Is that the reason His Highness is acting so

boldly?!

Because it was Georg Carmine, one of the three dukes, and the one who was

famous for being a fierce general, who was raising the flag of rebellion against

Souma, that was likely pushing Gaius to act.

The truth was, there was no guarantee that an opportunity like this would ever

come along again. Gaius was already 50 years old, by no means a young man. He

didn't want to let this ideal chance pass by while he was still fit to stand at the head

of an army and give orders.

However... It's too optimistic to think that way! Colbert thought stubbornly.

"Please, listen to me, Your Highness!" he burst out. "If you invade Elfrieden, our

country will be exposed to criticism from all of the other countries! We've signed the

Empire's Declaration of Mankind's Common Front Against the Demon Race!"

"...The Mankind Declaration, is it?" Here, for the first time, Gaius had a strained

look.

Led by the Gran Chaos Empire, the Declaration of Mankind's Common Front

Against the Demon Race (also known as the Mankind Declaration) referred to a

declaration and resultant international treaty backed by the largest, most powerful

empire on the continent. It stated that, in light of the expansion of the Demon Lord's

Domain, all conflicts between mankind were to cease. And, in order to prevent the

monsters and demons from advancing any further south, all of mankind were to

work as one and cooperate.

The essentials of the Mankind Declaration were given in these three articles:

First, the acquisition of territory by force between the nations of mankind would

be deemed inadmissible.

Second, the right of all peoples to equality and self-determination would be

respected.

Third, countries that were distant from the Demon Lord's Domain would provide

support to those nations which were adjacent to it and were acting as a defensive

wall.

The second of these had been adopted to protect minority races in each country.

Given that the acquisition of territory by force was inadmissible, some countries

might have otherwise expelled or oppressed their minority races to try to seize their

wealth for themselves. It was an extra provision that had been added in caution

against that.

Furthermore, though not explicitly outlined in the text, if any country violated

these three articles, the Empire, as leader of the pact, would intervene militarily.

To put it simply, this Mankind Declaration was a security treaty in which

countries gave up the right to invade other nations in exchange for protection from

the Empire.

Colbert pleaded: "If we invade Elfrieden, we may be inviting an intervention by

the Empire! Sire, I beg of you, please, reconsider!"

"You cur!" Gaius brought his hand to the hilt of the sword hanging at his hip.

Just as everyone present was sure the man was about to be slain, someone

slipped between Gaius and Colbert.

"Sir Colbert, there should be no worry of that."

The one who had interposed himself between the two of them was the crown

prince, Julius Amidonia. His cold eyes, which betrayed no emotion, were fixed on

Colbert. "That is because Elfrieden has not signed the Mankind Declaration."

"Julius... sir," Colbert said, "that's a specious argument! We would be taking

protection under the Mankind Declaration, while at the same time attacking a

country that has not yet ratified it. If we do that, it would be like kicking mud in the

face of the Empire!"

"However, in diplomacy, only the treaties that have been signed are important,"

Julius said coldly. "This has all been brought about by the stubborn foolishness of

Elfrieden in not supporting the sublime ideals of the Empire. Surely the Empire can

find no fault with us for it."

"But..."

"Enough!" Gaius withdrew his hand from his sword's hilt, turning to address the

gathered commanders. "I hereby dismiss Colbert from his position as Minister of

Finance."

"Sire!" Colbert cried.

"Colbert, I am placing you under house arrest for the time being," the king

snapped. "You are to watch from the sidelines. Watch as we reclaim the land of our

forefathers."

With those words, Gaius led his commanders out of the audience hall without

sparing so much as another glance at Colbert. Colbert stayed there for a time, biting

his lip, but eventually he punched the carpet in anger, rising to his feet and

confronting Julius, who had remained behind.

"Julius! Is this really... really the only path?!" he shouted.

Colbert spoke more freely, unlike when he had stood before Gaius. Partially

because they were around the same age, despite their positions as crown prince and

vassal, Julius and Colbert were close enough to be called friends.

In a cold tone, Julius said to Colbert, "He's right that it's a once-in-a-lifetime

chance. In addition to Georg Carmine, there are many nobles who have secret ties to

our country. If we coordinate with them, we should be able to slice off some land in

the south for ourselves."

"But, if we lose, it could mean the death of our country," Colbert said.

"However, on the other hand, if we miss this chance, we may never be able to

regain our territory. If, as you've said, the new king is working to enrich his country,

doesn't that mean the gap will only widen if we let this chance slip by?"

It was clear that Julius looked at the situation through calmer, more rational eyes

than Gaius. Even so, his decision remained unchanged.

"It is the long-held wish of the Princely House of Amidonia to reclaim the lands

we have lost and to exact our revenge," Julius continued. "No, it's not only the

Princely House: the soldiers and the people hold that wish, as well."

"That's..."

That's because you've shown them no other option! Colbert wanted to say that,

but... he couldn't. To do so would be to overstep his bounds as a vassal.

As Colbert cast his eyes downwards, at a loss for words, Julius placed a hand on

his shoulder.

"Please, just stay quiet for now, Colbert. I rate your abilities quite highly. For my

own sake, as the one who will someday rule this land, I would rather not lose you to

Father's short temper."

"Julius..."

Colbert looked at him with clinging eyes, but Julius didn't return the emotion.

Some hours later, as the dejected Colbert dragged his feet through the corridors

of the princely castle, a young girl with an adorable face poked her head out from

behind one of the marble pillars.

"Hey there, Mr. Colbert. What are you lookin' so glum for?"

"Princess?! Um, that's, well..."

The one who had stepped out from behind the pillar was Roroa Amidonia, the

first princess of this country. Colbert panicked a little as he realized he'd let Roroa

see him feeling down.

Roroa had had a good sense for economics from a young age and, as she'd grown

up, she'd come to hang around with the owners of large businesses and the

bureaucrats of the Finance Ministry increasingly often. For Colbert, who was

Minister of Finance, Roroa was a compatriot who understood the ins and out of the

economy. She was also something akin to a needy little sister.

"Lookin' at that face... you tried to talk some sense into my old man for me, didn't

ya?" Roroa asked apologetically, looking at the bruises on Colbert's face.

"Huh? Ah, no... These are, uh..."

"No need to hide it," she said. "Sorry about my idiot father. Good grief... If he's

pushin' away vassals who're tryin' to give him solid advice, he's leadin' this country

straight down the road to ruin. Honestly, what is he thinkin'?"

While saying things others would have been too terrified to, Roroa made a big

show of how angry she was. Colbert was satisfied just to see Roroa looking like that

on his behalf.

"Thank you, princess," he said. "I'll be fine."

"You will? Well then, get yourself ready."

"Huh...? Get myself ready for what?"

Unable to keep up with this sudden turn in the conversation, Colbert blinked

repeatedly.

Roroa waved her hand at him with a laugh. "The old man just gave ya all the free

time in the world, so you've got nothin' to do, right? Well, maybe you can help me

out with what I'm doin', then. I've already talked to all the bureaucrats who seemed

amenable to it, but I could still use more people to help, after all."

"Huh? Um, princess? Just what are you planning to do?"

"That's obvious," she said. "We're all gonna disappear together. Sebastian's

movin' forward with the plans, but for now I think we'll go stay with Uncle Herman

in Nelva."

"Huh? Whaaaaaa?!" he exclaimed.

Roroa grabbed him by the sleeve and walked off quickly, dragging Colbert behind

her