Chapter 5: Withdrawal (part 1)

22nd day, 10th month, 1546th year, Continental Calendar

It was noon on the day after I forged a secret alliance with the Gran Chaos

Empire.

Jeanne and I met with Julius once more in the audience chamber.

As we all stood in the same positions as the day before, Hakuya, who stood in

front of me and to the side, stepped towards Julius and presented him with a piece of

paper detailing the decision made in yesterday's talks. "The Royal Army will leave

Van and return home to the Elfrieden Kingdom."

Julius's haughty expression showed that he saw this as the natural conclusion,

but when he heard what came next, his face turned a different color.

"As a condition of this, the Principality of Amidonia is ordered to pay war

reparations to the Elfrieden Kingdom," said Hakuya. "This is to be separate from any

ransom negotiated for the return of prisoners of war."

"That can't be right!" Julius rounded on Jeanne. "Madam Jeanne! What is the

meaning of this?!"

"The meaning of it...?" Jeanne shrugged. "Why, I do believe I have negotiated the

return of your land, as requested?"

Julius couldn't seem to accept the outcome. "Is this some sort of joke?! War

reparations? It makes it seem like we are a defeated nation!"

"Given your current situation, it's hard to say otherwise," said Jeanne. "You have

lost your capital city, after all."

"No! We haven't lost yet!" Julius shouted. "They've only taken a single city!"

"...Then you're free to do as you please," said Jeanne. "The Empire will be washing

its hands of the matter. You may make peace or make war, whichever you please."

Julius groaned, at a loss for words.

Seeing his reaction, Jeanne sighed. "As for that city... I have some heavy doubts

that you can write off your capital as just one city being lost, but I believe you turned

to us for assistance because you were in no position to retake the city yourself, yes?

In that case, you have lost the war. The Empire, under the Mankind Declaration, has

provided a means for you to restore the changes in your borders. We can intervene

no further."

"But, war reparations..." Julius complained.

"Sir Julius." Jeanne turned a cold look on him, one that seemed to push him away.

"This matter has saddened my sister, Maria, deeply. You have invaded a sovereign

state by taking advantage of a loophole in the Mankind Declaration, which was made

to unite all mankind in the face of the threat posed by the Demon Lord's Domain. As

the head of that pact, we cannot let it go unchallenged."

"That was... our former sovereign, Gaius..." Julius sputtered.

"Even if it was," said Jeanne, "you still bear the responsibility for failing to stop

him. Regardless, in order to ensure that no other signatory of the Mankind

Declaration engages in such foolhardy actions, I believe harsh consequences are

necessary. I will have you set an example for them."

Uwah... She's wording it all politely, but basically what she's saying is, "I'm going to

make an example of you to keep the other signatories in line," huh? I thought.

Julius stood there trembling with his hands balled into fists, his face a contorted

mask of rage and anguish. "...And what if I refuse?"

"I've already told you that," said Jeanne. "You are free to do as you please. The

Empire will wash its hands of the matter, and the Principality of Amidonia will be

expelled from the Mankind Declaration."

Julius gasped in shock. "Wait! If you do that, our country will..."

"Yes," said Jeanne. "'If they are not a signatory to the Declaration, it's not a

violation if we attack them.' Which is to say, your... Pardon me, your father's

interpretation will be able to be applied to Amidonia, as well."

The Principality of Amidonia was surrounded by four nations on its four sides. To

their west was the mercenary state of Zem, which professed to eternal neutrality

despite dispatching mercenaries. To their south was the Republic of Turgis, a nonsignatory state with a national policy of northward expansionism. To their north

was the Orthodox Papal State of Lunaria, which had a unique set of values that

differed from its neighbors. And lastly, to their east was the Elfrieden Kingdom.

Setting aside what we might do ourselves, if they lost the protection of the

Mankind Declaration now, it was entirely possible that the other three would gobble

them up.

Their former ruler, Gaius, had maintained his country by joining hands with the

Empire, forming a contract with Zem for their mercenaries, intimidating the

Elfrieden Kingdom under its previous timid leader, Albert, and displaying his

military might to the countries to the north and south. He'd had the capacity to carry

out a balanced foreign policy. Could Julius be said to have the same talent?

Even if he did have the talent, did the young Julius have the kind of authority he

would need to take the necessary steps?

The inheritance of authority is best done gradually, while the previous ruler still

lives. However, Gaius was no more. Julius now had to deal with the difficult problem

of managing the threat of foreign powers externally, while also keeping his own

vassals under control internally. If, during that very important process, his country

were removed from the Mankind Declaration, he would lose the ability to rely on the

Empire's authority and would quickly find himself in checkmate.

Julius understood that, so he bowed his head to Jeanne, his face full of bitterness.

"...I will accept your plan."

"A wise decision, Sir Julius," Jeanne said.

Julius looked mortified, but I couldn't allow myself to show mercy here, so I did

not stir.

With that matter settled, we moved on to negotiating the specific amount.

We demanded two years' worth of Amidonia's national budget, divided into

annual payments over a period of ten years, with the stipulation that it must be paid

in Imperial coinage. In other words, they would pay twenty percent of their national

budget to us every year for ten years.

Julius, of course, objected, but Jeanne convinced (coerced?) him to accept it. The

point was to deprive Amidonia, which had spent half of its annual budget on military

expenses, of its military funding. As long as they reduced military spending, I didn't

think it would be impossible for them to pay it, but would Amidonia be able to do

that?

"Madam Jeanne," I said. "If there are any delays in payment..."

"Indeed," said Jeanne. "The Empire will support the Elfrieden Kingdom in its

annexation of Van."

"Urkh..." Julius looked frustrated, but he couldn't say anything.

With that confirmed, I made a proposal. "However, Madam Jeanne, I could see

them delaying payment while they harden the defenses around Van. Even with the

Empire's consent, it would be a hassle to have to take the city again. As such, I would

like something of equivalent value as collateral."

"Collateral?" Jeanne asked.

"An item that we will hold on to until such time as the reparations are paid," I

said. "If the reparations are not paid, we will gain ownership of that item. Of course,

if the reparations are paid properly, the item will be returned."

"I see... So, what do you want?" Jeanne asked.

"A Jewel Voice Broadcast jewel."

"Wha—! Our country only has one of those!" Julius roared.

With the current level of technology, they couldn't create another. If it were

valued as an asset, it was probably equal to a year's worth of Amidonia's national

budget.

But still, I said, "You're not using it all that much anyway. Where's the harm in

letting us have it?"

"Don't be absurd! Do you mean to incite our people to revolt?!" Julius shouted.

"It's a simple matter of changing the frequency," I said. "That's all it would take to

keep you from receiving broadcasts made by Elfrieden."

"Urgh... Well, yes..." Julius looked anguished, but he accepted it surprisingly

easily.

They had been using the convenient device for little more than a declaration of

intent at the beginning of each year, so Julius the militarist probably didn't realize its

true value. It might be that he only recognized it for its material value. As I was

thinking that...

"Sire. May I have a word?" Hakuya said, then whispered something in my ear.

When I heard what he had to say, I furrowed my brow.

"That's... mostly just to satisfy your own interests, isn't it?" I asked.

"Whatever are you saying?" Hakuya asked. "Knowledge is crystallized wisdom."

"...Well, fine," I said. "Sir Julius."

"...What?"

"As an additional piece of collateral, we would like to take the books in this

castle's archives."

That was what Hakuya had proposed. We would take custody of Amidonia's

books gathering dust in Amidonia's archives.

In this world, paper was still precious, and books were not in wide distribution. It

was entirely possible that Amidonia had books in their archives that Elfrieden did

not. Moreover, in the case of books, it would be possible to copy them while we had

them in our possession.

Julius snorted with contempt. "Very well. But don't touch anything else. I won't

stand for you taking our weapons or armor."

"We already sold off a bunch of those to raise funds for the transportation

network here, you know?" I said. "We spent that money on this city, so even if you

ask for it back, we can't comply."

"Urgh. Then don't touch them any further!" Julius snapped.

"...Very well," I said.

The weapons were more important than the books, huh? It was the right

decision, given that he was surrounded by countries he couldn't let his guard down

around, but he didn't seem to understand how scary it was that the collected

writings of his people, the crystallization of their wisdom, would be leaking out.

When I looked to Jeanne, she must have been thinking the same thing as me,

because she wore a wry smile.

Now, with the matter of reparations settled, we decided to settle other matters.

"I want my the soldiers of my country who were taken prisoner by the Elfrieden

Kingdom returned," Julius demanded.

"Very well," I said. "However, you will have to pay a ransom for those belonging

to the nobility or gentry."

"...Understood."

"In addition, we have investigated and composed a list of war criminals who

attacked villages and engaged in looting during your invasion of our country," I said.

"Any prisoners who are on those lists will be judged under the laws of our country,

and so we cannot return them to you."

The extreme measure thought up by Hakuya, using the fictional monster of the

flame pierrots to induce people to evacuate, had succeeded in getting most of the

people out of the path of the Amidonian forces. However, that didn't mean there had

been absolutely no casualties.

The armies of the principality seemed to have dispatched scouts in all directions,

and those unfortunate enough to encounter them had been killed. I would see to it

that they paid for the innocent blood of my people they had spilled.

"We will also demand that those whose names are on the list and yet remain in

your country be turned over to us," I said. "Only once this is completed can we begin

to return prisoners to you."

"...Fine," said Julius shortly, accepting the list of war criminals from Hakuya. "By

the way, is Roroa among the prisoners to be returned?"

Roroa? Who?

"I'm not familiar with the name," I said. "Who's that?"

"Roroa Amidonia. My unworthy younger sister. She should have been in Van

when the fighting started."

"Your younger sister?" I asked. "When the gates of Van were opened, we allowed

any who wished to leave to do so. I think Margarita was about the only one of any

status who stayed. I haven't received any reports that we captured a member of the

royal family."

"...That's fine, then," Julius said, cutting off the topic as if no longer interested.

His sister was missing, wasn't she? He seemed awfully blasé about that fact.

Wasn't he worried?

"If you'd like, I could have my people look for anyone who's spotted her," I

offered.

"That will not be necessary."

"Not necessary?" I repeated.

Hakuya whispered in my ear, "Most likely, he is concerned about a succession

crisis.