How to Get to the Monster Forest

When I said that, Richard-sama's expression immediately grew troubled.

"Why is that?"

"It's difficult to imagine based only on what I've heard, and I think seeing it with my own eyes would help us think of ways to deal with it. I also think it would help me understand how I should train."

I said this seriously as I looked at Richard-sama. Even though this is another world, its environment is so much like Japan that I can't make myself think of the Monster Forest as real when people talk about it. It feels like something from an anime setting... No matter how much I hear about it, I feel a sense of danger at the time, but that feeling gradually fades.

That's why I want to see it for myself. I can't think of ways to deal with the strange plants I heard about the other day unless I actually see them, and I have no idea what kind of powers the monsters possess.

"That's true, but there's no need for a child to go out of his way to visit a dangerous place. In addition, the area around the Monster Forest is off-limits to everyone except the knight order and the private armies of the nobility."

So that's how it was...? But I really wanted to go at least once. Even if it was dangerous, I'd probably be fine as long as a knight accompanied me, unless something truly serious happened. And even if it was off-limits, if Alexis-sama and Richard-sama granted me permission, I was sure I could get in.

So first, I had to persuade Richard-sama...

"Richard-sama, almost all heads of noble families know about the current state of the Monster Forest, don't they?"

"Yes, they do."

"Then how much do the others know? For example, have many nobles told their spouses and children?"

"No. It seems that most families tell the child who will inherit the title when the time comes for them to inherit it. Some tell their spouses, while others do not. Generally, they don't tell anyone else."

As I thought... Lucien hadn't known either. The fact that nobles could blithely consider civil war despite the looming threat of the Monster Forest was another problem.

I understood that widespread knowledge would cause confusion and create serious problems, but I still thought it would be best to at least tell the heads of noble families and their families. The quickest way would be to have them see the Monster Forest for themselves.

However, the adults among the opposing faction probably wouldn't go anywhere near the Monster Forest, so perhaps we could have their children go there instead.

If the children went to the Monster Forest on an extracurricular trip organized by the Royal Academy and saw the situation for themselves, they would tell their parents about it. And even if they didn't participate, they would inevitably hear other students talking about the Monster Forest at school.

If it were only the children of nobles, it shouldn't cause too much chaos. In that case, I could go to the Monster Forest too.

But if I could go to the Monster Forest, that meant the other commoners attending the Royal Academy could go too. There was a chance rumors would spread among the commoners from there.

Hmm... But at this point, rumors that the Monster Forest was dangerous were bound to spread anyway. They would probably spread sooner or later whether we liked it or not.

If so, wouldn't it be better to anticipate those rumors and issue a proclamation to the commoners? Even if it meant mixing in a few lies, we could say something like: The threat of the Monster Forest is drawing near, but we can overcome it if we all unite. We are recruiting soldiers, and so on.

I thought it was time to steer things in that direction. That way, even the foolish nobles might begin to see reality a little more clearly.

"Richard-sama, I understand your concern that informing more people about the Monster Forest could cause confusion. However, wouldn't it be all right to inform everyone in the noble families?"

"But the more people we tell, the greater the risk that word will spread."

"I understand that. However, haven't we already passed the point where we can keep it hidden? I think we should act on the assumption that rumors about the threat of the Monster Forest will spread."

"...Indeed, it is becoming difficult to keep it hidden. His Majesty and I are currently discussing how to respond from here on."

"I see... May I offer my opinion?"

"Of course. I want to hear whatever opinion you have. Outside perspectives often make us realize things we otherwise miss. Recently, however, when we say we're seeking outside opinions, we only consult nobles, and our thinking has become rigid."

Richard-sama listened carefully to my opinion even though I was a commoner. He really was a flexible and capable person. Alexis-sama was the same.

Reassured that he would listen carefully no matter what I said, I opened my mouth.

"First, to prevent confusion caused by rumors about the Monster Forest, I think it would be best to inform the commoners about it in advance."

"Wouldn't telling the commoners only make the confusion happen sooner?"

"No, I think we just need to be careful about how we present it. For example: The Monster Forest is spreading, and if things continue like this, eventually there will be nowhere left for people to live. However, if we all join forces, we can overcome it. At present, the knights are holding it back, but it's also true that the knights alone are no longer enough. Therefore, we would like to ask everyone to lend their strength in dealing with the Monster Forest. Specifically, we would like to recruit soldiers willing to help deal with the Monster Forest, and request the food supplies that will be needed as a result. Of course, appropriate compensation will be paid. How does that sound?"

I had only come up with it on the spur of the moment, so it probably had plenty of flaws, but I thought that was the general idea. If we gave the commoners this information and then informed the nobles about the current state of the Monster Forest, even the foolish nobles would understand that the situation was truly dire. Some nobles might still fail to understand... but they should be in the minority. Probably...

I was a little afraid of how Richard-sama would react, but I timidly looked at him. He seemed quite surprised and was deep in thought. Was there really anything so surprising about it?

"Leon-kun... Thank you for offering such valuable advice. We have always been helped by the commoners in times of peace, so I believed that we had to protect them in times of crisis. For that reason, I thought we had to resolve this with only the knights and the soldiers we currently have. But you're saying we should ask others to cooperate as well..."

...Why had he ended up thinking that way? The goddess was supposed to have decreed that commoners and nobles should help one another.

Maybe the idea that nobles had to guarantee commoners a minimum standard of living had been misinterpreted, turning into the idea that commoners were beings who had to be protected?

If that was the case, both sides' ways of thinking were far too extreme!

"Rather than being swallowed up by the Monster Forest without being told anything, I think most commoners would want to learn what was happening and fight too."

"You're right. I'll discuss this with His Majesty, taking your opinion into consideration."

"Please do. I have one more suggestion. What would you think of sending students on an expedition to the Monster Forest during a long vacation as part of the Royal Academy's extracurricular program? Of course, participation would probably be voluntary, but if they saw the reality from a young age, their sense of urgency would grow. I also think that awareness could be passed from children to adults."

"...That's true. Seeing it in person would indeed heighten their sense of urgency..."

"The children of families in the opposing faction might not participate in the expedition, but they would hear about it at school whether they wanted to or not."

"It does seem likely to be effective. I hadn't thought of information being passed from children to adults..."

I didn't know whether it would work, but I thought it was worth trying. Actually, why hadn't I thought of it before?

Hmm... Maybe I hadn't thought of using schools because there were hardly any schools in this world. The Royal Academy was primarily a place where the children of nobles gained knowledge and expanded their networks, after all.

In Japan, using school education to control people's thinking was occasionally discussed, after all... We even covered it in history class.

Maybe you wouldn't think of it if you didn't know about such things.

"I'll discuss both suggestions with His Majesty and give them serious consideration. Leon-kun, thank you for your valuable advice."

"No, I only said what came to mind. I'm sure there are plenty of flaws, but I'd be happy if you would consider my suggestions."

And so my discussion with Richard-sama ended, and Lucien and I returned to our room.

The topic had strayed a little, but maybe this meant I could go to the Monster Forest. I'd been curious about it for so long, and now I might finally get to see it.

I returned to my room with a strange mixture of curiosity and fear.