Chapter 55
The news that war had broken out spread quickly across the Continent.
“The Western Region has always had its share of large and small wars, but…”
“This is the first time a war of this scale has occurred. I heard all the Troops have been funneled over there.”
“Deploying Troops to the Border shows an intent far too obvious.”
“It’s not a light Standoff either. They are moving on a national scale.”
“Chireun and Maselin, what goods were we trading with those two kingdoms?”
“I will compile a list.”
“Do it quickly, if we mishandle this, prices will skyrocket.”
In this situation, the countries adjacent to the Maselin Kingdom and the Chireun Kingdom suddenly had a fire lit under their feet.
Once a war started, there was no telling when it would end, and many things would change as a result.
To minimize the aftermath even a little, everyone ran around frantically as if their feet were actually on fire.
“How is the war situation right now?”
“There haven’t been any major clashes yet; they are maintaining a Standoff while only exchanging Magic.”
“But is it really because of that rumor? Because of the Empire’s Second Prince’s confession?”
There was a single rumor that most people had just laughed off in the Marketplace.
Who could have known that this one rumor would truly become the signal flare for war.
“I knew Crown Princess Mireune was popular, but I didn’t know it was to this extent.”
The story that the Empire’s Second Prince had confessed and had yet to receive an answer spread across the entire Continent.
Almost simultaneously, a massive number of carrier pigeons visited the Maselin Kingdom.
But a story about love crossing borders was inherently very provocative and sweet.
People harbored an immense amount of interest in how this story would end.
However, the direction of that interest was by no means war.
A war breaking out because of love? And it wasn’t just any love, either.
“A war to hear the answer to a confession… More accurately, was it just to claim her?”
“You are correct. From what we’ve gathered through their recent actions, once it became known that Crown Princess Mireune was receiving numerous courtships, the Chireun Kingdom started a war with the mindset of staking everything.”
“A war for that reason… Hah.”
“They also used the fact that she was playing with people’s hearts as a justification. The core justification itself is the “crime of playing with the heart of Royalty”.”
“…”
The departments in charge of diplomacy and intelligence in each country were beyond having headaches; the backs of their necks were throbbing.
Of course, if one asked, “Can that really be a justification for war?” it technically could be.
But actually waging a real war over it was a completely different matter.
However, this didn’t mean every country was racking its brains like this.
The countries surrounding the spread of the war were had the most urgent fires under their feet.
Because the further away a country was, the more it felt like merely watching a fire across the river.
And among them, the one undoubtedly preparing to watch with the most amusement was…
“Excuse me, but what should I call you…”
“You can address me informally staff #1 or Teo. Your Excellency the Chancellor, please speak freely with me.”
“Haha, how could I be so informal, Teo… Sir Teo, are you not also His Highness’s Closest Aide?”
“You recognize me, Your Excellency the Chancellor! But still, I hope you will feel comfortable with me!”
“Haha, of course it’s comfortable. Is there any need for closest aides to act stiffly with each other? So Teo, you may also comfortably call me… no, call me Chancellor. Or you can call me by my name, it doesn’t matter. I am Ruban Argal.”
“I am Teo Jain! I look forward to working with you! Chancellor!”
It was the Bellos Empire.
Following the Crown Prince’s orders, they were planning to secretly help the Chireun Kingdom from behind the scenes.
They were discussing how they could best exploit this war.
“He said there must absolutely be no Civilian Casualties. This is a point His Royal Highness the Crown Prince strictly emphasized.”
“That’s right. In a direction that strictly helps only the military… First, the method that comes to mind most readily is secretly deploying the staff-wielders to smooth out the Flow of Mana and amplify the Magic Potency.”
“Not bad. I don’t know much about Magic, but if we do that, the Chireun Kingdom’s Magic will strike more powerfully… Their advantage in the Standoff situation will increase.”
“In truth, I think means other than Magic are very limited. Because His Royal Highness the Crown Prince also forbade direct Armed Conflict.”
“Hmm, Teo’s words make sense. After all… the Knights honestly have a lot of restrictions.”
How should they help?
How much should they manipulate the circumstances of this war?
Regarding this, the Empire’s High Command continued its endless discussions.
The problem that arose during that process was precisely the deployment of the Knights.
Since they were secretly providing support, it would be good to whittle down the Maselin Kingdom’s Troops while they were at it, so they secretly desired to disguise the Knights and deploy them. But,
The Bellos Empire’s overwhelming strength worked very poorly in this kind of situation.
“To think that our Empire’s strength, being too great, would become a problem.”
“As His Excellency the Grand General said, the Imperial Knights are too strong. And because they are strong, their Aura is different. The moment they reveal their power, they will be caught.”
“It can’t be helped.”
The Grand General, Akam Bellos, crossed his arms and revealed a regretful expression.
“The moment they reveal their power, flames will bloom… Anyone could see it belongs to Bellos.”
“That’s right. Therefore, deploying the Knights is impossible.”
Sol Bellos.
The Power of the Sun wielded by the Great Prophet was permitted not only to the Imperial Family.
Fire, by its nature, grows larger and stronger the more it is shared.
The name might be different, but the Imperial Knights could all use the Power of the Sun.
The various powers derived from Sol Bellos as their root had inherited the strength of the original.
The moment they revealed their power, they flaunted a powerful presence that could absolutely never be hidden.
“The Bellos Empire is the only one that handles mana and Aura like flames.”
Pride spread across the lips of the Grand General as he muttered that.
“Still, it makes no sense for the Knights not to move at all, so they should at least escort the staff-wielders and keep watch to ensure they aren’t ambushed when transporting Supplies and the like.”
“So there was such a method, as expected of His Excellency the Grand General.”
“Haha, Teo, you don’t need to speak so sweetly to me. As you said, aren’t we fellow closest aides?”
“…!!! It is an honor!!!”
“I don’t think you called it an honor to me, the Chancellor. Is it because I’ve retired from active duty…”
“Ah, no, it’s not that…”
“Haha, it’s a joke. You remind me of my grandson.”
The heartwarming conversation went back and forth for only a moment.
“Then is it settled that the staff-wielders will handle Magic Support, and the Knights will handle Supply Escort?”
“That seems to be the extent to which we can help as much as possible without getting caught.”
“Hmm, I see. Let’s proceed like that.”
Without any further chatter, everyone quickly reached a conclusion and ended the meeting.
Everything for the Empire.
With those words, the 1st Chireun Kingdom Support Meeting came to a close.
+++++
While the support meeting was in full swing.
“I wonder how Mirne will come out of this.”
“Your Highness! This Humble Woman predicts she is preparing a very terrifying and wicked plan.”
“…The Maselin Kingdom side?”
“Yes!”
“May I know what your basis is?”
“It is This Humble Woman’s intuition! Hmph!”
I was having a conversation with Arveda in the bedroom.
It wasn’t because I had a specific purpose, but because I had made a plan to watch how the Maselin Kingdom would move for the time being.
Because right now, all there was to do was watch the fire.
“But naturally, Maselin will win the war even if nothing special happens.”
In the past, the Empire wasn’t the only one that supported the Maselin Kingdom.
From the Holy Kingdom to the Magic Tower, various places must have eagerly showered the Maselin Kingdom with gifts.
It was obvious they would easily defeat a Kingdom whose name I was hearing for the first time, with just that.
“It would be nice if a few of the Maselin Kingdom’s hidden methods came out.”
“That is right!”
Roll, roll.
Arveda rolled around on the bed, appropriately chiming in with my words.
“Come to think of it, since the Maselin Kingdom and the Chireun Kingdom became embroiled in conflict, the movements of the Black Mages have drastically decreased.”
And then she spat out a very sharp remark.
“Ah.”
Even I, who was listening, felt a moment of realization.
'It’s true?'
I realized that nothing related to Black Mages had been coming up in recent reports.
I could immediately guess the reason.
“The Protagonist is moving the worldview, so it makes no sense for a Sub-story to pop off on its own in a place where the Protagonist isn”t present.'
The core of a novel is developing the story around the Protagonist.
In that sense, the contents related to the Black Mages are in a Temporarily Paused State because right now it is hard for Mirne to pay attention to them.
“I’d like to aim for this time to dig out the Black Mages a bit more.”
I wondered, “Is there a need to wait until they transform?”
I felt that now was the perfect time to dig into the Black Mages.
“We can”t provide much support to the Chireun Kingdom anyway, so we have free hands. So if we dig up the Black Mages and find out about the Demon King and the Demon Race…'
Right around the time my thoughts were churning like that.
“…Your Highness, This Humble Woman feels strange.”
“Hmm?”
“Something… I feel somewhat dizzy… It feels like someone is calling me.”
“…?”
Suddenly, Arveda shot up from the bed and whipped her head toward the window.
The System Message appeared at the same time.
[ The Dragon’s Hidden Name calls the revealed Half-Pint. ]
[ Arveda’s Covenant is moving. ]
The moment I saw that, I had a gut feeling.
“This is absurd.”
What Mirne was trying to use in the war.
“Is this how you treat another country’s precious Dragon Princess?”
“Y-Your Highness?”
She’s trying to use Arveda in the war? Is she using her true name?
“Hah.”
That won’t do.
I’ll properly throw a wrench in your plans.
Before that, first.
“T-This Humble Woman… feels like she’s going to suddenly be transported somewhere.”
I’ll have to ruin her first plan.
“It’s fine, it’s fine, so don’t worry. I am here.”
I’m not handing Arveda over.