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.