A few days had passed since my meeting with Zondark. While preparing for the wedding ceremony, Taichi was thinking about how to capture the swamps in the eastern part of the Sea of Trees. How was everyone else doing?
But right now, I'm annoyed at this idiot who can't read the air. Yep.
[Just when all the prep work for the wedding is over… they're aiming for this very moment, that little bastard at Gobbel Kingdom.]
[It's definitely because he knows that our wedding is almost ready.]
[Indeed, Royal Mother also thought so.]
We're currently in Crown, Mischronia's Royal Capital, in a room right next to the throne room――actually, it's Ir-san's office, which revives quite a lot of unpleasant memories. It's still fresh in my head how I slaved myself away here for two weeks.
It was this morning that an emergency notification signal from Ir-san entered the notification magic tool placed in the Lord's building. I and Marl, who were well dressed, gave a visit to the office, where we were presented with a letter.
It is a paper that seemed to be derived from very good quality plants. The texture is very close to what is called Japanese paper in the original world. Not only the texture but also the edges were decorated with gold leaf, leaving the status of the sender to be visually obvious. The problem was its contents.
『It has been brought to my attention that not only the First Prince's fiancee, the next King of Gobbel, has eloped with someone else, and that someone else has also given the centaurs, which recently caused trouble for us, an exit from our encirclement. Moreover, our brave soldiers were killed in the process? Do you really think we did not investigate these matters? This is already beyond tolerance! Not to mention that it seems Miscronia has finally thrown your lot in with Karendil. But this one is magnanimous! Repent by sending the head of that child called Taichi to us. We shall await your favorable reply. That is all. 』
The content was clearly written with a certain stylistic choice. The sender was, of course, the Gobbel Kingdom.
[Isn't Gobbel Kingdom currently in tatters due to the great flooding and the civil war against the centaurs?]
[Indeed they are… they shouldn't be in a position to show such a strong attitude against Mischronia or Karendil.]
Feeling troubled by it, Ir-san let out a heavy sigh.
[It is possible that information has been manipulated. In reality, the soldiers were less exhausted, and the monsters in the flood were repelled with very little damage. Such information is skillfully concealed and false information was deliberately spread, perhaps?]
[Marl-chan, we sent in not only one or two spies in, you know? Of which most have served the Kingdom for generations. It's hard to think that they have somehow changed sides.]
[…of course, but trusting them too much may also be dangerous. There needs to be another intelligence unit other than those planted inside Gobbel to act as a second source of information. Who is to say that the first unit had been uprooted and was now working for them due to some means like mental manipulation magic or bewitchment eye?]
In response to my objection, Ir-san tilted her neck and put her finger on her cheek. It seems that Marl inherited that gesture from Ir-san.
[But Taichi-kun, don't mental manipulation magic and bewitchment eye merely exist in fairy tales?]
[I can't tell the details, but I can use them if I want to. Therefore it can be dangerous to just consider them as mere fairy tales. Well anyway, what should we do now… I don't mind being cut off.]
[You mean?]
Ir-san looked at me with suspicion.
[Yes. Both Mischronia and Karendil allowed me to occupy the Great Sea of Trees, but it's a fact that I haven't subordinated myself to any of the two, so the two Kingdoms can deny having connection with me. Instead, I don't mind if Gobbel comes directly to invade the Sea of Trees.]
[Hmm, would that be alright? Isn't that risk a little too high?]
[The Sea of Trees is essentially a natural fortress. The riverkins live upstream, so we don't have to worry about our water source being poisoned. Their living area is the closest to Gobbel, but I don't think swampy areas make for a good place to field soldiers. They'll have no choice but to cut through the forest… But by doing so, they'll provoke the monsters living inside the forest. It's like taking down two birds with one stone. The Gobbel army would have to thin out the number of monsters, and I won't have to worry about reducing their power.]
[What if they march from the Karendil side instead?]
[I don't think Karendil will allow them passage, but it does not matter even if that is the case. That's why I chose to have my territory there.]
The long, narrow road that extended from the territory to the east and west was actually deliberately made that way. It is not suitable for a large army to move forward. By all means, the formation will grow too long. If it grows long, it will be difficult to spread the logistical force to the front, and it will not be difficult to attack the stretched formation from the left and right sides in the forest. In the first place, if the barrier to avoid monsters was lifted, the invading forces will march on the long road to the territory while being attacked by monsters day and night. It was not difficult to imagine that the conductor and the logistical officer would be shredded into pieces and broken down in the process.
Furthermore, even if they managed to reach the territory, it is a solid star-shaped wall that awaited them. It would be extremely difficult to bring the kind of siege weapons that can break that wall to the territory. Though I can't let my guard down because it can be destroyed by powerful attack magic and magic weapons.
Well, I didn't create a city carelessly. It is also meaningful to use soul crystals with excessive output for the purpose of supplying water to the central water tower. It also supplied the waterway that ran all over the city.
[Hmm, but that also means neither Mischronia nor Karendil can openly support your territory.]
[All I need is trade. Well, if we can't trade openly between countries, I could just start a company, or let someone else do it for me. Basically making use of a loophole… there should be a lot more ways to go around.]
[Taichi-san, did you just smoothly suggest commiting a felony to the head of a country?]
[Is it really a felony though–?]
[Hahaha.]
There's no way to detect me since I can stash items safely in my inventory and travel fast with supersonic speed flight, so I'll just use it. Not that anyone could catch me either.
========
[So, earlier than planned, we're going to be a nation independent from both Mischronia and Karendil. This is a decision, but if you have any opinions, I'll listen. Anyone?]
[As if I have any to add.]
Torn growled while stroking the hair under his bushy chin. Perhaps it was the effect of hunting the monsters in the Sea of Trees with the prototype equipment I made and raising his level. His fur had been strangely glossy recently. I also thought that his physique was getting better. By the way, Torn's current level was 39, which is higher than the Royal Guards of Mischronia and Karendil. He was now the top level among the fight-capable residents of the territory.
Torn was attending this meeting along with Yamato, the horse beastkin, as the representatives of the beastkin.
[Same. This one barely ever had any contact with the world outside of the Sea of Trees after all.]
Kusuha also said while sipping tea in a lazy manner. It went without saying that she was attending as a representative of Arachneans, but since she was also my fiancee, she may not be considered as a neutral.
Her level was currently 38, and in addition to her weapons and intelligence skills, she also had her magical skills and the unique skills of the Arachnean, such as sticky threads and steel threads.
[A war against the Gobbel Kingdom… we of the riverkins have received a lot of grace from Taichi-dono. Therefore we will not be against this.]
The guy who was looking at me with a sharp gaze while folding his arm was Buity=Gui. He's a level 35 one-eyed lizard-kin with dark green scales. His pole weapon mastery is at an astonishing level 5 accompanied by the title of Spear Sage. He's also Jay=Kay's father.
[We centaurs obey the king. When fighting them, please let us march at the forefront. This fight is calling for us, and we should be the first to fight.]
Penelope, now level 27–a step lower than the other representatives, said that while holding his fist up. The centaurs' speed and their teamwork would certainly be a great asset in an open war.
[Calm down, Centaur… I think it's an opinion that we were to become independent without the patronage of the two great powers rather than the good and bad of the war. As for us, the Oni, as long as we can get supplies from outside the Great Sea of Trees, then I think there is no problem. Is there anything to worry regarding that?]
The red oni with a physique like a solid boulder and a stern voice was Enki. He's the head of the Oni village, one of the stronger groups in the great forest. His level is unknown, and apparently capable of hurting me with his『Kill in instance』. Although not currently here, Irori, his wife, was actually stronger than him.
[There should be no problem there. There might be some shortage, but it should be resolved after the war is over.]
[Then us, the Oni have nothing else to say.]
『Antillians do not against it for as long as we are provided with enough resources as usual』
These guys were acting like businessmen as usual. Though I'm not so sure about Enki, since despite his looks, he had this tsundere attitude sometimes.
I can't read the Antillians' expressions, so I can't really gauge their real intentions. I felt troubled because of this video game where a certain Emperor plays an active part in a certain defense army. They look like a giant ant, but their girly voice was such a huge gap moe.
The minions were dexterous, with a high level in civil engineering works, and a thin amount of concept of individuality. They could share information between themselves via mental waves or something, which was a bit strange. They're also aware that I've been using them for my own convenience, so it's only right for them to expect some reward in exchange.
[There won't be any need to worry, but it won't be any worse than before. We can hunt monsters, and the fields are doing well. As the number of people increases, so does the amount of food that needs to be provided. That's not something I can provide on my own.]
[Yes, the blessings of the forest are abundant. If we run, we can collect them sparingly so as not to exhaust the blessings of the forest. It is not easy for the people of Gobbel Kingdom to invade this Great Sea of Trees.]
[Hmm… Certainly, vulnerable human soldiers would be the prey of monsters sooner or later even if they break into the forest. But, we can't be complacent. It's a great undertaking, so we should really understand what we can and we can't do.]
[Certainly. I am also thinking the same thought.]
Marl agreed with Enki.
[We must not let anything trip us out… by the way, Taichi-dono, if you intend to make this territory its own country, wouldn't we need a name? Have you decided on it?]
[Yeah, I'm still working on it.]
Inwardly, he listened to me! While thinking about it, I took out a roll of paper from my inventory. When unfolded, it's a white piece of paper that's about the size of my hands stretched out sideways. The name of the country was written there by my handwriting.
[Taーdah, this will be the name of our new country.]
[Taichi-san, it's upside down.]
[…..Taーdah!]
[How do you even read that?]
[Are you trying to mock me or something!?]
Both Marl and Torn battered my glass heart with their straight man acts. I already knew that my writing was horrendous!
[The name of our country will be Yuuma Federation. Yuuma Federation.]
Because it is important, I spread the handwritten paper on the table while saying it twice. Reactions varied, but generally seemed to be good.
[A country created by you who are treated as monsters and I, who is a Hero, holding hands with each other. The Federation is a form of a country where small countries gather together and move as one. In other words, the Arachnean village, the Oni village, Riverkins residence, the town of fairies, and the base of the guardians belong to the Yuuma Federation, but have a certain degree of autonomy.]
[So, you're saying that each village won't have their traditions overwritten by the Federation's?]
[Exactly! However, people may come and go to each other's villages, and outsiders may visit in the future, so it is necessary to clarify the kind of unwritten rules. It might be a little difficult because we need to make a law that is acceptable to everyone in the Federation.]
Marl answered Kusuha's inquiry. It's very difficult to make this law, but I have decided to participate as well. I don't want to work.
[So what do you do about the battle with Gobbel Kingdom? As I said earlier, the Riverkins owed a great grace to Taichi-san.]
[We must not let our guard down, but it's not like the invasion will happen tomorrow. For now, let's gather volunteers to fight for the Yuuma Federation. Let's organize the Hero Federation Army. Its main mission is to defend territories and villages, guard roads, and eliminate foreign enemies. Equipment, clothing, food and shelter will be provided by the federal government.]
I don't know how many people will get together, at least I'm not planning to put it into this battle. Was the Defense Corps better than the Army? No, the army seems to be stronger, so let's go with the army.
For the time being, it was decided to improve the ability by training proficiencies in equipment and hunting monsters, and as a result of these discussions, it was decided to reconvene three days later. How do you cut through the Sea of Trees, which can be said to be a magical boundary, from a remote village? Every other day, like public transportation, I connected the transfer gate and went around. It's a hassle, but if you don't do that, you'll just have to go back and forth between the territory and each village.
[Is it possible to expand the armaments for a while… It seems that it will soon be out of hand.]
[It can't be helped, because we shouldn't rely solely on your power, otherwise the inhabitants will take your asylum for granted.]
Tina smiled bitterly.
That's right. If I solve everything, I'll have to take care of everything forever. It's really annoying and it doesn't help them either.